Month: August 2016

Students learn Italian vocabulary and customs through ice-breaker activities.

This weekend, Umbra Staff eagerly awaited Fall 2016 students at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport as they arrived for their study abroad semester in Perugia, Italy. The welcome weekend at Umbra is one of excitement and acclimation!

Friday: Students were brought from the airport to the Hotel Giò by private bus where they met more Umbra staff, got their orientation packets, and met their roommates. They then sat down to enjoy a multi-course dinner followed by ice-breaker activities designed to help them get to know each other; learn  basic Italian vocabulary and customs; and share their expectations for the semester. John LaTorre, from the University of Vermont, said, “It was fun and a great way to meet everyone and break the ice”.

Saturday: Students were transported from the hotel to their new apartments in Perugia’s center where they quickly fell in love with the picturesque hilltop town. When asked about how she was settling into her new home, Eliana Zupcich, of Hamilton College, shared, “I love the fact that I look out my window and see this vibrant and beautiful city and, I’m not sure how you guys did this, but my roommates and I already have a really strong connection!”

Umbra staff spent the afternoon showing students around the Institute and Perugia; staff were also available to help students with the process of applying for their Permit of Stay (an Italian document required for staying in Italy for more than 3 months). In the evening, students enjoyed their first Umbra-sponsored Pizza Night.

Sunday: After an open house and practical walking tour of Perugia, students met for a Mandatory Safety and Academic Meeting. They heard many safety tips and became familiar with Italian laws and best practices while sitting in the historic Sala dei Notari. In addition, they learned about student life, housing, health, counseling services, academic policies and procedures, and became better acquainted with Umbra staff.

Monday: Intensive Italian Week began for all Umbra students. Students will visit supermarkets, apartments, coffee shops, and take public transportation with their professors in order to learn how to get around Perugia and Italy, in Italian. Students also took part in the Community Engagement and Student Activity Information Session to learn more about how they can get involved in the Umbra community through practica, service learning projects, student clubs, and volunteer opportunities.

Students will be introduced to their professors and regular elective courses beginning on Monday, September 5^th.  

As many have expressed concern for Umbra faculty and staff, we would like to report that the city of Perugia and the Umbra Institute were unaffected by this morning’s earthquake in central Italy.

The locations primarily affected are 100 kms south of Perugia, Amatrice is the one currently in need of the most assistance.

We appreciate all of your kind thoughts and prayers throughout the night and look forward to soon meeting our Fall 2016 students.

A practicum student getting hands-on experience in the Orto Sinergico

“Our experience here will be something that we never forget and we are truly grateful for this opportunity,” wrote Abigail Kayes and Caroline Florenzo in a reflective letter to Fontenuovo, a local residency for the elderly that recently celebrated its 130^th year. Abigail and Caroline are just two of Misericordia University’s Occupational Therapy students who spent the early part of their summer participating in the Umbra Institute’s CESP 354: Critical Disabilities: Seminar & Practicum, in Perugia, Italy.

 Umbra’s Critical Disabilities Seminar & Practicum is designed to foster awareness of the experiences of disabled people and reflect on inclusion of these individuals in society by assuming a critical perspective. During the seminar portion of the course, students examine disabilities from a culturally diverse perspective in a classroom setting. As a compliment to the seminar, the practicum gives students hands-on experience in assisting those with disabilities in a community-centered environment. This summer, such collaboration was made possible with the aid of partnerships with VIVA Sports Association, Fontenuovo Elderly Residence Home, and Nuova Dimensione di Perugia Cooperative Synergistic Garden.

While working at VIVA, students experienced what it means to take part in an athletic program designed to teach people with motor and/or intellectual disabilities various teambuilding sports and games with the goal of integrating them into society. They all agreed that, at first, the experience was intimidating as it was unique and new. However, by the end of their experience, they recognized how VIVA participants are attentive to rules and structure. Students felt that this was phenomenal and, in their words of wisdom reflection for future VIVA practicum students, wrote, “Enjoy every opportunity you have to communicate and you’ll appreciate the relationships you’ve built.”

 “At the garden, it was cool that we got to work alongside the guests and that they were so willing to help us,” shared Micaela in her reflection about time working in a local Synergistic Garden. “It is great that the garden is used as a tool to improve their social skills and quality of life. I enjoyed their positive attitudes towards helping us.” In a comment on the language barrier confronted while working in Perugia, Rebecca Price said, “We learned to communicate even though we weren’t always speaking with one another directly using the same language. This is something that I will take with me as I become a professional and work with people of all types.” In line with Rebecca’s reflections, Melissa Galloway expressed that, though she could not speak Italian efficiently, her experience in the garden would “help [her] in the future when working with nonverbal patients or patients with problems expressing themselves.”

The Umbra Institute is excited about the enthusiasm of CESP 351: Critical Disabilities: Seminar & Practicum students and it looks forward to further expanding the program.