“Found it!” I exclaimed the other day when Kayla and I came across what Kayla now refers to as our “super-sneaker loke dog spot”. Not that we had been particularly looking for “it”, but we knew that somewhere, hidden away from the tourists and the trendy little streets of Sorrento, there had to be a cheap panini place… and we found it. Finding a tasty lunch for only three Euro is just one of the many perks of becoming a local in Sorrento. We call it “tourist weaving” as we glide though the packs of confused, sunburnt tourists and head straight to our secret “loke dog” getaways. We’ve managed to locate everything from beaches with the least amount of people and best views to local family restaurants with the most delicious food.
The greatest part of being centralized in Southern Italy is access to a plethora of different sites. Last weekend started with a day trip to Pompeii guided by our Art History teacher. The city of Pompeii is a remarkably well-preserved site. It has been so cool to learn about it in a conventional classroom and then be able to actually visit and experience the ancient city firsthand.
That weekend we headed to the breathtaking region of Tuscany (with SAI’s inclusive Tuscany/Lazio tour). There we met other SAI students and together we enjoyed the thermal baths, the riveting views, the exquisite food, and of course the fresh local wine.
We then went back to Sorrento for a few days. As we walked in the door to the smell of our mama cooking, it was so nice to know my bed was just around the corner with the fuzzy family cat waiting for me. After a few days of classes and laundry we were at it again, headed to Barcelona! Just a short, cheap plane flight away, Barcelona awaits all people young and old. At first I thought I had made a huge mistake by not studying in Barcelona because the city is like nothing I have ever seen. The people and the area is filled with life and character. From Gaudi’s colorful and elaborate buildings to the mouth watering tapas, Barcelona has something to do, see, or eat around every street corner. Despite losing a few important items along the way, we all had a great time. We spent our days visiting historical monuments and inspirational monasteries. We spent our nights immersing ourselves in the food, sangria, music and night- life culture of Barcelona.
If we don’t feel like leaving the country or even the region, there are a number of things to do and see in the Sorrentino area like, Mount Vesuvius, Napoli a number of different museums, and also the coastal islands. Although at the pace we’ve been going, I could definitely use a few lazy Southern Italy style Sundays to catch up on some sleep and homework.
