Lauren was excited to move from America to Australia and experience a new way of life. But despite all the hype surrounding overseas travel, there is one aspect she misses about home.
The 28-year-old quickly realised that the videos and photos she saw on social media romanticised the reality of life Down Under.
She claimed that the beautiful sunsets she often admired in Arizona were nothing compared to those in Brisbane, calling the city “so run down.”
“No one romanticizes moving to Australia and how hard it is to go from this… to this,” she wrote in a now-viral TikTok video.
The short clip showed a sunset with orange and purple hues, compared to the gloomy gray sky in Australia at sunset.
“Yes, there are beautiful places in Australia and yes, it is possible to find and live in them,” Lauren wrote.
‘But they’re not that common and most suburbs look like this: neglected and messy.
‘I’m just posting this to show the reality of moving to Australia. It’s not always pretty and Instagram-worthy.’
An American expat living in Australia called the suburbs Down Under “rundown and sloppy” and claimed she has yet to see a beautiful sunset
In the comments, Lauren claimed she had “never” seen a beautiful sunset in Australia.
“I’ve been all over the US and seven other countries, and while Australia certainly has beautiful places, I wouldn’t say there’s a single place that’s ‘the most beautiful monument I’ve ever seen in my life,’” she stated.
In her eyes, Brisbane on the east coast is “so neglected”, but she admits she has never been to Western Australia, a city known for its beautiful sunsets.
The short video quickly caught the attention of the general public and was viewed more than 1.5 million times. However, opinions were divided.
Americans agreed that the sunsets in Arizona are beautiful, while others encouraged Lauren to explore other parts of Australia.
“I’ve been all over the US and seven different countries, and while Australia certainly has beautiful places, I wouldn’t say any of it is ‘the most beautiful monument I’ve ever seen in my life,’” she stated.
“That’s not fair. There’s no way you can compare the sunsets in Arizona to anything. There’s nothing that can compare to it,” said one American.
“Finally someone said it,” wrote another, and Lauren said, “It feels good to know I’m not alone. It’s been a tough transition.”
Dozens of Australians were outraged by her comments, adding that sunsets Down Under are often picturesque depending on the location.
“As an Australian I’ve never seen anything like it,” one person admitted, referring to the grey skies.
“Don’t lie, the US is pretty much a third world country compared to Australia,” wrote another.
Someone else said Lauren had to “like it or leave it.”