My Favorites From Each of My Open Campus Blocks

By: Olivia Hegerfeld

For my study abroad experience, I chose to do the CIEE Open Campus block where I got to stay in three different locations for a whole semester. I was granted the opportunity to study in Italy, Spain, and South Africa for six weeks at a time, and in this blog, I thought it would be nice to share some of my top recommendations and experiences I had in each of my different locations in hopes that you are needing some inspiration on how to make the most of your study abroad experience. 

Rome, Italy was a beautiful city filled with the most amazing architecture and historical sites. Here is what I would recommend if I were to travel to Rome again:

1. Don't be afraid to indulge in the tourist attractions. When I first got to Rome I was nervous about looking like a tourist, I wanted to blend in and not offend any of the locals who lived in Rome, or Italy in general for that fact. However, there are so many ways you can still do all of the touristy things you want to do without offending locals or looking out of place because in reality Rome is already filled to the brim with tourists. So, don't be afraid to go see the Colosseum or the Vatican City or throw a euro in the Trevi Fountain.
2. Take the Train to the beaches. If you take the train out of Rome there is a coast of beaches just only an hour away from Rome. The city can often get overwhelming or even feel tight after spending time there. I recommend going out for a scenery change with some friends and the beaches near Rome are perfect for that. You can easily spend the whole day there and still come back before the sun goes down. My favorite beaches are Santa Marinella and Fregene.
3. Travel around Italy. My biggest recommendation I could give is to travel all around Italy if you get the chance. Almost everybody in my program wanted to travel on the weekends to places like the Amalfi Coast, Venice, Florence, and Tuscany. The moments that made my study abroad experience in Rome were the weekends I traveled with friends in shared Airbnb or hostels to all the different cities in Italy.

Madrid, Spain was one of the largest cities I had ever been to, I loved how modern the city was and how many experiences it had to offer. Here are some tips I have if you are to study in Madrid:

1. Immerse yourself in the culture. While I was in Madrid I enjoyed partaking in experiences that would teach me about Spanish culture. For example, I tried to go to as many Spanish restaurants as possible. Madrid has a lot of chain restaurants that are more diverse which is great if you want something that reminds you of home but, they also have a lot of amazing Spanish restaurants where you can try a variety of traditional foods. Some of my favorites are vegetable paella, gazpacho, and patatas bravas.
2. Go to Shows. One of my favorite memories while in Madrid was going with a bunch of my girlfriends to a flamenco show. It was so beautiful and the music was truly life-changing. Madrid also has several theaters where you can watch a variety of productions from musical theater, movies, and comedy shows.
3. Speak to locals in Spanish. A big tip I have for any country you travel to is to learn at least a few phrases in the local language. I could tell the difference in how people would react when you spoke their language or if you just assumed they were speaking English. I found speaking Spanish when ordering at restaurants was extremely helpful and it made me feel like I was accomplishing something when I could order in Spanish, people seemed to be more appreciative that I was at least trying to immerse myself. Overall I recommend learning greetings, manners, and common words in whichever country's local language is to help make your experience easier.

Cape Town, South Africa was one of the most beautiful cities I had ever seen. Although different from Europe a lot of my recommendations remain the same.

1. Learn About Mannerisms and History. Similar to the US, South Africa has gone through many adversities and hardships regarding race and apartheid. Learning about the history of South Africa opened up my eyes and almost felt like the key to understanding the city that is Cape Town. Everyone in South Africa is super friendly, so it was important to greet anyone you made eye contact with, they found it rude if you began talking with someone without greeting or walked past someone without at least giving a smile.
2. Plan a Safari. Sure we have all seen exotic animals in the zoos as kids but nothing compared to going to a real life safari where all the animals are wild and you have to find them like a bg scavenger hunt. My family and I went to Kruger for a 4 day safari and it was one of the best experiences of my life, they also have smaller 1 day safaris you can do closer to Cape Town. 
3. Go on Hikes. Cape Town has mountains everywhere you turn, although most of the hikes are a bit more challenging, nothing beats the view when you get to the top. Cape Town even has one of the 7 natural wonders of the world, Table Mountain, which you can actually take a cable car up to if you're not feeling the hike that day. Some of the other really good hiking trails are Lions Head, Chapmans Peak, and Skeleton Gorge, which bring a lot of water though.

Hopefully some of these tips and tricks helped you brainstorm what you want your study abroad experience to look like!