Three Cities, One Life-Changing Semester

By: Jane Bruns

When I decided to do the CIEE Open Campus program, I honestly had no idea what to expect. I just knew I wanted to travel, experience new cultures, and push myself a little outside of my comfort zone. Looking back now, it's crazy how quickly each city started to feel like home in its own way.

I started in Sydney, and honestly, I think it’s one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been. My favorite thing to do there was just explore all the different beaches. Every weekend felt like a new adventure one day I’d be at Bondi, another day I’d find a little hidden spot along the coastal walks. I loved how easy it was to just hop on a bus and end up somewhere completely new. Sydney definitely taught me to slow down a little and appreciate being outside, in the sun, by the ocean.

After Sydney, I moved to Madrid for my second block. One of my favorite parts of Madrid was living in a neighborhood called Salamanca. Every morning, I would go to this little coffee shop right next door to my place. It got to the point where they knew my order before I even said anything. I loved walking around the neighborhood, finding new corners I hadn’t noticed before, and just feeling like a local. Madrid made me realize how much joy there is in small, everyday routines and how those tiny moments can make a city really feel like yours.

For my last block, I went to Rome, and it was exactly what you’d hope living in Italy would be like. The food was insane — pasta, pizza, gelato — it felt like every meal was the best meal I’d ever had. I also loved being able to travel all over Italy on weekends. Florence, Venice, Parma, Bologna, Tuscany and Cinque Terre — each place had its own vibe, and I tried to soak in as much as I could. .

Studying abroad through CIEE was probably one of the best decisions I've ever made. It gave me the chance to experience so many different sides of the world — and different sides of myself too. If you’re thinking about doing something like this, my advice is to just go for it. Say yes to everything. You never know which coffee shop, beach, or random little city might end up meaning the most to you

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