Once the semester ends you will be thinking of getting back to your friends and family, settling back into your old routine, and even how to deal with reverse culture shock. But it is also very important for you to reflect and reap the benefits of your time abroad as it will continue to impact your life for years to come.

Update your resume with volunteer efforts, service-learning, etc.

1) Update your resume.
Once home, it is time to start thinking about internships and job prospects. It is well-known that study abroad impacts personal, professional, and academic development so use that to your advantage and highlight study abroad on your resume. Feature your community engagement activities and any service-learning and/or research projects you may have completed. Reflect on the goals you set and met and prepare to talk about them in an interview.

Use tools learned during our end-of-semester Unpacking Your International Experience Workshop or contact us for resume tips.

2) Ask for letters of recommendation.
If you followed our previous advice, you likely developed a relationship with Umbra faculty or staff that could be the basis for a solid letter of recommendation. If so, don’t be shy and ask away. Many Umbra alumni have used these letters to get into grad school, law school, or their dream job. Some alumni have even continued academic discussions with faculty that have lead to ongoing career advice.

Umbra alumni reunite in the US, Summer 2019

3) Keep in touch.
Umbra’s small size allows us to get to know students who study with us to the point where those students are remembered many years later. Feel free to reach out just to say hello or to update us on your life and career. Our team loves to hear from you!

We also love to receive guest blogs from our alumni. Alumni often use blog posts to provide study abroad tips, but some use them to build their Google CV (online portfolio) by offering career advice to students considering the same field. Contact [email protected] if you’d like to make such a contribution.

4) Get involved in an international community.
Students often report quickly bonding with their peers while studying abroad. This is because you all experience a similar whirlpool of events and emotions and share similar interests and ‘firsts’ (travel, adventure, culture, language, etc.). It might sound silly, but you may miss talking about how odd Italian supermarkets are or how brutal customs can be when you return home and find that some of your friends and family disengage from such discussions because they haven’t had those same experiences.

To help you readjust to life back home while continuing to reflect on your time abroad, we recommend you find an international community near you. This can also encourage you to continue to develop cultural competencies. Getting involved is easiest on a university campus (through your study abroad office, campus clubs, etc.) but many cities across the U.S. host country/culture-specific events and groups, English-language tutoring, and other international activities in which you can become involved.

5) Become an Umbra study abroad ambassador
In your experience has impacted you in such a positive way that you want to share your enthusiasm for study abroad and encourage others to do the same, then you should consider becoming a study abroad ambassador. As an Umbra alumnus you are uniquely qualified to provide valuable advice and share first-hand experiences with other students on campus. Contact our Alumni Relations Coordinator, Ashley Webb at [email protected] if you’d like to become a champion of study abroad.

View other blogs in this series:
Setting yourself up for a Successful Study Abroad Experience
How to Succeed While Studying Abroad in Italy

1) Set goals and make waves.
If you don’t do so during pre-departure, set goals for yourself during the first week or two in Perugia. Umbra recommends that you establish at least one goal related to your career readiness and one related to your personal development, or how you relate to yourself and those around you.

Then, don’t just float, make waves! Seek experiences that might disrupt your “normal” – travel to a country you never thought you’d visit, go hiking, sit in the front of the classroom, try new foods and habits. Find ways to meet and exceed your goals and expectations and don’t hesitate to reach out to Student Services Staff if you need safe and rewarding ideas!

2) Engage with Umbra staff and professors.
Umbra is a relatively small institution, so it is easy to interact daily with Umbra’s staff and professors.

Interested in Opera, local traditions or the Italian feminist movement? Talk to Dr. Valoroso.
Have you ever wondered how sunscreen impacts the environment? Speak with Dr. Porter.
Want to know the origin of the word ciao? Check with Francesco, or Marta.
Want to know some of the best hikes near Assisi? Chat with Laura in Student Services.
Considering a career in the food industry? Speak with Dr. Ascione

The list can go on and on but what you need to know is that: everyone on our team wants to see you reach your goals and come to love Perugia as much as we do!

3) Plan travel around studying, not the reverse.
Study abroad is not a vacation; it is an academic and personal growth experience. While we want you to travel to flex your independence and problem-solving skills, explore history and experience culture; it is important for you to still attend and engage with your classes. Each class is taught within the context of Italy and learning from it will enhance your experience exploring the rest of the country.

