by Gabriel Brolli

When Jonah Clarke arrived in Milan for his exchange at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, he wasn’t just swapping universities – he was stepping into a different life. For six months, the 22-year-old from Sydney found himself immersed in new rhythms: cappuccino chats between lectures, weekends across Europe, and classes that pushed him out of his comfort zone and into a more open version of himself.

Choosing to study in Milan also means choosing the possibility of travelling elsewhere, getting to know other cultures, cuisines, and beautiful spots. For Jonah Clarke, 22, his exchange programme at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore included trips to Sardinia, Corsica, Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Austria.

“Travelling was one of the highlights. Everything is so close to Milan – a one-hour flight, or you just take the train,” he says. For someone from Australia, it’s a whole new world – just to get to Milan, he had to take a 16-hour flight to Dubai and then a 5-hour flight to Milan.

Back home, Jonah is pursuing a BSc in International Studies. In Milan, he spent six months diving into Sports Management – a specialisation that added a new layer to his academic history. “It was a great experience. It’s definitely a once-in-a-lifetime,” he says. And while sport was the main focus, he had the opportunity to take wine and food courses, and Commedia dell’arte – his favourite.

First time living abroad and first time away from Australia. Even though it sounds like textures and layers of challenges, he says the coolest thing is sharing the experience with other people of the same age. It’s been a fun experience, going around and meeting people from everywhere,” he recalls. “That’s what you really get here at Cattolica – not only Italian people from other parts of Italy besides Milan, but also from every other country.”

Although his classes were entirely in English and filled mostly with international students, Jonah found that knowing some Italian made a difference – even outside the classroom. “If you don’t want to learn the language, that’s okay,” he says, “but even just speaking a little really improves your experience. Italians can tell you’re trying, and they appreciate that.” It was never about perfection, he adds, but about connection.

Besides all the fun memories, Jonah will take back home not taking himself too seriously and being able to have a laugh, being there for people when they need to chat and be more supportive