Photo of the Month Winner

This month's photo winner is Laura Bergstein from University of Denver for her photo from Venice, Italy. Laura will enjoy a free meal from Quattro Passi Pizzeria.

Auguri Laura!!

Finals Are Just Around the Corner...

Last week Perugia was full of families in town to celebrate Thanksgiving with their students studying at Umbra. Mothers brought entire suitcases full of supplies to prepare a proper American holiday meal, students ordered turkeys from the local butcher weeks in advance, and there was even leftover pumpkin pie at school on Sunday free for the taking! Today everyone is back in class and preparing for finals, which are just around the corner. The next three weeks will be full of end-of-the-semester activities, including a literary reading, the final Tandem meeting, and the student art show. Umbra will have extended hours starting next Wednesday to allow everyone enough time to prepare for finals. Good luck and don't forget to make the most of your last several weeks in Perugia!

Perugia Video Contest Announced

The Umbra Institute has announced an exciting new initiative: in collaboration with TripFilms.com, the Institute will be promoting a contest for the best films about travel to Perugia. TripFilms has a unique website where thousands of travelers (or in this case, "temporary citizens" of Perugia) post videos about the streets they live on, where they shop, what they do for fun, where they eat your favorite meals, as well as weekend excursions. Instead of simply reading a standard guidebook about Perugia, potential visitors (and students) can see through the eyes of people that have already been and lived here.

The contest was organized by Umbra and an alum, Kelley Farro, who is now a travel video producer with TripFilms. The grand prize is an iPod Nano, and there are several cash prizes and Amazon gift certificates as well. The contest begins January 4th, 2010, and is open not only to current students but alumni as well. All are encouraged to participate -- when you upload, include the line in the description “Umbra Institute Student Travel Video Submission.” For more information email Kelley AT tripfilms DOT com with your questions.

Umbra Students Volunteer for UNICEF

Local university student, Paola D'Amora writes the following blog about her experience with Umbra students as they volunteer for UNICEF:

Last Thursday, Umbra students learned how to create UNICEF Pigotta rag dolls that give hope for developing countries. A Pigotta is a unique doll because if it is “adopted” it can save a child as the proceeds go to providing the child with a complete vaccine kit protecting them against deadly diseases. Students gathered for the first time to meet welcoming volunteers in their fresco decorated office. The UNICEF ladies’ warm smiles and maternal patience guided the students’ hands while sewing and filling dolls’ bodies with cotton. Red and golden fabric, vivid enthusiasm, veil ribbon and true devotion were just some of the ingredients of that particular evening.

UNICEF volunteers and students are already looking forward for next week’s meeting when tiny dresses will be made and ID cards will be manufactured for each of the completed dolls.

Art History Students Trace Leonardo's Footsteps

This past weekend, Professor Adrian Hoch led a group of twenty students from her Leonardo da Vinci course on a comprehensive trip through Florence and Milan, visiting sites where Leonardo lived and found inspiration. Friday morning students arrived in Florence--where Leonardo was born and begin his artistic career as an apprentice in Verocchio's workshop--and set out directly for the Uffizi Gallery. After lunch students stepped into the Palazzo Vecchio, the imposing town hall with enormous frescoes commissioned from Leonardo, Michelangelo, and other Renaissance-era masters. Currently there is even a debate about the possibility that an original work by Leonardo remains embedded in the wall behind another fresco later painted by Vasari.

After exploring Leonardo's birthplace the students headed to Milan, where the artist lived and worked for over a decade at the Sforza Castle in the court of Ludovico Sforza. Professor Hoch brought students to see the Last Supper, one of the most well-known frescos in history that has miraculously withstood wartime bombing and an unsuccessful experimental painting technique. Finally, students had the chance to see Leonardo's Codice Atlantico, the collection of his original writings and drawings that is usually kept under lock and key for preservation. This weekend however the Codice was on special display in two locations at Santa Maria delle Grazie and the Biblioteca Ambrosiana. Next weekend students in Professor Bevagna's Roman Empire course are off to Rome!