4) Don’t fear culture shock or homesickness.
At one point or another, all of us miss home and the familiar comforts of our own culture. While this can make us feel distracted, sad, or even sick, it is a completely normal and in many ways a necessary part of the growth experience. These feelings can last an afternoon, or they can last a week or more at a time; everyone goes through it differently. Umbra hosts an on-site study abroad coach and counselor specifically for this reason. Our advice is to chat with her anytime you feel that way, so those feelings can work to your advantage during your time abroad.

View other blogs in this series:
Setting yourself up for a Successful Study Abroad Experience
Returning Home: Demonstrating your Successes

Planning for study abroad isn’t always easy, but there are things you can do to help make the process a stress-free experience. Below are a few tips we have for ensuring you are properly prepared prior to your departure.

1) Start speaking with your advisors right away.
They are familiar both with the study abroad experience and with the process students from your school need to follow to ensure course transfer, etc. If you don’t know who your advisor is, contact the Umbra Institute and we will be happy to introduce you to them to get the process started.

2) Review your course options early.
Your degree is likely to have specific course requirements which often cannot be completed off-campus. It is important to plan study abroad into your degree plan by reviewing course options with your advisor to ensure that time abroad doesn’t set you behind.

3) Plan Your Course Transfer in Advance.
Make sure to get a number of alternate courses pre-approved because you may want or need to adjust your curriculum once abroad. Know the approval and transfer process before going abroad to avoid stressful, last-minute email exchanges with your advisor or university’s Registrar.

4) Get your study visa early.
If you plan ahead, the visa process can actually be easy. The trick is to schedule your visa appointment as soon as you can (for a date within 90 days of your departure and once you apply to the program). You can always cancel your visa appointment if you ultimately don’t go to Italy but trying to schedule your appointment when your departure is only 2-3 months away can sometimes be stressful. That said, your Umbra advisor and your advisor at your home institution will help you as much as they can so you will be well-supported throughout the visa process.

Our next blogs will highlight succeeding while abroad and what to do once you return home.

When students choose to study abroad in Italy, one of the first things on their minds is the beauty found in walking through medieval streets, strolling across aqueducts, or meandering through museums. Italy certainly knows how beautiful she is and wants everyone to have the opportunity to experience her world-renowned art and history. For this reason, Italy allows all locals and visitors alike to tour museums for free on the first Sunday of every month!

A total of 485 museums throughout the country open their doors for free each month, including not only local museums in Perugia, but also places like the Uffizi in Florence, St. Angelo Castle, or the Colosseum in Rome!

Current and future students are encouraged to plan their travel accordingly in order to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity.

To know which museums are free, simply do a quick search of the city you plan to visit along with “first Sunday free museums” and Google should show you a helpful list of the location’s most exciting and free-to-view sites.

By Olivia Venuta, University of Denver and Umbra Rep Fall ’19

Being a full-time student can be time-consuming and most school days, I don’t have time to walk home and make lunch. Lucky for me, Umbra is surrounded by delicious cafes and restaurants for a quick meal in-between classes. Here are five of my favorite lunch spots— tasty and affordable:

1. Caffè del Banco – Caffè del Banco is located on Corso Pietro Vannucci, less than a two-minute walk from Umbra. It is a great place to stop for a coffee, a pastry, or a panini. Most paninis cost less than 3 euros and are pre-made so you can easily grab one and head back to class. The staff is always kind and they take your order very quickly.

2. Shawarma Gerusalemme – Shawarma Gerusalemme is located a bit farther from Umbra, toward the bottom of Via dei Priori. The food is delicious and fresh, so I assure you that it is worth the walk. Some of their lunch options include Kebab Panino, Panino Hamburgher, Falafel e Humus, Patatine, and even Hot Dogs. The first time you eat here, I would recommend that you ask for a “punch card”. If you bring the punch card each time you eat at Shawarma Gerusalemme, your 11th meal will be free—great for students on a budget!

3. Bar Danti – Bar Danti is located in Piazza Danti less than a 3 minute walk from Umbra. They have outdoor seating when the weather is nice and the staff is some of the nicest people I have met while abroad. If you get to know the owners they will treat you like family. Bar Danti has a large array of options including salads, pizza, torta al testo, and smoothies. It is a great place to sit and have a quick lunch with friends.

