Home Sweet (Home) Sorrento! Past Review

By Ashlyn Brewer (Western New England University) - abroad from 08/24/2018 to 12/14/2018 with

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

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

I learned that I can be independent in a foreign country. I also learned that being exposed to other cultures is not as scary as it seems. I learned so much about Italians just by living here! This experience was absolutely worthwhile and will be advantageous in my future!

Review Photos

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

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.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?
* Food:
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:	Sorrento is a very safe and small town. However, with that being said, overall awareness of situations and surroundings is essential in any place. Remembering to never walk by yourself at night and to assist fellow classmates is of great importance.
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes I loved Sant'Anna and the semester experienced I had! I would do it over again if I could, however I am graduating. I will be highly suggesting that students pursue this program when choosing study abroad experiences!

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)	Budgeting was difficult and food was expensive. However, being frugal and smart on spending was easier than expected. Cooking in the dorm kitchen instead of eating out saved much money and time.
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	$150-$200 minimum a week. This included food (a few meals out), bathroom essentials, laundry, etc.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	DO NOT use the dryer in the residence hall. It does not work well and will take at least 2 cycles to dry your clothes. Instead hang them on the terrace, your balcony, or in your room!

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component?	Yes

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	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?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?	Location Class Size Class Schedules (Friday free)
* What could be improved?	Field Trips (there are too many) Interaction with Locals (hold meet and greet or something) School Access Hours
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	I wish I would have known that this was going to be a completely different experience from my summer abroad session here. I wish I would have had more expectations of myself and would have traveled more. I wish I would have also immersed myself more in the culture instead of being afraid of it.

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 Networker An active student leader, it was important for you to network abroad as well. Once overseas, you sought out student clubs, volunteered with local organizations, or attended community events. You encouraged your friends join you, and often considered how you could reflect your international experiences in a resume.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Italian 101
Course Department:	Language
Instructor:	Giorgia Del Santo
Instruction Language:	Italian
Comments:	The course was challenging and difficult. The professor was knowledgeable and helpful, however, I felt as if I did not learn what I needed to learn to have a conversation. Much grammar was learned while basic sentence structure, conversation dialogues and more were not as focused on. I do not feel confident in the Italian I have learned, and, because of this, did not ever try to speak outside of class. I participated in class more than I would have at my home institution. We were given ungraded and graded homework and two exams to access our knowledge. I wish more homework and quizzes were given to understand what was unclear more often.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	History of the Italian Mafia
Course Department:	History
Instructor:	Fabrizio Novellino
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	I really enjoyed this course. It was very challenging for me because I do not enjoy history, however, the professor made it interesting. He was very knowledgeable in the topic. I participated in class more than I would at my home university. We were assessed using one presentation and two exams. There is a lot of information included in the powerpoints that he does not make seem as relevant as others. It is sometimes difficult to understand what is important to focus our studies on.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Mediterranean Culture and History
Course Department:	History
Instructor:	Fabrizio Novellino
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	This course was very interesting and I enjoyed it. He was very knowledgeable in the topic, and I participated more in the class than I would at my home university. We were assessed with one presentation and two exams. My only hesitation with this course is that it focused on the history and empire expansion into what Europe is like today. I wish it had focused much more on culture. I was disappointed specifically with the lack of culture taught.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Marine Biology
Course Department:	Biology
Instructor:	Domenico Sgambati
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	This course was challenging, but was also very, very interesting to me. The professor was very knowledgeable and prepared for classes and I participated more than I would have at my home university. We were assessed in multiple presentations, two papers, and two exams. I am a human biology major, however this animal biology course was extremely interesting to me and I enjoyed it thoroughly.
Credit Transfer Issues: