Amazing Experience! July 06, 2022
By Alyssa S (History, Florida Gulf Coast University) - abroad from 05/29/2022 to 07/02/2022 with
Sant'Anna Institute: Sorrento - Live, Learn and Immerse in Italy
This program was worthwhile. I learned so much about culture & history. I gained social skills to, meeting new people, traveling alone, & functioning in a country where I didn't speak the language.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I enjoyed both of my classes with Dr. Fabrizio Novellino. He was knowledgeable, lead great lectures and field trips, and was very personable. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Sant'Anna was decent at giving out information, they usually had things posted promptly. There were some instances through the program however that they were lacking in giving information. Additionally, prior to the program, I was failed to be notified that a class I had signed up for had been canceled, I had to reach out on my own after class schedules had been announced. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Unfortunately, the apartment I was placed in had serval issues. For the majority of the time I was there(3 out of 5 weeks), the unit I was in had no air conditioning. Leaving the unit to be extremely hot until late at night. This issue was not fixed until 3 days before the program ended. The apartment was also over a mile away from the school. It was not centrally located, nor were there any other students near us. Finally, the appliances were not of good quality. The washer ended up ruining some of my roommate's & I's clothing. Additionally, our unit also lacked a dishwasher and oven, which is notable because we all paid the same amount and many of the other students who were also in apartments had these things. |
| * Food: |
The food in Sorrento is amazing. Sant'Anna does not have a food plan and does not provide meals for students. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
This did not happen to me personally, however, a student in the dorms had a severe allergic reaction and the response was incredibly delayed from both the institute and local health authorities. |
| * Safety: |
Sorrento felt incredibly safe, I would recommend basic anti-theft and pickpocketing practices. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
While I love the program, I would rather pick a new experience or place rather than return to a place I had already been. |
Finances
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* 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 found it mostly easy to live on a budget. Where my budget was strained was eating out and getting drinks too often. The grocery stores were affordable and if I had cooked at home more I would definitely spent less. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 250-300 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Don't eat out every night. Try and eat in as much as possible. Look for places that have deals when you do eat out. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| 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? | Priotize common phrases over learning specifc words or grammar. |
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
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| 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? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I wish there had been more transparency about course content, housing, even the field trips. I would have asked more question had I known what I was signing up for. The descriptions of things & the promises didn't always match. |
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 Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
