Sorrento: 3 week Standard Course

Gabriella
3 weeks Italian course in Sorrento

“I expected to have general conversations with others, be able to understand and converse about ordinary, everyday situations. I also expected to meet new people from different places, make some new friends and see some of the area.

My vocabulary improved dramatically, and I met lots of brilliant people and generally had a fabulous time.

The lessons at the Italian School in Sorrento worked well for me, as the structure was similar to lessons in the UK. There were materials for us to look at and listening exercises and the teachers worked hard to vary the class structure. The teachers were all brilliant and very friendly; a few in particular were very funny whilst also being able to teach! I sometimes felt that the conversation lessons got a bit tedious – 2 hours before lunch – everyone seemed to get a little fidgety.

The Internet room in the school was great and not often too crowded. The staff were all lovely and did their best to resolve any issues that arose and the school was was very easy to find. Five minutes to the beach, opposite some banks, café and near a little park and gorgeous cloister. The extracurricular sessions were also very interesting and a good way to practice more Italian.

The worst day for me was the first day, there was a hold up on the bus I was on and it made me worry I was going to be late and the staff would be angry but the whole situation was so laid back when I got there, just in time, that I shouldn’t have worried.

The best thing was being able to improve my Italian so quickly and to see such an improvement, also meeting brilliant people and socialising.

I thought there were enough lessons on the Italian Standard Course in Sorrento and I was glad I didn’t opt for private lessons, as I wouldn’t have socialised as much. The students I met were all very friendly.  

The Italian language school social activities were very interesting and a good time to practise more, however I would have enjoyed an excursion into Napoli – its one place that is better if you go with a local.

The locals in Sorrento are very friendly, they automatically speak in English, I always responded in Italian and it seemed to make their day.
Initially I didn’t like my accommodation being a bus ride away from the school as most my friends lived in Sorrento, however I soon really liked it because it gave me a truer experience of Italy. There were cheaper shops and gorgeous ice cream not too far away. The family I stayed with were brilliant, very kind and Carmela is a wonderful cook. In all the three weeks, I didn’t have the same meal twice. They also had a terrace, which as Sorrento has “pay for” beaches was really great. I ended up talking to the locals and they got used to seeing my face.

CESA were good. It was much easier to go through CESA – other who didn’t said it often took a long time to arrange the details of a booking. I was also glad I went to Sorrento as opposed to Rome after a member of staff at CESA said (quite rightly) being in a city in the heat isn’t so great.

To those staying near Piano I would recommend a trip to Villa Fondi near the sea. Beautiful, calm, friendly staff and small free museum. Gardens are gorgeous and open until midnight in the summer. I have some fantastic memories and students should keep a journal as interesting things happen, and its so easy to forget.”