The summer that solidified my dreams

This past summer I interned and studied at Sant'Anna Institute through SAI. I had studied abroad in Italy two other times with SAI but decided that I wanted something different than my previous semester in beautiful but "touristy" Florence. When I found they had a program at Sant'Anna Institute in Sorrento I knew that was where I was going to spend my summer. I had previously had jobs in international education (one being an internship at the SAI California office) so I applied to be the marketing intern at Sant'Anna and see how international education is handled abroad.

I spent the summer falling more in love with international education and even more in love with Italy. In between work and class I was able to walk down to Marina Grande and lay on the beach with Mt. Vesuvius in the distance. I was surrounded by beauty all the time whether it was in the gorgeous school building with an incredible view of the Bay of Naples, whether I was walking home from class or school, or whether I was taking the train, bus or a boat to a nearby town, the beauty never stopped.

The other times I studied abroad I spent the weekends traveling to other countries and cities, but this summer was different. There is so many places in the Amalfi Coast and Naples area that I didn't need to leave. There was so much to do in that area that after spending over 90 days there, I still hadn't seen it all.

I've been back for about two months now and there isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about Sorrento. I miss my friends there, the people I worked with, my teachers, the food, the beach, the list could continue on forever...

I know that I will be back next summer and every summer following that. Sorrento is now another home away from home and I am counting down the days until I can return. I want to thank SAI and Sant'Anna for solifidying my dreams of working with international education and Italy in particular and I cannot wait to come back and visit !!