Week 3!

I cannot believe that I have already been in Sorrento for 3 weeks. I guess the saying is true... time flies when you're having fun! Let's do a recap of my week:

• On Monday (July 15th, 2024) I went to a pizza making class through Sant'Anna

  • We learned how to make dough, which by the way takes 4 days to be in pristine condition, we learned that homemade tomato sauce isn't a need but is always an option, and lastly we learned that pizza should only cook for about two minutes in a wood-fired oven

  • I put salami and mushrooms on my pizza and maybe I should take up pizza making in my free time because it was amazing

    
    

• On Wednesday (July 17th, 2024) I went to the island of Ischia with some of my friends

  • It was about an hour long ferry ride from Sorrento

    • We went to Negombo Spa, and relaxed in Ischia's naturally heated pools

• On Friday (July 19th, 2024) my marine biology class took a field trip to Naples where we visited a turtle rescue center and an aquarium

• From Saturday (July 20th) to Sunday (July 21st) my UF class went on a weekend trip to Paestum and Castellabate

  • Paestum was so cool, and it held so much historical importance! Not only did the Greeks found the city, but the Romans conquered it, and then it was abandoned and later used as a radio station in World War 2.

  • We had lunch at a buffalo farm. The first dish was buffalo mozzarella and ricotta with salami and cured buffalo meat. The next dish was buffalo bolognese. We were able to see the buffalo farm and thank the animals for our full bellies!

  • Castellabate was beautiful. I had carbonara di mare (seafood pasta) for the first time at a local restaurant on the water. Santa Maria was a city located at the top of Castellabate, and it had gorgeous views.

Going Beyond My Comfort Zone

Sorrento is a town that hosts many tourists, but I have still pushed my normal boundaries to really culturally immerse myself. For example, at one of the local clothing stores I noticed the cashier switching back and forth between Italian and Spanish. Instead of going up to her and checking out in English, I decided to push my boundaries and speak to her in spanish. Since the love languages are pretty close, most Italians speak spanish or are able to understand it. This may not seem like much of a feat, but I was very proud of myself. There have been other instances where I have opted to say my order in italian (after studying google translate) so I can better my language abilities and fit into the culture here. I also recently took a ferry out of Sorrento to Ischia, and this was one of my first times travelling without my parents. It was stressful finding the right port and asking for directions, especially since the Sorrento port does not include clear instructions on where to go, but we made it!

From 1-10 I would rank my ability to leave my comfort zone a strong 8/10. It is uncomfortable being in a place where you do not know the language and can stick out like a sore thumb. I have tried to adapt an Italian lifestyle, and learned the basic linguistic phrases. I have more fear of being embarrassed or not accepted which is why I put myself at an 8 and not any higher. I still leave my comfort zone a good amount in my opinion, but I am definitely not at the level to take on everything, like the crazy driving...

I am really proud of myself for leaving my comfort zone and coming to Italy. I have been abroad for 4 weeks and 3 days (I visited Ireland, England, France, and Switzerland prior to settling in Sorrento), and it takes a lot to leave behind the comfort of my own home, friends, and family. I think that I have done a good job at intertwining myself in Italian culture, but in this last week and 4 days that I will be in Italy I hope to keep diving deeper in this cultural experience. I am so grateful for all of the experiences I've made while being here, and I am going to make my final week(ish) here the best and most memorable I can.

Week 2!

I have now been in Sorrento for two weeks, and my time here has only gotten better. Here is a basic week recap:

• I booked a trip to Ibiza and Barcelona with some friends I've met at Sant'Anna

• I went on a beach sunset swim, Sorrento has the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen

• I have been going to Tiramisu, a local bakery, most mornings and getting the most delicious chocolate croissants

• I've been cooking dishes in the kitchen- Cate and I have made pesto pasta with chicken, prosciutto sandwiches, and avocado salads

• I HAD THE BEST CARBONARA PASTA AT MAMA CHE PASTA!!!!

  • this is my favorite kind of pasta dish, and at the restaurant you pick your own homemade noodles and the sauce and toppings you want on your dish Friday July 12 I went to Ieranto Bay for my Marine Biology class

• It was about a 40 minute bus ride from Sorrento

• The bus dropped us off in Nerano, and from there it is mandatory to hike to the bay

• The hike there was not bad because it was mostly downhill, and the views from the mountain were incredible

• We went on a kayaking tour and were able to go into a cave and learn about marine conservation and how no boats with motors are allowed in the area

• We went snorkeling and I held a starfish, sea urchin, and sea cucumber

  • I saw many tropical fish, sponges, and different types of algae

  • I also swam into an underwater cave

• We had free time where we were able to explore the bay and jump from a platform into the crystal clear water (so deep!)

• We listened to presentations on the Bay and learned the importance of protecting the beautiful nature site

• The hike back was difficult because I was so tired from the activities in the day, but I made it back and I plan to visit Ieranto again
  

Saturday, July 13th I went to a Turtle Rescue Center, Herculaneum, and Reggia di Portici for my UF in Sorrento class

• At the turtle rescue center we learned about loggerheads and their migration patterns as well as how they are horribly injured by boats in this area

  • The turtles in this center were being rehabilitated or taken care of from their injuries ranging from cut shells to loss of fins

• Next we made our way to Herculaneum where our guide gave us a tour of the city that has been excavated after being covered in pyroclastic flow

  • We saw roman ruins, including houses, public toilets, gardens, bakeries, and even wine stores

  • There was beautiful mosaics, and the wealthier romans had marble and lapis lazuli decor

  • we saw preserved jewelry, perfume bottles, and other goods

• We got lunch at a local restaurant and I got fried pizza for the first time and it was amazing

• At Reggia di Portici we saw beautiful preserved paintings on the walls and roofs of the mansion

  • The sculptures, art, and preserved artifacts were some of the most beautiful things I have ever seen in my life

• We did a garden tour and learned about the lush greenery in the garden

Personal Growth:

• I've been working on my basic italian and bettering my spanish so I can be more immersed in the culture here

• I have been trying foods that I usually don't like, such as Sorrento tomatoes, olives and it was my first time trying buffalo mozzarella

• I have been trying to branch out from just my UF classmates so I can build relationships with more of the students at Sant'Anna

• Keeping track of school work and balancing experiencing my surroundings

• I've been working on my time management, and trying to be outside and fully immerse myself in Sorrento

Week 2, you've been amazing. I can't wait to see what this next week will bring!

Week 1 Completed!

I have officially been a student at Sant'Anna for a week. Here are some of my highlights:

• THE FOOD! I have gotten so many amazing dishes this past week. My favorite so far was the A'Marenna sandwich with prosciutto, burrata, and pesto!

• In my Marine Biology class we learned about oceans (big surprise there), but what astonished me most was that there are multiple volcanoes in this area- Mount Vesuvius is not the only one.

• I went to the beach here in Sorrento, and the sand is black! The water is a deep blue, very clear, and cold in a refreshing way.

• We went on a class trip to Naples and were able to do a walking tour of the city. I saw statues, churches, and a lot of street vendors. We also went down into Aqueducts and saw ancient artifacts from World War 2 when the underground tunnels were used for a bomb shelter. I also had a slice of pizza from it's birthplace at Pizzeria Brandi Napoli.

• I was able to go to Bagni Regina Giovanna, which was a 40 minute hike one way, but the cliffs were beautiful and we swam in the swimming hole there.

• On our class trip to Amalfi and Ravello I learned about the paper making factory in Amalfi. Amalfi was very similar to Sorrento, but more busy in my opinion. In Ravello we walked to a flower garden that had beautiful views of the cliffside, city, and water.