dutyfree

I am looking for help from fellow Fodorites who have been to Sicily and have spent some time in Siracusa. My daughter studies Marine Geology in college and there is a program that encompasses many courses that she would like to take in Siracusa (ie.Marine Archaeology,Volcanology,etc.)However, her brother who studied in Torino,Italy last year feels that it will be too restricted for traveling the continent and thinks that she should look elsewhere. Any thoughts or impressions on Sicily for a semester abroad? We have awhile to make a decision and are even thinking of visiting there during her spring break this year.Thanks for your help!

rex

I have never been to Sicily, so take this with a grain of salt (but we do have a daughter at the University of Stirling in Scotland for the current semester) - -I think that going to a university that has that special faculty and curriculum sounds great. There is more "culture" in any given 100 sq miles in any part of Europe than she can shake a stick at.

Many of the other American students at Stirling went to far-off places for their fall break, and our daughter had a ball just exploring western Scotland and its islands for 6 days and nights. She's ended up with five days extra before coming home, and she just got a chance to REALLY explore Stirling this very weekend. Going to do some relatively more concentrated Christmas shopping in Glasgow for two days, and then go spend two days/nights with a fellow student outside Belfast before she comes home. She could have flown to Bergamo (Italy) or Spain or Norway with not much more effort or cost - - but she figures, "hey, I'm an English major - - I came here to get to know the British Isles". I think she has made great decisions, and your daughter will have opportunities coming out of her ears, both ON Sicily and elsewhere. I wouldn't believe that she should think her options will be constraining in the least.

Best wishes,

Rex

dutyfree

Thanks Rex for your imput!What overseas exchange did your family use? Have you been pleased with the help from them? The problem with a specialized major such as Marine Science is that most of the schools abroad do not offer anything that would help her major-ie. history,religion,art,film,etc.(Besides she has taken all the basics for graduation already at her home university.)The brochure with limited pictures of Siracusa looks very interesting and the coastline combined with the history of the area along with the chance to take some interesting geology/marine science courses caught her eye. I think that she was hoping to catch those cheap airfares through Europe like her brother if she spent a semester abroad.So how hard is it to get back to Italy from that area? Sorry for all the questions but her father is already doubting the place so would love to reassure his thinking.

rex

She is with www.ifsa-butler.org

They have been &quot;reasonably supportive&quot;, and they have been <i><b>right</b></i> about 75% of the time - - not great, not terrible, and their 25% error rate has not caused any serious consequences.

Every family is different. This daughter, even though she is our youngest, has been to Europe more times than her older sisters (five times before this semester, and she is only 20 years old) - - and I think we have inculcated into her that this is not the only time for her to see the world - - neither a big piece of it, nor even the little piece that lies closest to the northern end of the UK.

Although &quot;English major&quot; sounds fairly generic/ubiquitous, she is actually a secondary education/English major - - and Stirling is known for its programs, continent-wide, in English/education (especially TOEFL). And it seemed like the kind of campus where she believed she would adjust the most readily (she otherwise goes to Clemson, and did not want the &quot;in-city&quot; atmosphere of Glasgow or Edinburgh, for example). 98% of students never see a campus before overseas study. We were able to &quot;tag it on&quot; to a trip in summer 2003 to Prague/Poland/Austria (thanks to Ryanair!)

Only you and your husband (and daughter) know how much our experience will parallel your family's situation.

ira

Hi duty,

Is your daughter actually looking for some courses in her major from a different viewpoint or a cultural experience that will broaden her education?

AP6380

As part of a 10-night trip to Sicily in 3/03 I spent an overnight in Ortygia, Siracusa. I loved the area and wish I had more time. I have traveled through many parts of Italy and found Sicily the most fascinating. There are so many archaeological sites there. I would think Sicily's proximity to Malta may be an advantage for her major, as I hear there is amazing diving there. And to study volcanology with Mt. Etna so close? It sounds great. Does she speak Italian or is hoping to learn?

Catania is about an hour-hour and a half away, and from there you can take a 20 minute ferry ride to the mainland (Calabria). Another fascinating area.

AP6380

Just a few more things: if your daughter is looking to have a real &quot;scene&quot; of sorts to socialize in, I'm not sure Siracusa would fit the bill. Rome or Florence might be better for that. But if she really just wants to immerse herself in another culture and learn, Sicily will be great.

dutyfree

Thanks for the replies. Actually my daughter is NOT looking for a social scene although she loves Rome and Florence but her interest is moved by being so close to the sea along with the historic sites in Sicily.Her brother spent last year in Torino, Italy and then Prague and loved being overseas in those two locations. (Our family has traveled rather extensively both in the US and in Europe so it would not be as though she has to see London,Paris,Lisbon,etc. for the first time.)In looking at alot of these catalogues from various overseas exchange places-most are offering the language exchanges in France,Germany or Spain which would be too difficult to do in Marine Science(her college actually has an exchange in France for Marine Science but all in French?)I agree with the unique chance to study things in correlation with a marine geology major so that is why I was asking was if those who had traveled there had felt that they could have stayed &quot;for awhile&quot; and
if given the chance would they want to spend a semester there? She speaks French but would probably also take an Italian course while there-classes would be in English.I wish that I could have had this opportunity when I was in college?

rbrazill

A minor point, but I don't believe that there is any ferry service from Catania to Calabria. There is a ferry from Catania to Naples, but I believe the ferry that AP6380 was thinking of is the one which runs from Massina to Reggio-Calabria. Massina is actually about 160 km from Siracusa, so it'a bit more of a trip.

cmt

I wish someone would had sent me to Sicily for a semester. If it weren't for the dog and kitten, I wish I could do that now!

cmt

Correction: I meant to type &quot;I wish someone HAD sent me....&quot; (I was really thinking I wish someone WOULD send me, but then my dog gave me a hurt look, so I switched).

GAC

I think that one semester in Siracusa is absolutely terrific!

While it is true that Siracusa is geographically &quot;out of the way&quot; vis-a-vis the European continent, your daughter could spend a great deal of time visiting the island of Sicily, which can easily take up 60 calendar days of full-time travel. Siracusa alone and its immediate surroundings merit a full week.

She can also travel to mainland Italy on any &quot;night&quot; train for 15 Euros (arriving in Rome in the morning), or travel on either of the two Intercity (IC) daylight trains to Naples or Rome on Saturdays for 15 Euros.

Moreover, from the Catania Airport, she can travel anywhere in Europe. There is direct bus service from Ortygia Island to the airport several times per day. Travel time is approx. 1 hr. and costs approx. 4 Euros.

What other alternatives does she have in her field of Marine Archaeology and Volcanology?

BTW, Siracusa is a MUCH, MUCH nicer place to live than is Catania!