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.