Roasted Chestnuts and New Wine

Last night Umbra students, staff, and faculty celebrated San Martino (see previous post for a description of this central Umbrian holiday). Umbra alum Dan Bauer took care of the chestnut roasting while the guests introduced each other at a little vineyard in the center of Perugia.

This party was special not only because it was an opportunity for students to get right into Italian culture but also because they could become part of the Perugia family. Especially noteworthy was the recitation of the poem "San Martino" by locals from the nearby town of San Martino in Campo. See both the original and the translation here -- but remember that it has a better effect under fourteenth-century arches, with chestnuts in a pan and Italian Novello!

Umbra Alum Continues Passion for Food Upon Return to US

It is always our hope that Umbra students integrate the experiences of a semester abroad with their culminating senior year upon return at their American home institution.

A recent feature by Wabash College showcases one

Umbra alum's decision to continue a passion for food he nurtured in Perugia. Brad Jones, a current senior at Wabash, took advantage of the student activities made available to him, including the cooking classes held in a Spoleto restaurant. Now back in Indiana, Jones plans to continue his passion for food by enrolling in the Culinary Institute of America. Jones reports, however, that he will return to Italy this December for more inspiration.

Read the full article here: http://www.wabash.edu/profiles/home.cfm?profile_id=177

Festa di San Martino!

Today Italians and Catholics celebrate San Martino - Saint Martin - for his conscientious objection to war, efforts to fight paganism, and the mercy he showed to pagans themselves. This holiday also conveniently falls just during the time of year following vineyard harvests when cantinas are just starting to produce their new wine, or vino novello. And what goes better with red wine than freshly roasted chestnuts? As the weather gets cold, vendors appear on Corso Vannucci to sell their white paper bags of hot castagne to Italians making their evening passeggiata.

Interesting fact: even in American any freshly roasted chestnuts you come across are almost certain to have originated in Europe and crossed the Atlantic before they got into your hands, since the American chestnuts trees were wiped out in a national blight a century ago.

The Renaissance Reborn...On A Platter

Anyone can read Machiavelli's words on how to rule a state, but re-evoking Renaissance tastes at the table is quite another thing. This weekend Professor Simon Young's "History of Food and Culture In Italy" class was able to do just. Professor Young, a longtime resident of Florence, took the students to the resturant "La Pentola d'Oro" (the Golden Pot), famous for its dishes based on orginal Renaissance recipes. On the menu were pork in a sweet and sour sauce and beef in chocolate -- tastes that are odd mixes for us but were typical in the late 1400s. A good time was had by all, mixing learning with eating!

The Food Cultures class with Professor Simon Young on the Ponte Vecchio in Florence. Thanks to Kendall Cassidy from Northeastern for the photo!

Umbra Photo of the Month Contest

Congratulations to Laura Bergstein from the University of Denver for her photo of a fisherman. Laura will enjoy a free meal from Quattro Passi Pizzeria. Auguri Laura!

Searching for Inspiration in Assisi

Yesterday afternoon students in Professor Bill Pettit's Fresco Painting courses put down the brushes and went to the Basilica of San Francesco in nearby Assisi. Despite some missed train confusion -- a regular occurence while navigating Italy's public transportation networks -- the students were able to spend several hours at the Basilica studying the world-famous frescoes for both content and technique.

Can't wait to see everyone's finished works next month at the Umbra Art Show!

Fall In Umbria

These leaves on the ivy on the fortress are about as much color as we get in Umbria in the Fall, though there are beautiful yellow birch trees that hide down in the valleys between the Umbrian hills. The weather is definitely turning now to chilly in the night (though there was a good crowd on costumed students on the Steps of the cathedral last night), though the days remain sunny -- thank goodness for Perugian sun -- and fairly warm. It's the Umbrian version of Indian Summer.

