October 2006 – DEV – The Umbra Institute – Study Abroad in Italy

On October 3 and 17 Professor James Schwarten led his students to Rome as part of his course titled Contemporary Italy: Culture and Society.

The destination? Italy’s state television channel RAI3 for the live taping and broadcast of a weekly program, Ballarò, which covers issues of current interest on Italian politics, economics, culture, and society. Professor Schwarten and students were able to meet the show’s host, Giovanni Floris, as well as get a behind-the-scenes glimpse of a live television program.

Among other topics in his course, Professor Schwarten discusses Italian mass media, and students were encouraged to compare and contrast Ballarò with U.S. television programs treating similar topics with regard to content and structure, the role and conduct of the host and panel members, and the ways in which the viewer is involved or affected.

How do students deal with the transition back into American college life after spending a semester in Perugia, Italy?

Not easily, from what several recent Umbra alumni have told us. However many of these former students are finding ways to continue the Italian experience from home. Dan Bower hosted his first meeting at Northeastern University for an Italian Club, joining Italian exchange students and Americans in one cultural organization.

Bree Barton performed with the Human Beings International Theater Group in Perugia – now she takes a lead role in an improv group at Amherst College (in photo, right).

For many, there is one way to savour the memories of studying abroad – by eating. Jocelyn Fielding (Northeastern) and Rachel Bethany (Brandeis University) met for some pasta in Boston’s – famously Italian – North End district (note street sign).

Umbra alumni, how do you handle the transition? Email us [email protected].

Wine is an important aspect of Italian culinary culture,

and as such it is often the subject of American study abroad programs’ extracurricular activities. Students are taken to an Italian enoteca and sample different kinds of wines, learning the basics of evaluation and wine/food combinations. At the Umbra Institute, however, students go one step further: actually making the wine. This past Saturday staff

member Zach Nowak took a group of twenty-five students to the small vineyard that he takes care of, where the third edition of Umbra’s winemaking class took place. The students first had the “theory” part of the activity, where they learned about fermentation, the action of yeast, and the process of making wine. They then lived out their “I Love Lucy” dreams, rolling up their pant legs, washing their feet, and actually stomping the grapes in turn. Not all the grape juice landed in the demijohn for fermenting but enough will be turned into wine to make a bottle for each student. As an extra, some students stayed later and helped Nowak chop and press a barrel of apples. “Apple cider – just like home in the Fall!” commented Danielle Urciullo (Northeastern University).

The winner of the Umbra Photo of the Month contest is Jennah Beilgard for her photo of “Cinque Terre with Micheal”

Jennah will enjoy a freel meal from Quattro Passi Pizzeria! Auguri!

Bruce Springsteen and the Seeger Sessions Band played in Perugia this past Saturday. Close to 8,000 people witnessed the legendary “Boss” play outside at the Stadio Santa Giuliana. Many Umbra students, staff and even some professors plus many American ex-patriots from the region attended the concert of a combination of folk and some of his more contemporary songs. The rain held off for entire two and a half hour long concert. Springsteen stopped off in Perugia a part of a 7 date tour of Italy during which time he will play is such cities as Bologna, Turin, Verona and Rome.

The Umbra Institute was well represented at Penn State University last week for the annual study abroad fair. In addition to the many freshmen and sophomores in the crowd were a few PSU seniors who recently returned from studying at the Umbra Institute in Perugia. These Umbra alumni volunteered their time to tell other students about the experience of living in Italy. And there’s no better way to tell others about the abroad experience than from a former student.

The study abroad fair was not just for the prospective students, however, as it was another opportunity for Umbra alumni to reminisce about their semesters in Perugia. We hear these reunions are taking place all over the US on home campuses – from North Carolina to Boston to Colorado to the web on Facebook! If you are an alumnus and want to reconnect with your Umbra classmates, email [email protected].

If you are a college student interested in studying at the Umbra Institute, please see your study abroad office on your home campus. Or you may email [email protected] for more information.