Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Falling In Love with Sunny Sorrento Past Review

By (California Baptist University) - abroad from 01/05/0020 to 04/25/0020 with

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

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned that I could get out of my comfort zone and move to a different country, where I knew absolutely nobody and have the best time of my life. I miss Italy every day and I will have these amazing memories forever. I didn't have a lot of time to miss home because I was always doing something fun and I was shocked by how easy it was to make friends.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I loved the professors at Sant'Anna! They were so friendly and made the classes fun. I enjoyed all of the classes I took and didn't think they were too rigorous.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The administrators were always on campus interacting with us and I loved their recommendations on local activities, restaurants, and neighboring cities to visit. They were always there for us in any way we needed and were always willing to show us around the city.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived in the dorms and I did not want to leave. The rooms were spacious and cleaned once a week. My favorite part was our balcony overlooking the garden. I loved sitting out there and reading a book or journaling after class. The views from the dorms are amazing.

* Food:

There were a million amazing restaurants all around us. I suggest asking the site supervisors for recommendations on where to eat so you don't go to the expensive, touristy restaurants. We would go to the local grocery store and stock up for the week so we didn't spend a lot of money eating out.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I quickly realized that you walk everywhere in Italy. A 20 minute walk to the grocery store seems like nothing after a while. Those walks where how I got to know the local culture and interacted with the locals. They were all very friendly and knew English for the most part.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

There was a doctor that would come to the school once a week and any of the students could go see her.

* Safety:

I always felt safe walking around Sorrento. Italy is known for pick-pocketing, but Sorrento is a smaller town and I never had anything stolen, you just have to be aware. There was always a lot of people out walking, even later at night. Taking the train is where you have to be the most careful.

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

In Sorrento, it's always sunny. You can see the beautiful ocean everywhere you look and it is so calming. There is the perfect balance of city and nature. Sorrento felt homey and I loved that the university was right above the marina. Watching the sunsets from the rooftop balcony will forever be some of my favorite memories. I made lifelong friends from all over the U.S. and got to travel all through Europe.

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 traveled a lot on the weekends and ate out at restaurants/shopped a lot. I probably could've done it on a stricter budget.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $200-400
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Make a budget tracker on Excel or in your journal and give yourself a certain amount to spend a week or a month and write down all your expenses.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

They always encouraged us to use the language. I tried sometimes, but a lot of people knew English.

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? None
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Beginner
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? N/A
How many hours per day did you use the language?
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? When you go to restaurants, try ordering in the language.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* 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? 0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • The university overlooked the water
  • Sorrento is the cutest town
  • There was a lot of hiking and outdoor activities
* What could be improved?
  • Laundry was expensive
  • The stove always broke in the kitchen
  • The showers weren't always warm
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? If you study abroad in the spring, a lot of shops and restaurants will be closed because it's not tourist season and it doesn't start warming up until later in March.

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 Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.