There aren't any hayrides or doughnuts or football games but this week marks a typically Umbrian tradition, new wine and roasting chestnuts. As you can see here, vendors are already out in the center of the city, selling their hot-roasted wares. We're also getting close to San Martino, the traditional night to open up the wine barrels and taste the new wine. Umbra Institute students will likely go for an Umbrian classic, Falo' (which translates to "bonfire"), made by the best local cantina. And next year we'll get back to cider and football!

Olive Oil Producers Open The Taps!

In a riff on the traditional "open cellars" celebrations, Umbrian olive oil producers will be opening up their workshops for tastings the weekend of the 7th-8th of November. The "open cellars" weekends started as a marketing technique of the wine business and quickly became a traditional Fall activity for many Italians. Olive oil, Italy's green gold, has picked up on the idea.

As in the past, visitors to the region over this particular weekend in November will be able to taste Umbria's extraordinary wealth of different and much-prized olive oils and take part in the many other promotional events scheduled, both directly at specially opened olive presses and in the main olive oil producing towns. Some of the highlights will be in nearby Spello, which is considered by many to produce the best oil in the region. For more details, click here. MMMMMMmmmmmm!

Destination Fall Break

Mid-terms are over (hooray!) and students are cashing in their hard earned reward--a week off for Fall Break. Some students will spend it with their visiting families while others will travel around Europe. Paris to Prague, Alicante to Amsterdam, Umbra students will be dispersed all across the continent! Happy and safe travels to all! Buona vacanza!

Scientific Evidence For Snack Breaks

A new study has shown that the combination of lactose in milk and the gluten-chocolate complex in chocolate chip cookies produces a synergistic reaction which increases brainpower and raises concentration levels more than 23%. Nope, we're just kidding, actually, but we're putting out milk and cookies here in the library today anyway. This coming week the students have midterms so we thought we'd make it just a little bit easier for them.

Pizza Workshop

Last night was the last in a series of different workshops offered to Umbra students. Umbra students partook in a Pizza Workshop at local pizzeria Pizza e Musica. Students learned from owner, Felice, what goes into making the pizza dough, how to successfully create pizza's circular form, how to top the pizza and then... how to put the pizza in the oven and rotate it without burning. Everyone was successful and the enjoyed a slice of each pizza made. Just when they thought they couldn't eat any more, we sat down for another pizza (of our choice) made by master pizziaolo, Marco.

(At left, Ian Glass from UC Boulder puts his pizza in the oven to cook, at right, Elizabeth Miller, also a UC Boulder student, poses with pizziaolo, Marco and her pizza)

Fresco Students in Rome

Last Friday, Professor Bill Pettit took students from Umbra's Fresco Painting courses out of the studio and down to Rome on search of inspiration from antiquity. Students started out at the Basilica of San Clemente where they saw the evolution of mosaics and fresco painting from pagan times through Christianity and the Byzantine empire. After a stop at Santi Quattro Coronati, students visited the Scuderia at the Quirinale to see the exhibition running only through January, Rome: The Painting of an Empire. Students gained a new level of appreciation for frescos from antiquity, which were not only produced for their beauty but also as a practical mode of communication and story-telling during the Golden Age of the Roman Empire.

Eurochocolate oozes into Perugia

The first shops have already been set up in Corso Vannucci and the three piazzas that will host this year's edition of the Eurochocolate Festival. Starting this coming Friday the festival kicks off, with a melee of chocolate crunching and munching (and a little drinking, with hot chocolate) and hundreds of thousands of tourists during the nine-day event. Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, and a whole lot of cocoa! The festival's location is a nod to Perugia's sweet past, as it was the (and still is) the home of the Perugina, the world-famous chocolate company that makes the "bacio" sweets. Hopefully Umbra students will have the opportunity to pop out and get some a piece of the chocolate sculptures to help them study for midterms!

