Yesterday marked the last day of the Umbra Institute’s week of Special events for the spring semester. After an art show, an anthology reading for creative writing, and last night’s presentations at the Ranieri di Sorbello Foundation, students only have a few more days to wrap up exams and say their goodbyes. Those of the students who did service learning projects over the semester gave presentations last night detailing their experiences and introducing their Italian families. Other students who worked with local businesses and organizations for the international business and management classes also presented their semester analyses projects. Great job to everyone who presented, and thank you for sharing your experience with the rest of us!
Yesterday night was one of the highlights of the academic semester at the Umbra Institute, and a time for the whole community of Perugia to see just exactly what the students have been doing, at least artistically, the whole semester. In exposition in the Via Bartolo building were the collected works of this semester’s digital photography, frescoe, and drawing classes. Students, faculty, staff, and many friends (Italian, American, and other foreigners) came to the opening and walked around looking at subjects as diverse as 
Renaissance-themed frescoes, charcoal nudes, and stunning photos of Italia, both modern and ancient. Kudos to Professors Philippa Stannard and Bill Pettit, and all of their students.
Over sixty Umbra Institute students, both those taking the Italy of the Imagination creative writing class and their friends, were on hand last night for the ninth reading of the Umbra Institute’s Literary Anthology. The theme this semester was “Che sorpresa!” -- "What a surprise!", which was well-conveyed by the cover’s whimsical cat. Students read their works about culture clashes and a reluctance to go “back home," and by the time everyone had had a chance to read, the reality that the end of the semester is fast approaching seemed to have set in for everyone present.
The annual creative writing reading is the first in a week of Special Academic Events at the Umbra Institute before finals begin. Umbra's art students are currently busy arranging their works for tonight's art show -- pictures tomorrow!
Many Umbra students come from Italian heritage and few take advantage of this during their time in Italy by calling up long lost relatives for a reunion. Many times, Umbra students have never even met them before. Chris Barrella from Penn State University had one such experience when he called his family had not seen since World War II.
Over a weekend in late February, I made the 4.5 hour train ride from Perugia to Pescara, a big fishing town on the Adriatic Coast east of Rome. I certainly was not going to lie out on the great beaches there and catch some sun, but rather to make contact with some distant relatives that had not spoken with the American side of the family since World War II. The exact relation between myself and my family living in Pescara is a little distant but family nonetheless. My cousin picked my up at the train station in Pescara on a Friday evening, and when I say cousin, I mean my dad's mother's cousin. My great uncle had visited the family when he was stationed in Italy during World War II but I was the first to go back since then. I spoke some Italian, enough to hold a basic conversation, and my cousin spoke a little English but when more cousins and sisters and brothers started arriving, I retired to the couch and just listened. On Saturday, we had a feast only rivaled by the Food Cultures trip to Dario Cecchini's restaurant with endless plates of salad, bruschetta and meats. After a short walk around town and down to the beach, we returned home for another superbly prepeared dinner just a few hours after the banquet for lunch. When it was finally time to leave on Sunday, I had met approximately 12 family members, 1 dog and had eaten more food that I see in an average week. Needless to say, I can't wait to go back.
Yesterday marked the last day of the Umbra Institute’s week of Special events for the spring semester. After an art show, an anthology reading for creative writing, and last night’s presentations at the Ranieri di Sorbello Foundation, students only have a few more days to wrap up exams and say their goodbyes. Those of the students who did service learning projects over the semester gave presentations last night detailing their experiences and introducing their Italian families. Other students who worked with local businesses and organizations for the international business and management classes also presented their semester analyses projects. Great job to everyone who presented, and thank you for sharing your experience with the rest of us!
