Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

My Summer in Sorrento! Past Review

By (University of Florida) - abroad from 05/26/2019 to 06/29/2019 with

SAI Study Abroad: Sorrento - Sant'Anna Institute (SA)

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned a lot, became more fearless and bold, learned ways to problem-solve and budget, and much more. I would do it again if I could!

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

We had presentations on lab days (fun and easy)) and short papers due after field trips. I enjoyed the class and it was so manageable.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My apartment was within a 15 minute walk from the school, which was great to be able to explore shops, cafes, and everything on the way to and from class! We also had a dishwasher, AC, washer machine, and a nice lady come clean every Monday!

* Food:

Sorrento has some great seafood restaurants on the water in Marina Grande and my favorite gelato was at Raki.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

What I loved about Sorrento was how you can so easily get to know the locals and become friends with them because it is not a huge city.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

There are certain days where doctors would be at the school available to help, but I didn't have any heath issues.

* Safety:

I always felt so safe while in Sorrento!

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

While the process could be overwhelming, the transition was so easy and went so smoothly because of the help and resources SAI provided.

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

I kept track of my expenses in my phone which made it easy to not overspend and manage my budget. The first week and a half I spent closer to 200 rather than 100 because we were going out to eat more and wanting to explore and buy new things.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Between $150- $200. This included buying gifts for people, going out to eat, taking transportation to other places, and grocery shopping.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Keep track of your expenses so you get a good idea of what you should be buying or maybe saving money on.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • What I liked most about the program was the people that I met in it and through it!
* What could be improved?
  • I can't think of anything.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I can't think of anything.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.
The Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.