Perugia Named No. 2 Fall European Destination

The Hotel Club Travel Blog, a subsidiary of the popular online travel engine Orbitz, has named Perugia the number 2 top European travel destination for the fall! First and foremost the blog mentioned the upcoming EuroChocolate festival, during which Perugia is completely taken over by chocolate in all its delectable forms. Described as a "well preserved medievel town" and "a major academic center," the writers call Perugia "one of the most welcoming places in Italy." Che onore!
Other places included in the top five fall destinations for their fabulous weather and local festivals are Parma, Italy; Sitges, Spain; Galway, Ireland; and the Beaujolais region in France.

Umbra Pizza Night

Last night students gathered for the bi-monthly pizza night on Umbra. It was held at local pizzeria, Il Paiolo, where they make pizza the traditional way--cooked to delicious perfection in a wood-burning oven.

Pizza night is a chance for students to gather as a group every two weeks and share their experience abroad with other students, talk about their classes, travel plans and maybe even make a new friend.

Thanks to everyone for a great night!

Photo of the Month Winner

This month's winner of Photo of the Month is Elisa Richardson from Depauw University. Elisa's photo is entitled "Rocca Contra il Mare." She will enjoy a free meal from Quattro Passi Pizzeria.

"Caffe', anyone?"

Where does the name "mokka" come from, and what does it mean in Italian? Until what time can you drink a cappuccino in Italy without Italians finding it strange? Who drinks caffe' in vetro? These were some of the themes of yesterday's Coffee Workshop, one of a series of workshops sponsored by the Umbra Institute not only to give students hands- (and mouths-) on experience with various Italian foods, but also to teach their "cultural significance." And heck, who doesn't like a good cup o' Joe? The workshops continue next week with cheese!

Fall 2009 - Primo Incontro con Tandem

Umbra students were met with a large Italian gathering at Tandem's "Primo Incontro" or first meeting this week.

Americans and Italians alike met at the popular brewery and restaurant, Il Birraio, located in the beautiful Porta Sole. Despite tongues wagging in two languages, participants still had time to sip on some sangria. Here's to a great time had by all!

Ci vediamo la settimana che viene!

"Bakin' Love"

Umbra student, Melissa Martinez from Austin, Texas blogs about her experience in Italy never leaving out the ever-important detail that is the food!

Catch her blog, "Bakin' Love" about the cooking class she participated in with six other Umbra students this past Friday.


Thanks for sharing, Melissa!

Aperitivo 101

Some say the ancient Egyptians started the tradition by drinking bitter drinks with finger foods. Others date the birth of this Italian evening activity to the 1920s and the popularity of vermouth in Milan. Whenever (and whenever) it started, the aperitivo is part of modern-day Italian culture. Starting from the belief that "L'appetito viene mangiando" (Appetite comes while you eat), Italians often get together in the evening, after work but before dinner, and have a small drink with snacks. Umbra students got together last night and learned about the aperitivo, both the theoretical and practical. After a short history of the aperitivo, students ordered some typical drinks (Campari soda, prosecco, and the famous Spritz) and enjoyed potato chips, tramezzini, olives, and other goodies. The Aperitivo 101 workshop will be repeated in two weeks - keep your eyes peeled for signups!

One Last Weekend of Summer Sun...

This past weekend thirty-eight Umbra students joined staff members Lindsey Thompson and Rachel Bethany for one last weekend in the sun around Naples and the Penisola Sorrentina, or Peninsula of Sorrento. We stopped first on Friday morning at Pompeii just outside Naples for a guided tour of the ruins, preserved by volcanic ash since the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. Following the coast along the Bay of Naples, we proceeded to beautiful Sorrento on Friday afternoon, where the bright sun quickly made everyone forget that fall has already taken hold back in Perugia. Saturday morning we boarded the ferry at the port in Sorrento and rode 45 minutes over to beautiful Capri, where the weather was equally gorgeous and students were able to spend the day renting boats to ride around the island and swimming in the crystal-clear water (and window shopping!). Saturday night the weather started to look threatening, but Sunday morning the rain had passed and the sky was clear enough to see as far as the islands of Procida and Ischia during our tour of Naples. Our tour guide Paola, a native of Sorrento, gave us a fantastic overview of the history and sights of Naples, and pointed students in the direction of Pizzeria San Michele, mentioned in the recent novel Eat, Pray, Love. After everyone had a chance to sample the world-famous Neapolitan pizza we headed back up to Perugia, everyone having enjoyed one last weekend of summer before settling back into the fall academic semester.

