Things I've noticed...

Some things I've noticed about Australia (or, at least Melbourne) so far:

1. You don't pronounce the 'r' in Melbourne; it's pronounced 'Melbin' (think of that with an Aussie accent)
2. There seem to be people here from all over the world.  A lot of Asians and Indians, which makes geographic sense.  There's a lot of Halal food, so there must be a significant Muslim population, too.  St. Kilda East is the Jewish district.  It's a melting pot.
3. They drive on the left.  This is really hard to get used to, especially when crossing streets because traffic is coming from the right (I look both ways multiple times).  When I went to sit in the front seat of the airport shuttle, I went to the wrong side at first, as the wheel is on the right.  If I ever drive here or in New Zealand, I'll have to take it slow at first so I don't screw up.
4. Everyone is friendly, and they like to call you "mate," "champ," and things like that.
5. Everything is expensive.  I'm talking $5 for a slush, at least $10 for a sandwich, etc.  It's kind of like paying for the snack food at a movie theatre.  The AUD is a bit stronger than the USD, too, which doesn't help.  I'll have to be frugal in some areas so I can really splurge on exciting things.
6. If you know me at all, you know the first thing I usually notice about a place is what cars people drive.  It's really fascinating.  Some cars are the same as we have in the US, but with a different name (i.e. Honda Fit is called Honda Jazz), while some have the same names as ours, but are different cars (Toyota Corolla, for example).  They have some brands we don't get stateside, like Alpha Romeo, Vauxhall, etc.  Audis are popular, and there's an Audi dealership two blocks from me with a mouthwatering display (including an R8).  A lot of motorcycles.  The toyota Hilux is pretty popular (think an Australian version of the Tacoma pickup), often with a snorkel intake.  One interesting car is the Ford Falcon.  Its a two-seater with a pickup bed, like a new-age El Camino, and I can't seem to decide whether it's a car or a pickup.  A lot of people seem to be getting away with bald tires (it never snows here).  People drive pretty loud and fast.
7. UMelb advertises as the best university in Australia.  I'm curious how it compares to Princeton, one of the best in the US.  Hopefully it will be challenging and interesting, but not as stressful and competitive.