Submitted by Melissa Pollack on the 2019 winter session study abroad program in Italy sponsored by the Department of Linguistics and Cognitive Science and the Department of English…
My study abroad group has been here for almost about two weeks now. The program is conducted by Professor Dill and Professor Straitman and has 31 students. Thus far, we have stayed in Sorrento, taking daily excursions to Naples, Capri, and the Amalfi Coast. We also stayed in Rome, which we will indeed be returning to, where we saw the Vatican Museum, the Pope, the Colosseum, the Forum, the Trevi Fountain, and many more sites. We stopped for lunch and were given a guided tour through a cave in Orvieto, and are currently based in Siena.
No words can describe how beautiful and incredible Italy has been and how delicious the food is. Through many tours, I’ve learned more about Italy than I ever have in my Italian classes (I’ve been taking Italian since the 6th grade in middle school). Being in Italy, trying the cuisines of Italy’s many regions, and hearing people converse in their native language, assists me in learning more. Every place I go, I become familiar with the words on Italian stores and restaurants. It definitely makes me feel more comfortable in this foreign environment. Besides Italy itself, the friends and acquaintances I am with, have also made this time memorable. Everyone is always nice and excited about the adventures we take everyday. Even when we’re in class, everyone is always so pleasant.
Thus far, my favorite place would definitely be Sorrento, especially when we took our excursions to the Amalfi Coast and Capri. First off, since we started our journey in Sorrento, I feel as if it’s my home and we are going back there. I’m not even halfway through my expedition and I miss it so much already! The city and food win in Sorrento. The views from our hotel were magnificent. At breakfast, we had an incredible view of the water and Mt. Vesuvius. The food was also exceptionally spectacular. The best pesto gnocchi, best pizza, and one of my favorite meals was this seafood pasta dish with prawn, calamari, shrimp, and clams with calamari sauce. Since Sorrento is on the ocean, the fish was remarkably fresh. The drive to the Amalfi Coast was truly unbelievable as well. The roads were a bit terrifying and extremely narrow, but the Italian drivers apparently know their way around! When we were in Capri the day before, we had the opportunity to get on a boat for about an hour and travel around the entire island. A little queasy at first, I became calm when I saw the insane rocks and views of the mountains and water in the distant. One of my favorite parts of the boat ride was making a wish through the faglioni. Our tour guide, Sabina, counted down “tre, due, uno” and we wished! Apparently, you’re supposed to make a wish and it comes true in the future.
I can’t wait for the rest of my journey through Italy and to share it with the University of Delaware!