Fall 2009 Begins with a Bang

The first week of Umbra Elective classes began with a bang as students had a busy week this week, both in and outside the classroom.

Sunday students participated in various outings in Umbra--one at the nearby lake, Lago Trasimeno and another in Assisi. While the historical walking tour was rained out on Monday (and is to be rescheduled) the Umbra Gelato Night on Tuesday was a big success! Thursday a few students attended a charity show at Perugia's noble theatre, Teatro Morlacchi and this morning thirty-eight students left for a three day trip to Pompeii, Sorrento, Capri and Naples!

Next week a pizza night (on Umbra) will be held on Tuesday night at Pizzeria Paiolo.

Here's to another great week in Perugia at Umbra!

More Nooks or More Crannies?

Yesterday despite the threat of rain a large group of Umbra students went on a traipse around the city. While not academic in nature, the tour wasn't just to point out panoramas and good restaurants. Umbra staff member Zach Nowak lead the tour, an almost goofy collection of tales (true and otherwise) about Perugia. Students heard stories such as "The Salt War" (or, Why The Bread Here Is Horrible), "The Orphans of Via Alunni," and "The Aqueduct That Brought More Debts Than Water." The tour will be repeated in a few weeks for any other interested students.

Welcome Aperitivo

Wednesday night was the first all-student event sponsored by the Umbra Institute. The venue was Argentina, Perugia's newest restaurant and hip place for an aperitivo, a before-dinner snack with friends that Italians can't do without. Students were feted with a selection of Umbrian and central Italian cheeses, salami and dried sausage (taste that fennel!), and all took place on the terraces built into the Etruscan wall that surrounds this beautiful hilltop city. The students' next appointment is tomorrow's Perugia Nooks & Crannies tour - sign up in the Bartolo building today.

A Fresh Beginning

This past Friday, students arrived in Perugia to commence the fall semester. As if right on time, the crisp fall air breezed in with them, cooling the city off after a humid, hot summer.

This weekend students participated in Umbra's orientation, first moving into their new apartments and unpacking, the exciting realization settling in that they get to live here, in this authentic medieval town, for the next four months. Four months of an unforgettable adventure of a lifetime.

Benvenuti Umbra Students Fall 2009!

In Boca al Lupo!

Arriving from Philadelphia, Dallas, Sicily, Sorrento, and London, the Fall 2009 Full Immersion students have arrived in Perugia!

Several of the students were lucky to have spent August traveling around Europe and Italy and thus avoid the usual first-night jet lag, and the others are catching up quickly. After the two and a half hour ride up to Perugia from Fiumicino Airport in Rome on Monday afternoon, students had a chance to relax last night and get to know each other over dinner at Cafe di Perugia. Umbra professors Francesco Burzacca and Roberta Mugno, who will conduct weekly tutorial sessions to supplement the regular courses at the Stranieri, as well as staff members Zach Nowak and Rachel Bethany did their best to reassure the students that this morning's placement exam at the Università di Stranieri would be a breeze, but even so we spied some last minute trapassato remoto cramming! In boca al lupo to the Fall 2009 Full Immersion students as you start out with your studies at the Università.

Top Left: Umbra Staff Member Zach Nowak entertains students with his ever-expanding sense of humor.

Bottom Right: Student Bailey Smith loved her first meal in Perugia!