I've dated in Australia, the UK, and Sweden. My experiences were all so different and helped me learn what I really wanted.

• I've dated men in Sweden, the UK, and Australia and found the experiences very different.
• Every place had its highs and its lows, but London was my favorite place to date.

"Here's your bill when you're ready," a waitress told me and my date as we polished off the last of our cocktails.

I thought the evening had gone well, at least for a Bumble date. We'd had jerk chicken and fruity drinks at a bustling Caribbean restaurant in Stockholm, spoken about politics, and delved into internet culture until the lights were switched on and the pumping melodic beats came to an abrupt halt. As I glanced around, I noticed we were the last people there.

"Look, I've had a great evening, but I don't think I want to do this again," he said after a short silence. "Do you mind paying?"

Ah, the joys of dating.

I guess you could say growing up in Australia and the UK, living in Sweden, and visiting London every other month has given me a unique perspective on dating. But my reasons have always been the same — a long-term commitment. And now that I'm (finally) partnered up, I can reflect on my experiences and share what I've learned about dating in different cultures.

Dating in Australia was too casual for me

Fresh out of high school as an 18-year-old, I was desperate to have a boyfriend. I began meeting people at clubs, at bars, and through mutual friends, as is the case with dating in my hometown.

It's not uncommon for people to meet in high school and never break up, becoming totally enmeshed in each other's lives over the years. My experiences with dating in Australia were often laid-back, with friendly banter and relaxed meetups — they often erred on the side of being too casual for me.

One date, in particular, stands out, when I drove to a local pie shop to meet a Tinder date who greeted me with a handshake and a pat on the back as if I was an old schoolmate he'd bumped into on his way to lunch.

While I can't argue that the experience would be the same for everyone — Australia has plenty of chivalrous surfer dudes — I wouldn't have scoffed at a little romanticism every now and then.

Sweden was too complicated to navigate for me

Having finally graduated from college and hot off an obsession with "Vikings" I left Australia and settled in Sweden. Not knowing much about Scandinavia, I naïvely based my idea of men in Sweden on the rugged, dominant types I was seeing on TV.

In reality, I was hardly prepared for how confusing the world of online dating in Stockholm was as a foreigner. The Swedish concept of "lagom" or moderation, permeated every aspect of my life, including dating. I noticed the people I went out with were hesitant to express their feelings too strongly or move too quickly, which was frustrating for me at times.

For example, despite having dated one Stockholmer for several weeks (and despite him telling me he "really liked" me), nothing ever seemed to progress further because he was waiting on me to make every move.

It just left me wondering if anyone was even interested in me.

The UK has so far been my favorite place to date

Dating in London takes the top spot out of all the places I've dated in. It's thrilling, nerve-racking, and exciting — you're never short of places to go, see, eat, or drink — and the same goes for the people. But while my potential love interests have put in more effort, and the dates are less casual, I've encountered pitfalls too.

I once went on a string of dates with a guy who seemed like he was really into me, and who constantly told me he "liked where this was going". But, as it turned out, he also wanted to "see what else was out there" before making a long-term commitment — almost like he was waiting for the perfect person to fall into his lap, rather than putting in the effort to build a meaningful connection.

And that's the thing about dating in the UK — it feels like there's always something or someone better around the corner.

I ended up footing a few more bills in Stockholm to find my Prince Charming, and the reality is this: Whether you're swiping right in London, cuddling up in Stockholm, or flirting in Sydney, dating is an adventure that never quite looks the same.