Author: Dillon Sanders | Major: Biology | Semester: Summer 2025

Sentiero degli Dei – The Path of the Gods

This past summer, I had the incredible opportunity to spend five weeks studying Marine Biology and the History of Italian Food and Culture in Sorrento, Italy. As a biology major, CIS’s “Summer on the Italian Coast” program provided a wonderfully unique way not just to learn, but to experience the realm of marine biology, thanks to the program’s proximity to the Mediterranean Sea. In conjunction with location, the culture and lifestyle of the Italian coast finalized my decision that this was the particular program for me.

My course in marine biology spanned over a month and covered a wide variety of topics, including ocean floor geology, plate tectonics, physical oceanography, aquatic ecology, and taxonomy. To expand upon our in-class learning, our professor took us on two field visits around the coast of Napoli. For our first field visit, we found ourselves at the Bay of Ieranto, where we analyzed different types of ocean substrate and how they impact the marine ecosystem. While navigating the bay, our professor taught us free diving techniques, allowing us to observe the fish and fauna up close and personal. Our second field visit took us to the turtle rescue center in Naples, where we learned of the current conservation efforts taking place in the Mediterranean Sea.

My second course, History of Italian Food and Culture, has impacted not only my education, but my lifestyle and diet. Getting the opportunity to live out and practice the very things I was learning in class has had profound effects on both my physical and mental health. I was very surprised by the Italian food pyramid, which emphasizes several aspects often neglected by our culture here in the United States, such as physical activity, conviviality, water consumption, and healthy sources of fat. As a student preparing for a career in medicine, I have absorbed a lot of knowledge from this class that I will be able to apply to provide better care for patients. Equally as interesting was the historical and anthropological perspective that the class gave to the current food practices in Italy. Many of their traditions can be traced back as early as the age of the Roman Empire, such as their daily meal practices and the way they celebrate certain foods. It’s because of these traditions that the Italians have kept the quality of their food to the highest standards, which no doubt adds to the excellent quality of life in Italy.

While abroad, I had the chance to travel to many new places both inside and outside of Italy. One of the most significant benefits of traveling in Italy is its excellent train system, which allowed me to visit Florence, Pisa, Siena, San Gimignano, and the Dolomites. Out of all the places I traveled in Italy, Florence amazed me the most. From the narrow cobblestone streets to the beautiful Renaissance architecture, walking made me think I had accidentally walked into the fourteenth century.

Outside of Italy, I traveled to France, Amsterdam, and Spain. My short trip to Amsterdam was unexpected (due to airfare troubles on the way to Spain), yet it turned out to be one of my favorite places I got to visit while in Europe. The impressive Gothic buildings, coupled with the intricate canal system of Amsterdam, made me wish I had allocated a whole weekend to explore the city.

I am incredibly thankful for the five weeks I spent in Italy and all the more grateful for the wonderful friends and memories I made along the way. If there is any advice I could impart, it would be to seek out the things off the beaten path. Stop searching on social media and talk to the local at the coffee shop. Try your hand at a different language and make new friends. Go explore.