Submitted by Sofia Sacchetti on the 2024 Winter LING/CGSC program in Italy…
Wow… what an incredible week it has been so far. I had the honor of spending this week in Sorrento, Italy with other students in my program. During this time, we got the chance to visit Pompeii to walk around the ancient city that had been buried by Mount Vesuvius over 1,000 years ago. We also took a small ferry to the nearby Isle of Capri and spent most of the day exploring, learning, and comparing the cultures of the town on the island with the mainland that we were staying in. Sorrento has been on my bucket list for many years, so being able to spend even these first few days here has been truly incredible. We dine at a new restaurant for almost every meal, spend most of the day walking around the town– entering and spending our money on the shops along the streets, as well as filling up on gelato and any other pastries we may find.
The shops on the streets of Sorrento are filled with delicious restaurants, handmade jewelry, homemade pasta and limoncello, and souvenirs of anything and everything. It has been a struggle to not spend all of my money on these shops because everything is so beautiful. Not only would I quickly run out of money, but also room in my suitcases. (There is a chance I will have to buy a new one here.)
Our day in Capri was one of the best days so far. Our group took a small ferry in the morning to the island and when we arrived 30 minutes later, we were lucky enough to go on a boat tour around the entire island. It was one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. We learned about the Italian billionaires who used to own the villas at the top of the mountains, the story of the popular kissing/ wishing arch that the boat actually sailed through, and many other fascinating stories. The water was as blue as gatorade and the rocky mountains looked like they were miles high! After the boat tour, we continued to explore the island and then we settled down at this wonderful place for lunch. This was my favorite meal of the trip so far. We were served spaghetti with clams and mussels in a garlic and oil sauce, fresh fried calamari and shrimp, and chocolate caprese for dessert. This was all while sitting in a beautiful room with a stunning view of the water and Mount Vesuvius. This was definitely a perfect day to remember.
Lastly, we took a cooking class at Villa Ida which was a short walk from our hotel. The place was owned by a lovely family who told stories and shared many of their traditions. We made stuffed pasta, thinly sliced veal with roasted potatoes, a cucumber and tomato salad, and a lemon tiramisu. It was delicious and an amazing experience that I would never forget. I am excited to continue the rest of this trip and cannot wait for all of the new memories I am going to make. (Submitted on January 10, 2024)
