Month: November 2014

Stop by the Urban Center on the Sant’Ercolano steps next Tuesday, Dec. 2 at 6pm to visit and celebrate with the brainchildren behind the first initiative of its kind in Perugia – an urban garden! “OrtoBello” would both beautify the community and also help local families to eat in healthy and inexpensive ways.

In the meantime, these two fun Youtube videos made by the very active Umbra Urban Spaces students convey the efforts of the Borgo Bello Association (the neighborhood where the garden will be), the University of Perugia Department of Agricultural Science, SMEC, and countless community members and volunteers. To see a video about the project, click here. (And a promotional video here.)

The event will include an exhibit of other community gardens around Europe, a seed exchange, a participatory workshop ‘Seeding and Harvesting’ by Umbra profs (Viviana Lorenzo, Ray Lorenzo, and students), refreshments, and much more. At 10pm, everyone will walk down to the location of the garden and do a final toast at Circolo del Tempo Bono nearby.  For more information, click ‘like’ on the Orto Urbano’s Facebook page for more.

We hope to see you there!

Interns in INIT 350: Fair Trade at the Umbra Institute traveled to the Monimbo Fair Trade Cooperative in Foligno to learn the secrets of Fair Trade chocolate. Students were led through a  mouth-watering chocolate tasting that featured the use of all five senses in order to appreciate the subtle properties of this sweet. Students learned how to differentiate Fair Trade chocolate from highly commercialized products and explain these contrasts to others.

On Monday, the interns put their skills to the test and brought issues of Fair Trade to the larger Umbra community with a documentary screening. A stormy night did not deter almost thirty Umbra students from showing up to view “The Dark Side of Chocolate,” a poignant film highlighting the problems related to child labor and trafficking in the chocolate industry. After the viewing, the interns conducted an audience discussion related to the effects of the film on the industry and audience members’ personal thoughts and reactions. Later, they capped off a sweet night by leading their very own chocolate tasting for the hungry students. Audience members had the opportunity to sample three different chocolates from Monimbo.  It was difficult to reach a consensus on a favorite, but the dark chocolate with a hint of mint seemed to have won. Students left with a broadened perspective on a favorite treat and a new understanding of the complexities that come with bringing chocolate products to market all over the world.

Students in Umbra’s Urban Spaces course are redefining community. This course aims to give students an understanding of, and appreciation for, the relationships between people, perceptions, identity, and public space. Since September, the class has been examining Perugia’s Borgo Bello neighborhood as a “real world classroom” where citizens are determined to utilize space in a way that is beneficial for the community. Borgo Bello’s Neighborhood Association has conducted numerous innovative cultural and commercial activities and events to revitalize its territory in recent years, and the citizens value Umbra students’ ideas and input regarding these projects.

One major project in the works would create a sustainable community garden in the neighborhood. Last week, Umbra students moved the project forward by conducting a “flash mob” through Borgo Bello. Along with members of the Borgo Bello Neighborhood Association, students passed out seeds to local shopkeepers and passerby as a  way to raise awareness and begin a discussion about the many advantages that a garden would present to the community.

Prior to the flash mob, two Umbra students presented at a meeting whose audience consisted of members of the general public and the head of the Neighborhood Association. The girls discussed how working with the Borgo Bello community has positively impacted their time studying abroad in Perugia, highlighting the personal relationships they’ve formed and the inspiration that comes from seeing an idea come into fruition. Stay tuned for updates on their continued progress!

We caught up with Umbra alumna Kate Davis (Fall Semester 2012) to hear about her return to Italy to work at the Civitella Ranieri Foundation, which supports the work of exemplary writers, artists, and musicians, and how study abroad helped her get there.

 

Hi Kate, can you give us a brief description of the Civitella Ranieri Foundation and your role there?

The Civitella Ranieri Foundation provides 6-week residencies to visual artists, composers, and writers, during which time they develop or continue projects. My role was to assist them if they needed any particular help. Most artists give hour-long presentations, so I prepare the Facebook and Twitter invitations, set up the space (physically and with technical set-up), and presented the artists to the visitors and fellow artists. I assisted or led excursions to local artistic attractions, such as the Madonna del Parto in Monterchi (by Piero Della Francesca). Finally, I worked with the kitchen staff to keep track of who would be present or absent for meals, dietary restrictions, and general assistance.

How has studying abroad influenced your worldview and post-grad plans?

Studying abroad at the Umbra Institute was one of the most important experiences for me. My Italian improved greatly, I learned to be a more independent person living and cooking for myself, I made some phenomenal friends (Italian and American) with whom I am still in touch. Because of this experience, I became familiar with Umbria, so when I heard about this job possibility from a professor back in the States, I already had a level of comfort and excitement about the area. I knew that I had to come back after falling in love with Perugia, and the job at Civitella allowed me to visit easily by car or a short train ride.

Do you have any advice for current Umbra students, especially those who might like to return to Italy as you have done?

If you study at Umbra and want to come back to Italy to work, I would strongly suggest practicing Italian as much as possible back at home and reading in Italian. This helped me because all of my office work was in Italian, and it would have been difficult without knowing the language. Also, perseverance is key. It is difficult to find jobs in Italy, so seeking out exciting job possibilities, even short-term ones, involves dedication.

The relationships that I made with staff and teachers at the Umbra Institute lasted beyond my stay and gave me a base when I came back to Italy. Food Studies Program Co-Coordinator Zachary Nowak is friends with my direct supervisor from Civitella, and during my interview we talked about the Umbra Institute, my familiarity with Perugia, and my favorite restaurants! Food is the most important conversation piece in Italy for sure.

Thanks Kate – we’re sure you’ll keep making Umbra proud!