Tandem: Use the Lingua to Learn the Lingua

In Italian the word for tongue and language, is one and the same: lingua. That's why, in addition to the week of Intensive Italian and the obligatory Italian classes, the Umbra Institute sponsors the Tandem program. Run by staff members Mauro Renna and Rachel Bethany, the Tandem program is a sort of mixer where American students and their counterparts from Perugia's universities get to know each other. The low-pressure environment and activities often lead to friendships that last the whole semester and even beyond - it's not uncommon for Umbra alumni returning to Perugia to visit the friends they made in Tandem! Last night students met for the second meeting at the Cinastik Enoteca on Via dei Priori, just up the street from Umbra I. Conversations flowed long past the official end of the event... perhaps tongues were loosened just a bit by the wine and prosecco aperitivo.

“Un caffè, per favore.”

The obvious translation of this sentence is, “A coffee, please,” but if you’re expecting a Starbucks-size jug o’ Joe, you’ll be surprised in Italy. The standard coffee here is the espresso, made with hot steam (no drips!) and a very fine grind. Oh, and you’ll get about three quarters of a shot glass full of liquid, so take small sips – or do as the Italians do and throw it back in one gulp. This facts and more were the basis of last night’s Coffee Safari, one of the Umbra Institute’s series of food workshops. Students learned not only about coffee’s botany and history but also about the biochemistry of roasting. The best part, though, was the coffee. After learning the differences, students tried caffè macchiato, un marocchino, even the meringato. The next workshop in the food series is the Olive Harvest – see Zach or Mauro for details.