If you live in America, chances are thinking of Australia brings a few things to mind: Big spiders, kangaroos, Crocodile Dundee… you get the picture. And while there are a lot of similarities between Aussies and other English-speaking countries, there are some cultural differences that some visitors to the country do find somewhat confusing. For instance, many travelers have been remarking on TikTok how baffled they are to see so many Australians walking around barefoot as if it’s the most natural thing in the world.
No shoes, no shirt, no service? Not in Australia!
Most Americans know the rule: If you don’t have shoes and a top on, you’re not going to be served at local businesses. That same policy clearly isn’t in place Down Under.
Curtis and Darcie, two Brits living in Australia at the moment, admitted to being particularly baffled at how casual the lack of footwear is in supermarkets, at coffee shops, and pretty much everywhere else seems to be in their new country.
“Serious question, why do so many Australians walk around without shoes on?” they wrote over several clips of this habit in action.
It’s “just the Australian way.”
@curtanddarc confirmed: australians hate shoes. you heard it here first 🦶 #australia #australians #oz #visa #whv #workingholidayvisa #backpacking #travelling #uk #uktoaus
If you think this is just behavior that Australian men take part in, you couldn’t be more wrong. As evidenced on TikTok, both men and women (and even nonbinary folks, I’m sure) eschew shoes and let their tootsies come in contact with all sorts of things.
“We’re just built different,” one Australian responded to Curtis and Darcie’s query. Another added, “Just the Australian way.”
However, others admitted they thought it was “disgusting” and that it “gives [me] the ick.” Some people even noted that the dangerous wildlife makes this move even more perplexing, while others simply worried about stepping on something bad.
“Health and safety alert! You could step on something sharp and get diseases. Please be safe!” another person remarked.
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This has to be hard on your feet.
@1flightaway What is the actual reason why so many people walk barefoot in Australia? Btw I love it 👣 #workingholidayaustralia #povfunny #aussiethings #aussiefun #barefoot #travelcouple #lifeinaustralia #noshoes
Walking around barefoot may eventually lead you to develop hard calluses that make doing so slightly less painful, but generally speaking, it has to seriously hurt.
In this way, Australians are actually pretty admirable. Most of us cringe when we put on shoes that are too narrow, so walking around on sand, gravel, and cement with nothing to protect our precious feet is a superpower many of us simply don’t possess.
