Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Once in a lifetime experience! Past Review

By (Western New England University) - abroad from 06/18/2016 to 07/09/2016 with

Sant'Anna Institute: Sorrento - Live, Learn and Immerse in Italy

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
It was worthwhile, I learned about myself, the people I traveled with, and the culture of the locals. I learned what it means to be open minded and to be accepting of all cultures.

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.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Sant'Anna was very accommodating to our group. We received a walking tour of Sorrento and became very familiar with the area. Even finding out about cheap, delicious places to eat!

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I stayed in Corso Italia Suites and couldn't be happier! The rooms were bigger than I expected with a beautiful balcony overlooking lemon and orange trees and mountains.

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

By the 3rd day I felt like I was a local. The owners of the shops and restaurants are very welcoming and every time I passed someone I knew they always said hello!

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

I felt safe throughout my entire 3 week stay, there was never an instance where I thought I was in danger.

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

I felt at home with the Sant'Anna Institute and Sorrento. I felt like a local and did not want to leave. Everything was perfect.

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)

Being in Sorrento wasn't as expensive as I thought it would be. The prices were similar to my hometown so it wasn't hard to pay for any additional costs.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $300
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Make sure you save, save, save! I saved a few weeks paychecks and worked non stop to make sure I didn't have to worry about having my parents deposit money in my account when I was there.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Direct Enrollment/Exchange

* Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? Exchange

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?
  • Food
  • Atmosphere
  • Views
* What could be improved?
  • More trips
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Not everything is going to be perfect and not to expect the everyday life of locals to be like the everyday life in America.

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.