That famed Midwestern hospitality is most obvious amongst your gentlemen.

Yes, ladies of Ames, perhaps despite personal experiences to the contrary, you have yourself a group of very well-mannered men here in Story County – and it is a treat for an Aussie girl.

It could be our egalitarian ideologies, or our laid-back lifestyle, or indeed our convict roots, but the boys in Aus are rarely, if ever, chivalrous.

An Australian friend had a door opened for her by one of these fine, young gentlemen, and she could only respond with bemused offense.

“Really?!” she questioned him and his innocent gesture, “I can open doors for myself.”

I, myself, have had car doors opened for me and front seats offered without any hesitation – to my utter amazement.

While I would never complain about a man displaying such lovely etiquette, it does present itself to be a vast difference in male and female protocol between Australia and the United States. And equally it is something that I am finding difficult to come to terms with.

Perhaps it is the stoic Germaine Greer (ballsy Australian feminist) influences of my youth, or the fact that I went to an all-girl high school, but I find the idea of a man waiting upon me uncomfortable. I find myself insisting that I’m “not that kind of girl” and that such behavior is unnecessary, as I have in fact mastered the art of pushing doors and don’t demand a ladies first attitude.

I must admit, however, that I do appreciate the old-fashioned traditions instilled in these American boys. In Australia the men are more interested in displaying their eligibility through the amount of rum consumed in an hour, or how hard they can kick a footy. I think the explanation lies in the preferences of Australian men compared to American men. Generally speaking an Aussie guy is looking for a girl that can kick it like one of the boys, independent and no fuss, happy to get around in shorts, tank tops and flip flops, while still looking gorgeous but natural. And so they treat girls like one of the boys, in that there is no special treatment.

And so the girls oblige, which creates an environment of women who are happy to look after themselves, who will shout rounds with the boys and would dread being singled out or treated differently due to her gender.

And by no means am I suggesting that Australia is a magical land free of sexists and full of respect, but our infamous informality does permeate all aspects of our lives.

So like adjusting from metric to imperial, learning how to work out tips, accepting the offer of a seat or an open door is simply another difference that I must embrace.

And to all the girls who take it for granted that a boy will act with such respect, please don’t, it is a rare trait that speaks volumes of his character and should be acknowledged each time, just as you would expect if you were to open a door or offer a seat for someone.