I am writing this article from a room I have rented in Kew, Melbourne. Life in Australia thus far has been similar to a certain degree, yet some aspects are immensely different.

Culturally, Australia (or at least this part of the country) is fairly similar to Anywhere, Canada. People work 9 to 5, take the tram (streetcar) to and from the city, meet friends for cocktails or dinner and relax on weekends. The siestas of Spain remain a European tradition, and Australia is more similar to home in terms of work ethic.

The ratio of rowdiness-to-politeness also strikes a similar balance to home; on a scale of raucous Greeks to refined Japanese, Australians fall right smack dab in the middle — much like Canada. So far, the people of Australia have lived up to their reputation of being well-mannered. Finding my way to job interviews via the tram would have been much more disastrous had some kind strangers not helped me. But don't let their politeness fool you: Aussies also know how to party.

Despite all these similarities that have made adjusting to life here fairly easy so far, there are certainly many differences that I am still trying to get used to. For starters, life is far more expensive here than what I am used to. Rent in a comparable share-house is nearly triple what it is in London. Granted, wages are higher here, but not in an equivalent increase to cost of living.

My beloved Starbucks venti frappuccinos are nearly $9 here. Price aside, Starbucks — as is everything I ever knew about coffee — is completely different here, too. I've been here 10 days and still have yet to order a coffee correctly. That's because they don't drink "coffee" in Australia; what we call coffee, they call instant (and they would "rather drink spit" than instant, one particularly passionate coffee-loving Australian told me). I thought Italians were crazy about their coffee, but that was before I came to Australia. Coffees are made strictly with fresh ground espresso beans and drinks are all made to order based on shot and milk preference, such as a "flat white," which is a single shot of espresso with no extra foam, or a "long black," which is just a fancy name for a double espresso. It's exhausting to not only try to figure out terminology, but to understand the accents. On the bright side, we speak the same language. You can't have it all, right?

Part of the reason I chose to settle in Melbourne for the first part of my trip is because I have friends here. Not only is it enjoyable to spend time with my usually faraway friends, but I instantly had built-in tour guides and advice on where to go and what to do (and a place to crash until I found my own). The Yarra River is around the corner from where I am living and I may not have discovered the beautiful parks and surrounding greenery had I not been taken on an afternoon stroll there.

One of my friends' best pieces of advice so far was to have a bite at Grilled, a famous Australian burger joint that far exceeds even the famous California-based burger chain In-n-Out. At Grilled, you choose your bun, made in-house, meat patty and toppings. All are organic and mouth-wateringly tasty.

For clothes, my friends pointed me to The Sass & Bide outlet on Bridge Road. The Australian label is pretty pricey but make the most gorgeous and interesting collections. Without the knowledge of a local, I would have never stumbled upon this gem of a store.

Another benefit of having local friends is the ease of socializing and meeting people; it's intimidating to move to another city alone and meet new friends. This past Saturday evening, I was brought to Cookie, an upscale bar in the city (downtown Melbourne is simply called "the city") that was a bookshop until they started selling cocktails. While the walls are still shelved with tons of books, the vibe is anything but nerdy. With a cocktail menu so extensive it rivals a novel itself, the mixtures are served in tall, mismatched glasses all made of crystal, while shots are playfully served in teeny tea cups. Because Cookie was a fairly swish bar, the dress code reflected this.

As my girlfriends and I peoplewatched and dished on ensemble choices, I came to the conclusion (with the help of my local friends who have also visited North America) that Australian girls are a little more demure than what I was used to seeing somewhere on King West. Longer hemlines and less cleavage did not necessarily translate to less sex appeal; it was just done in a less obvious way. Tailored dresses in sleek silhouettes looked chic and sexy with lots of strappy heels and gorgeous clutches. Sophistication is typical for Melbourne, but from what I understand, the rules completely change once you cross into Queensland (a northern state). I'm enjoying the classy dressing for now and will most certainly report back when I reach the Gold Coast (in Queensland) to share and compare.