Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Challenging but rewarding December 04, 2024

By (Exercise Science, Elon University) - abroad from 08/24/2024 to 12/14/2024 with

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

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I deeply immersed myself in the Italian culture, grew as an individual and learned to trust myself in being independent. Being abroad you face challenges everyday, being able to problem solve and learn by yourself and with friends was life changing.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The classes were interesting and the professors were great!

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

This program was ran very well, everything was very organized

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I loved Villa Sama, it gave the feel or both apartment and host family!

* Food:

The villa sama food was always incredible.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Sorrento is very small, therefore we were very well integrated and made friends with locals.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

The doctor was easily accessible and so was the pharmacy.

* Safety:

Sorrento was very safe, as a female I always walked with a friend when it was dark, but I was never worried.

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

Sorrento has many pros and cons, as do all places. I loved that Sorrento was a quit and calmer town compared to many other study abroad programs. The classes were great and so were the people.

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)

Definitely cheaper than some places, I would say I spent around $7,000 total while abroad, this was including many trips out of Sorrento. Groceries are cheap but restaurants are not.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? probably around $150 a week with some traveling included, weeks I did not travel I spent around $30 on food for lunches and snacks (the villa provided me dinner and breakfast).
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Planning trips way ahead of time while flights are cheap is a great way to save money. Cooking with friends instead of eating out.

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

Elon required us to take Italian language and it was used frequently.

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? none
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? Starting to use duolingo or even learning basic words off of tiktok made all the difference, Italians love to encourage people to learn the language and appreciate when you make an attempt to speak Italian.

Direct Enrollment/Exchange

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

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Other
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • Host Family
* 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 calmness of Sorrento
  • Being on the beach
  • The classes offered
* What could be improved?
  • I thought the program was ran seamlessly. Students were involved, our opinions and feedback actually mattered which was incredible.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I was aware of complications of getting out of Sorrento to travel, with train strikes and Naples being the closest airport, getting out of the town was difficult at times. I also wish I knew about Sorrento dramatically calming down in the winter, half of the shops close leaving students with few options when it comes to things to do outside of school.

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.