4. Pinturicchio Cafe+Kitchen – Pinturicchio is one of the only American-style cafes in Perugia, offering scrambled eggs, pancakes, cupcakes, barbecue, and much more. The atmosphere is casual and comfortable with many couches and chairs to lounge on. It is about a 10 minute walk from Umbra, but it is the perfect place to go if you want to sit, do homework, and sip a warm cup of coffee.

Read also Taylor Feehan’s breakfast blog and Kate Donati’s walking tour of Perugia’s best cafés!

The summer is flying by and locals are flocking to the nearest beaches. But which are the best day trip destinations for your next visit to Perugia? This blog kicks off our summer blog features for The Frugal Student – a series of blogs by our interns that will help students navigate study abroad on a budget.

Spoleto

Just an hour train ride from Perugia you’ll find Spoleto, a beautiful town complete with a functioning Roman Aqueduct/bridge, intact Roman theatres, cathedrals, local markets with artisan products, and an abundance of historical museums showcasing the rich culture and heritage. The most prominent event is the ‘Festival dei 2Mondi’ (Festival of 2Worlds) founded by the Italo-American composer Gian Carlo Menotti in 1958. Attendees can browse through exhibitions involving art, dance, music, theatre, and more.

Spoleto’s alluring nature and historical importance has made it the protagonist of numerous films and will undoubtedly leave an impression on every visitor.

From Perugia by train: 1 hour and 15-minute
Festival dei 2Mondi Link: SPOLETO Festival dei 2Mondi

Le Cascate delle Marmore (Marmore Waterfalls)

View of the landscape in a small town near the Marmore Falls

A refreshing start to your summer or fall semester in Italy; offering a range of activities including hiking, rafting, and river walking, this man-made waterfall is the perfect way to take a break from student life.

Originally created by the Romans (271 BCE) to redirect the influx of water to other rivers, and later modified by Aristotile Fioravanti (1422) and others, this three-tiered waterfall still impacts water influx to this day. This journey through Italian architectural ingenuity has inspired countless artists and continues to do so. The surrounding area provides a range of ‘mercatini’ (markets) selling paintings, frames, and more local art to enjoy. Just don’t forget to check the opening times before you go so that you know you’ll get to experience the full majesty of the thundering falls.

From Perugia: take a 1 to 1-hour and 30-minute train to Terni then hop on a 20-minute bus from Terni to the Cascate
Tickets: Entry fees to visit the falls may apply
Link: Cascate delle Marmore Website

Castiglione del Lago

Its beauty, its grace, its Castiglione del Lago.

One of our top-favorite destinations (especially for our Archeology Field School participants), due to the unmatchable historical wealth and breathtaking architecture.

Castiglione del Lago overlooks the vast Lago Trasimeno (Trasimeno Lake). Home of the Fortress and Ducal Palace, this stunning village offers insight into the medieval era. A relaxing location offering an in-depth cultural experience that can be followed by a trip to the local beaches, islands, camping areas or infamous restaurants. Known for its open spaces, welcoming townspeople, Coloriamo i Cieli Festival (Kite Festival), and variety of fauna and fish, Castiglione del Lago is the ideal place for a picnic with friends.

From Perugia by train: 1 to 1.5 hours
General Information: Lago Trasimeno Website
Exemplar Museum link: Palazzo della Corgna

For more low-cost day trip ideas, please refer to our mini travel guides (next to the library) once you get to Perugia or click here for general travel tips.

About the Author:
Sara is interning with the Umbra Institute through ISI Abroad as part of her gap year experience. A bilingual native of England and Italy, she’s traveled the globe seeking to learn diverse cultural and historical perspectives. She’ll be your guide this summer as you plan for your study experience in Perugia.

by Emma Albertoni, University of Denver and Umbra Rep Fall ’19

Studying abroad can be one of the most exciting, wonderful, and rewarding experiences during a student’s time in college. Many universities offer programs all over the world for students to apply to and resources to help them get everything they need to get where they need to be. Studying abroad gives you the opportunity to learn in a classroom with talented professors around the world and allows you to learn about different opinions, teaching styles, and ideas while contributing to your education. It allows you to travel to exciting places seeing beautiful landscapes, architecture, and history everywhere. By living in a different country for a semester, you get to learn about a new culture while living in it; seeing local people interact with their environment, listening to their language and how they speak it, their thoughts and opinions on things, what they value and what they don’t, how they do things differently than your own culture, and more. You learn just as much (if not more) about yourself as you learn about the culture, too. Trust me when I say if I could do this again, I would do it in a heartbeat.

