Italy Blog

Read more about my time in Italy below :)

Pre-departure

I've always dreamed of studying abroad, and I knew I would do whatever I needed to so that I could achieve that dream. What I didn't know was where I would be travelling to. I had my sights set on many different programs that ended up getting cancelled or filled up, but I eventually gained the opportunity to join the UF in Sorrento program, and I'm so glad I did. I expect this program will teach me so much about Italian culture and about myself. I'll be completing a marine sciences internship during my time in Sorrento, and this will show me all of the big and small differences between American and Italian work culture. I'm eager to learn how to navigate this foreign environment and feel proud of the work I do.

In addition to this, I'm sure that adjusting to daily life in a different country will reveal both strengths and weaknesses I didn't know I had. Through this, I'll be able to better understand what to expect of myself in the future. My main goal for this program is to have as many new experiences and see as many new places as I possibly can. I expect that trying new things will become a very frequent occurrence in my life abroad, and I couldn't be more excited for this. I'm sure I'll often be pushed outside of my comfort zone, and I'll experience stress and anxiety along with my elation, but all of this will work together to help me get the most I possibly can out of this program. Lastly, I look forward to updating this page weekly to document my journey and various realizations while in Sorrento.

Week 1

Throughout my first week in Sorrento, I observed many differences between my daily life here and my life in America. The most prominent differences are the food and activity levels. Obviously, I’ve been having a lot of pizza and pasta every day, which is absolutely delicious but I’ve had to intentionally find ways to incorporate vegetables back into my meals. All of the food and drinks, especially soda, are a lot cleaner and less processed than in the states, so I feel that the adjustment here has been a lot easier than the adjustment back to American food will be. As for the activity, I’ve been walking everywhere instead of so heavily relying on cars. I’ve also been hiking and swimming regularly, so exercise is much more ingrained into my schedule than it ever has been before. The sights of Sorrento are absolutely gorgeous, and with our excursions I’ve gotten to compare the culture between Sorrento, Naples, Amalfi, and Ravello. Naples had so much rich history with ancient ruins, churches, palaces, and the WWII bunkers. It was also much more densely populated than Sorrento, so the alleyways were extremely packed and busy. Amalfi was filled with tourists, similar to Naples, and also had many historical preserved spaces as well as shops catering to a visitor’s perspective of Italy. Ravello, on the other hand, was a smaller mountain town with smaller squares and beautiful natural spaces. I’m glad I’ve been able to see the juxtaposition of these places to help me understand how the culture of Sorrento fits into the region.

Week 2

On our excursion to Herculaneum and Portici, we got to see a window into the lives of ancient Roman townspeople. Seeing the remnants of their daily lives and the rich culture and beliefs they held made the devastation brought by Mount Vesuvius seem even more real and tangible than it did before. Also, the visit to the sea turtle hospital made me extremely eager to be able to help with the organization Caretta inVista on their protection of sea turtle hatchlings in Italy. I’ve discovered that many Italians are excited to share their culture and traditions with us, rather than scorning us for being American tourists. I would love to learn more about how to make more traditional Italian cuisine. I’ve already started to explore this through classes offered through Sant’Anna. I’ve done both the tiramisu and pizza making classes offered and they were both amazing, especially the pizza class. I learned a lot about what encompasses real Italian pizza and what cooking methods are cheap knock-offs. I plan to explore other cooking classes offered throughout Sorrento, especially the gelato class offered at Bougainvillea. I’ve definitely developed the skill of being adaptable these past couple of weeks. Since nuances of every day life are different here than in America, I’ve had to adjust quickly. From things as simple as cover charges and tipping, to things like the blatant catcalling, I’ve had to roll with the punches and learn the best way to respond. I will continue to develop these skills naturally by trying new things around Sorrento, which will automatically bring awareness to more differences in the culture that I was not aware of.

Because of this, I feel that I am adjusting well to Italian culture. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the long, slow dining and lack of to-go or fast food. I also consider it a victory that I’m able to navigate the local grocery stores now, as they were very overwhelming on my first visit. I think having a realistic perspective on the privilege I have just by being able to do this program and live in Italy has helped me overcome many challenges. Any time I get stressed or feel confused at foreign concepts, I remind myself that at the end of the day, I’m living in one of my dream destinations, and many people would love to be in my shoes if they had this opportunity. This has helped me maximize my enjoyment of this beautiful place.

Week 3

On my own, I have tried to seek out more authentic, local areas in Sorrento. By doing so, I’ve interacted with people who don’t speak a lot of English, especially in Marina Grande. I’ve communicated to many people using a mix of English, Italian, and Google Translate when needed. This was strange to experience at first but then became very fun to try and bridge the gap between the locals’ English and my Italian knowledge. I also recently got dinner with a supervisor from one of the internships in Naples. A few friends and I joined her and her family at her house for a home cooked meal, which was definitely out of my comfort zone. She didn’t speak a lot of English, but her son and his friends did, so we were able to communicate using a mix of languages throughout dinner. We were able to compare the culture and traditions between our two countries, and it was a really eye-opening experience. I would rate my willingness to be outside my comfort zone an 8 out of 10, and I’m very content with this rating but I still plan to be intentional about improving it during the final stretch of the program. I can do this by attempting to speak to more locals in Italian, exploring away from the more touristy streets, and communicating with more people professionally through my internship. At this point, I’m most proud of my communication with non-English speakers on public transport and at Ieranto Bay. In a few of these situations, I’ve been able to have a short, simple conversation in Italian that exposes me more to the culture and shows to the locals that I appreciate the use of their language. I think I can do better by starting more conversations with locals with the intention of increasing my understanding, instead of asking them questions out of necessity. Additionally, I want to continue to try new foods and drinks. We’re at the point in the program where we know what restaurants and dishes we’ve liked best, but I want to make sure I continue to try as many new things as possible while I can. To instigate this, I plan to try at least one new thing or explore one new place every day until the end of the program. I can continue taking recommendations from locals on what I shouldn’t miss out on, and this will help me to get the most I possibly can out of this experience.