Once in a lifetime experience! August 27, 2025
By Matthew C (Brandeis University) - abroad from 06/01/2025 to 08/09/2025 with
Sant'Anna Institute: Sorrento - Live, Learn and Immerse in Italy
I learned that the world is a lot bigger and a lot older than we realize and that there is so much to see and to learn from travel.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
|
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The courses were well structured and well taught. The professors were also very knowledgeable and understanding. |
|
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The program was run very well and straightforward. |
|
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My apartment was beautiful and in a very nice location. |
| * Food: |
There was no dining hall but the local grocery stores and restaurants had great food. |
|
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I felt very integrated. Especially because the program offered outings to help us see and learn about Sorrento. |
|
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I did not have any health issues |
| * Safety: |
I felt very safe. Sorrento is a very touristy place so it is filled with lots of activities that someone can feel comfortable doing. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
I felt ready to come home after about a month and a half. Sorrento is a very small town and very touristy which leads it to be a pretty hectic and also repetitive place. I felt like after a month I had almost seen everything it had to offer. I think I would study somewhere in a bigger city if I were to do it again. |
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) |
Living in Sorrento on a student budget is definitely doable. However I did end up spending more money than I had anticipated. Spending money sometimes did seem necessary for having the fullest experience. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | It likely would average out to around $100 a week |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | If you have the ability to cook meals definitely take advantage of that. You will save a lot of money by grocery shopping instead of eating out every meal. Also, try to save your money as much as possible for big experiences. Don't spend all your money when you first get there on little souvenirs or clothes. You can buy those things, if you still want them, at the end of your trip |
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 |
All of the courses were taught in English however they did encourage us to immerse as much as possible in the Italian culture which included trying to speak the language. |
| 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? | You can use things like duolingo if you want but there is no better way to learn a language than to fully surround yourself with it. Doing that is hard in the US so I would suggest watching shows or listening to music in the language along with some online practice like dueling or Rosetta Stone. |
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 |
|
|
* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
|
| 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? |
|
| * What could be improved? |
|
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I'm not sure |
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 AdventurerThe 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. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
POL 375: Human Rights |
| Course Department: | Politics |
| Instructor: | Alberto Maresca |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | This was one of the best courses I have ever taken. It was taught extremely well by a professor who had just recently graduated grad-school and was teaching his first class. The course material was fairly rigorous and the topics were sometimes difficult. What I appreciated the most however was how knowledgeable professor Maresca was about the topic as well as outside context that helped explain topics and concepts even more. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