I don’t believe that it is a surprise to anyone that, while studying abroad can be an amazing experience, it can also be very challenging. You’re in a foreign country, where you might not know the language very well, if at all. The culture might be very different from your home culture, which can be very shocking and can take a little while to get used to. You may not know anyone in your program and feel isolated from your friends and family back home due to time changes and physical distance. However, all of these are completely normal feelings to have. I can guarantee you that if you asked any student who is studying or has studied abroad, they would agree that they felt these feelings at some point during their semester abroad. I definitely felt feelings of homesickness and anxiousness while I have been abroad, which is why I wanted to write a blog post for future study abroad students to give you some advice for your time abroad!

1. Listen to yourself!

I first want to reiterate that it is completely normal to feel homesick/sad/anxious/nervous/etc. leading up to and during studying abroad. It is also okay to not have any of these feelings. Everyone prepares and reacts to new experiences, new environments, and new obstacles differently. You are the only one who knows what’s best for you, so listen to yourself. Take time to figure out what works for you and seek out what you need. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from advisors, professors, administrators, health care professionals, friends, or family during the process leading up to going abroad and during your abroad experience. No matter where you go or which program you select, you will most likely have someone that you can go to for questions, help, or just talk to when you need an ear.

2. Let it out

The day I left for Perugia, I was so excited and ready to jump into it that I couldn’t sleep the night before, and I kept imagining all the amazing things I would be able to experience. I also sobbed all the way through security in the airport to my gate, to the point where strangers asked if I was okay. I look back and laugh about it now – and yes, you can laugh at me too – because I knew I would be just fine, but I couldn’t stop crying. It was how I was feeling at the time, and it was how I wanted to handle the emotions I was experiencing. I knew I would be okay, and I knew I would have an amazing experience abroad, but I was nervous to be away from my family and in a new place on my own. Completely. Normal. Feelings. I just needed to let them out.

Time magazine’s Hilary Jacobs Hendel wrote an article about how ignoring your emotions can be bad for your health. She discusses how a person’s brain processes emotion and how it affects your body. Not acknowledging how you’re feeling can lead to increased chances of anxiety, depression, or stress, as well as physical symptoms like insomnia, headaches, or intestinal issues. It’s better for your mental and physical health to acknowledge your feelings and release them in some way than to keep them bottled up and festering inside your head. You can draw them, talk about them, write about them, scream, hit a pillow, or release them in whatever way you prefer!

3. Take Care of Your Mind and Body

We all have been told that eating well, staying hydrated, getting enough sleep, and exercising is good for our health. Studies have shown how these aspects of health improve mood and promote mental wellbeing!

When you first get to your program, adjusting to the time change is important. Try not to nap during the day and go to bed between 10:00 pm and midnight so you can get at least 7 hours of sleep. Try to stay consistent with getting 7 hours of sleep throughout the semester as well, as it can help your productivity and focus as well as your mood. And then, instead of napping, you can explore new places!

Make sure to stay hydrated by bringing a reusable water bottle and drinking safe drinking water. Here in Italy, the tap water is safe to consume. In many Italian cities, there are fountains with signs that say “Acqua Potabile” that you can drink from as well.

While pizza and pasta are plentiful and delicious in Italy, make sure to eat enough and eat a balanced diet that includes vegetables and protein. My roommates and I love to make pasta with pesto sauce or red sauce and add in prosciutto, Italian sausage, eggs, eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, mushrooms, garlic or onions, depending on what we have and what is in season. We’ve also made big batches of vegetable soup and chicken noodle soup that we can store in the fridge and eat throughout the week.

Exercise is also shown to be greatly correlated to mood. If you study abroad, especially in Europe, you’ll be walking a lot. However, take opportunities to go for a run, follow yoga videos on YouTube, or look up exercises you can do in your apartment without equipment. In Perugia, there are also some nearby gyms that you can buy memberships to if you prefer. (See Kate Donati’s workout tips.)

Also, participate in self-care! Do a facemask, listen to some music and scream along to the lyrics, watch a movie, eat a cupcake (see Taylor Feehan’s post on the student favorite restaurant Pinturicchio, they have delicious cupcakes).

