Experiment with different blends until you find one you like. It's always nice to get a tobacco that your wife or girlfriend likes, so get her input. English blends tend to be much more full flavored and not the best for beginners. Due to their fuller flavor and aroma English Blends are generally not the favoriate with the woman. This comes from saliva and the condensation of the moisture from the burning tobacco.
Lets move on to the matter of packing and lighting.
You want to have it slightly springy, neither to loose or tight. It should be easy to draw through. Use the reamer to loosen if it's too tight. For a new pipe, coat the inside of the bowl with honey. Light your match or butane lighter and hold it horizontally over the bowl, puffing and moving the match in a circular motion over the tobacco until it is alight.