October 2019 – DEV – The Umbra Institute – Study Abroad in Italy

By Taylor Feehan, University of Southern Maine and Fall 2019 Umbra Rep

Italy has so much to offer.
The beautiful scenery, the culture, the kind faces that you pass by every single day, and let’s not forget… the food & drink. Being in Italy for the semester has completely changed the way I view food and even how I eat.
I mean, how can you resist the smell of freshly-baked croissants stuffed with pastry cream made early that morning? The truth is… you can’t.

One of My Favorite Cafe’s, Mythique Cafè, located on Via dei Priori, 81 in Perugia
Croissants aren’t the only tasty pastry that most cafes and patisseries have to offer. There’s always an array of sweet treats – buttery-flaky tartlet shells with ricotta and dried fruits, pistachio-cremes, biscotti’s and so on. If you find yourself at a hotel, or visiting an agriturismo… (highly recommended by the way) the typical Italian breakfast buffet consist of prosciutto, fresh fruits, sliced cheeses, homemade marmalades, coffee cakes, and so much more.

The affordability of it all makes it that much easier to indulge in these magnificent treats. You can get most of them for only one euro, and a hand-crafted cappuccino for under two euro. Italian breakfasts are almost too good to be true.

With that being said, one comes to realize that American breakfast culture has its own identity.

Pancakes, waffles, french toast, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, and mounds of each of them at that.

While I will never get tired of my (almost daily) Italian breakfast… I do get the occasional craving for the standard stack of flapjacks that can so easily be comendered in the United States.

When I heard word of an “American breakfast place” through other Umbra students, I knew that I had to do some exploring.

Pinturicchio Café + Kitchen, located on Via Pinturicchio, 26 in Perugia
My first visit to this place was surely one to be remembered… and you best believe I’ve been back. For the sake of this post, of course… (and my belly)

The Atmosphere

The atmosphere is a mix of modern and historical. The vibe of Pinturicchio is relaxed, cozy, and comfortable. The furniture is mitch-matched old chairs, couches, and tables. There are books placed all along the restaurant as they encourage learning of all sorts. They have weekly Tandem nights where students and citizens of Perugia can come together and mingle. I mean, what else is a meal for if not for coming together?
It is safe to say that Pinturicchio is a perfect mix between cafe and restaurant.

According to the website,
“Pinturicchio Café + Kitchen, a collaboration between friends from three different countries that offers a constantly evolving menu of delicious home-made dishes, American cuisine served with friendly hospitality to an international clientele.”
The atmosphere of Pinturicchio Cafè is exactly that – friendly, hospitable, and welcoming to all who walk through the door. Even after they’re being flooded with 10 American students in the morning after Italian class…
The menu has a comforting mix of Italian treats and American favorites. Including, but not limited to, banana pancakes, french toast, bacon, sausage gravy and biscuits, breakfast wraps, and even iced coffee… You read that correctly. Iced coffee. They even named it “American Iced Coffee.” This treat is not commonly found in cafes in Italy.

My personal favorite. Sausage gravy with cheddar biscuits.
A dish that takes me across the ocean all the way back to my home in Maine, just like my grandmother makes.

One of the best things about Italy is the fresh, sustainable, and local ingredients found in restaurants and stores everywhere… one in particular is the eggs, never will you see yolks so orange. They’re creamy, fresh, buttery, and oh-so delicious.

The bacon is crispy, the potatoes are hand-cut and seasoned to perfection. The pancakes are fluffy, made with sweet bananas and warming spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.

In Conclusion

Between the welcoming atmosphere, incredible food, impeccable service, and great company… Pinturicchio has a passing grade from us!
A+
Thanks for reading!

– Umbra Rep Taylor

1. Make a difference in the local community

Community-based courses allow you to apply theory to field research and immersive activities. These courses also allow you to directly engage with community partners to make a difference in Perugia.

I am taking Placemaking, one of Umbra’s community-based courses. In class, we discuss theories about community development, public space, and inclusive participatory processes. In the community, we are working with neighborhood associations to improve a local park, Parco Sant’Angelo. We have engaged with the neighborhood through forums, children’s workshops, and community events.

2. Learn through hands-on experience

Community engagement is built into the curriculum at Umbra, which allows you to use the information you learn in courses and put it into practice in the local community. There is no better way to learn than through real-world experience!

I am taking two courses with a service learning project: Photography and Human Development in Culture. In Photography, we learned about marketing photographs before partnering with RE.LEG.ART. to take photos of their leather products, which are made by adults with special needs. These photos are then used for this organization’s social media outlets. In Human Development, we visited a Montessori elementary school and lead an educational English activity at the local public middle school. These two activities allowed us to investigate and make sense of the principles and psychological outcomes of the various education system as well as compare them to the American school system.

3. Engage in cultural exchange

While engaging with the community, you can both share your own culture and learn more about Italian culture.

I volunteer at Liceo Scientifico Galeazzo Alessi, a local high school, as an English tutor. Each week I create a presentation about American culture and the English language to share with the students. I have learned a lot about Italian culture and Perugia from them in return!

4. Support a global cause

The Umbra Institute has many community connections and offers a variety of volunteer opportunities. No matter your interests, from sports to gardening, there is something for you!
Every Tuesday for five weeks, four other Umbra students and I volunteered alongside local UNICEF staff to create Pigotta dolls. We stuffed the dolls, drew on their faces, designed their clothes, and sewed on their hair. The cloth dolls are put up for “adoption,” and the proceeds go towards the purchase of vaccin kits for children and mothers in need around the world.

5. Get to know the locals

Perugia is a great city to get to know the locals, from the produce sellers at the weekly markets to the owners of restaurants, gelaterias, and pastry shops. It is easy to meet new people even beyond community engagement opportunities coordinated through Umbra.
Because I am on the swim team at my home university, I wanted to find a pool in Perugia. Piscina Pellini offers semester-long memberships, which was perfect! Now, I swim every day before class with the same group of locals in lane 5. Although I am one of the youngest there, I feel welcomed and accepted and its really motivating to have people holding me accountable while I am away from my team. I am so lucky to have a little community at the pool that makes waking up early and working out enjoyable!

Piscina Pellini, where I swim with a group of locals every morning
Community engagement is a defining aspect of the curriculum and programming at the Umbra Institute. It certainly has defined my experience studying abroad. I will always remember the class time spent in the community, the wonderful women and students I met while volunteering, and the welcoming swimmers in lane 5!
One of my biggest pieces of advice for others studying abroad is to take advantage of the community engagement opportunities! Not only will you gain a better understanding of the culture and create connections with the community, but you will also grow personally.

To learn more about Community Engagement opportunities at Umbra, click here.