4. Bring Comfort Items

Bringing something from home might provide you comfort when you are feeling homesick, anxious, or lonely. I personally brought a stuffed animal bear, a blanket, and some letters and notes from loved ones that I have collected and saved over the last couple years. At the beginning of the semester, I would curl up with my blanket and call my mom or read through my notes before I went to bed. It wasn’t exactly home, but it was a piece of it, and it reminded me that home wasn’t as far away as it seemed at the time. Saving room in your suitcase to pack something small from home might be something you could consider, especially if you haven’t been far from home before and are anticipating homesickness.

5. Stay in Touch

As much as I wanted my family to come live in Italy with me for the four months I was here, it wasn’t a possibility. But for me, it was incredibly important that I had the ability to call, text, Facetime, Skype, email, send snail mail, or get to talk to them in some way on a regular basis. I made sure before I left to research and get a phone plan that worked for me. I ended up using the phone plan that Umbra offered at the beginning of the year in a partnership with Vodafone. It gives me 500 minutes of international calling, unlimited calling within Italy, and 35 GB of data a month (which for me is plenty, especially if I try to stay on Wifi during the week so when I travel on the weekends I don’t have to worry). I try and keep in contact with my family and my friends who aren’t here with me and talk to them a few times a week.

Find a way to keep in touch with your family, even if it is just Skyping over Wifi a couple times a week. It will help you feel less isolated, less lonely, and feel like you aren’t missing out on things going on at home. Plus, you’ll get to share all the amazing things you’re doing and seeing with the people you love!

6. Surround Yourself with Positive and Supportive People

Everyone that you’ll be studying abroad with is in the same situation; in a new place and culture with new people. Everyone will be somewhat unsure at first, and chances are they’re afraid they won’t make friends, just as you might be. I was worried about this at first too. However, a study abroad opportunity allows you to make friends in this unsure situation, which brings you together with people in a different way and makes you closer as friends in the long run. I can guarantee you’ll find friends who will travel and do things with you while you’re abroad! But also make sure that you surround yourself with good people who will support you while you’re here, so that you have someone to talk to who might be feeling a similar way. You can help each other work through any emotions and problems you’re having, and keep each other accountable throughout the experience!

7. Find Structure

Structure in your day to day activities can provide you with a sense of normalcy and expectation, especially in a setting like study abroad where everything can feel radically different. You can start to feel like you have control of your surroundings and begin to plan out what you want out of your abroad experience as well. Starting classes, planning out activities with your new friends, and scheduling time to explore the city you’re living in is a great way to start living in a new place.

8. Keep Busy and Go Places

One of the best ways I found to feel better when I first got to Perugia was to keep busy with school or activities, as well as leave my apartment to explore Perugia, Italy, and Europe. I found that by immersing myself in the culture, seeing amazing places, and sharing experiences with people, I kept myself from feeling lonely and homesick, and distracted myself with excitement and wonder. Sure, I still missed home while I went out and did things, but it reminded me why I came abroad in the first place; to gain independence and prove to myself I can do things on my own.

9. Try New Things

It’s always scary going into the unknown, but it’s an important part of personal growth, because it forces you to learn about how you handle different situations. Try to move just outside of your comfort zone (in a safe way) and experience new things while you’re abroad. This could be interpreted however you want and in whatever ways work for you! Start small by going to a café by yourself or ordering a new kind of food you haven’t tried before. Don’t push yourself too much and be smart about your safety, but study abroad is a great time to experiment. You’ll learn more about yourself and grow more as a person than any other time in your life!

10. Use Your Resources

Many study abroad programs offer several different resources to help students adjust to their new environment and provide support, advice, or an ear whenever necessary. At the Umbra Institute, for example, they has several very kind, open, and knowledgeable administrative staff members available to students to help them with different needs. Some of the key ones I will mention are Renilda Zajmi, the Coordinator for Student Health and Well-Being (she’s very helpful, she has gone with me to find the right medicine at the pharmacy and she has helped friends of mine get doctor’s appointments) and Alessandro Varazi, the Housing Coordinator (he’s a very nice and patient man, he helps with any housing questions you have, even if it’s getting you a new lightbulb or fixing the Wifi several times).

I can’t mention Umbra Institute’s fabulous resources without mentioning the counselor and psychologist who partners with the Umbra Institute to provide students with an outside resource that doesn’t answer to the school and will keep any and all information private. She holds open office hours at the school for anyone who needs them throughout the semester, and she’ll set up appointments with you through your insurance if you would like more support. I can’t express to you how much I appreciate her help; she’s very supportive and open and is happy to help any student with any issue at any time! She has helped me immensely by working and talking with me through some of my homesickness and anxieties since being abroad.

If you don’t feel comfortable with anyone at Umbra (or end up at a different program), International SOS (ISOS) has some amazing resources all over the world and are available 24/7 over the phone or through email. They offer resources for both doctors and counselors and are very nice and helpful when you call them. My school required students studying abroad to call them before we left to open a ‘file’ with them, just by asking a few questions about what they offer, medications we took and how we might find them in the country we were going to, and any other questions we might have had.

Bonus tip

Pet the dogs! There are many studies on how animals make us feel better. Plus, who doesn’t want to pet a cute dog on the street? In Italian, you can ask the owner, “Posso accarezzare il tuo cane per favore?” or just ask, “Posso?” and wave your hand near the dog. I have found the dog owners here in Perugia are very nice and will let you pet their dog for a couple minutes!

https://time.com/5163576/ignoring-your-emotions-bad-for-your-health/

https://www.mhanational.org/helpful-vs-harmful-ways-manage-emotions

https://aspiria.ca/maintaining-mental-health-studying-abroad/

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/what-works-and-why/201803/how-your-mental-health-reaps-the-benefits-exercise

https://www.nopanic.org.uk/dehydration-anxiety/

https://www.umbra.org/about/onsite-staff/

https://www.internationalsos.com

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

By Nicole Flohr, Lebanon Valley College and Umbra Rep Fall ’19

Over 95 percent of Umbra students participate in community engagement each semester. Engaging in a meaningful way with the local community and Italian culture is one of the most rewarding aspects of studying abroad. Luckily, Perugia is the perfect place to get involved, and the Umbra Institute has many options available for students!
I have personally participated in many of these opportunities during the semester. I have loved getting to know the city and community better through my classes and service learning projects and have made some incredible connections and memories.

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.

Rocco Catrone (right) and some students after their art therapy clinic at the Umbra Institute

An article by Rocco Catrone— adjunct faculty and Behavior Analysis practitioner at Elmhurst College, visiting professor and alumnus of the Umbra Institute.

It has been 7 years since my life changed in ways I never thought possible.

Some days, it feels like a lifetime ago but in even more ways, it was as if it only happened yesterday. In the Fall Semester of 2011, I studied abroad at the Umbra Institute in Perugia. A fairy-tale dream of a medieval town in Central Italy – a place you most likely never heard of beyond those delicious Italian chocolate kisses called Baci. Little did I know that the stone walls, warm welcome from the community, Italian lifestyle, and excellent education would leave me wanting to come back.

So I did.

This summer, I am teaching a course called PSYC 260: Radical Communication which looks at how language affects the way humans behave in politics, education, and religion. Each week, we learn our topics and then apply this to the community through observations in schools, participating in clinics, or simply being integrated in the town we call home for this time.

During one of my favorite observations, my students and a local high school class were able to talk about and compare different idioms used in each of their cultures. The differences between “break and leg” and “into the mouth of the wolf” having the same functional meaning which is not immediately clear just looking at the words. My students and the high schoolers enjoyed this activity so much that we were asked to come back and further look at cultural differences through interviews to learn more about the differences and similarities in Italian and USA culture. This information was learned first-hand and not in some textbook.

The nuances of a culture are more apparent when you are directly living there, surrounded by others who did not grow up in your own cultural context. This is something, which was taught to me during my time here, that I try to bring to my students. We learn in class lectures and class activities how to be more culturally competent – How are choices made? How does different learning histories affect this? How does language factor in all of this?

Perugia is a perfect classroom to learn these topics as it is unlike the more popular Naples, Florence, Milan, or Rome. You live here and are a part of the community. We live in apartments in buildings with other local Italians – not dorms. We learn Italian by ordering food at the grocery store and connecting with the local merchants in the giant open-air markets. Evening walks with friends down the main drag while enjoying gelato. All of this without being glued to a phone or computer.

Perugia has its hold on me and a piece of my heart will always be here. The Umbra staff have been instrumental in my coming back and I thank them every day for giving me this opportunity to do so. I hope to return next year and every year after that to share this wonderful place with my students.

Be sure to check out my students blogs posts during their experiences here tying what they learned in class to the observations!

Click here to learn more about Umbra’s Multicultural Psychology Program and opportunities to study similar topics during a semester abroad.