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Category: Umbra Blog

This blog documents the experiences of students currently studying at the Umbra Institute in Perugia, Italy, offering an account of their day-to-day experiences, extra- and co-curricular activities, and special events. We hope you gain some insight into what adventures Umbra students find outside the classroom during their semester in Perugia, a medieval town in the mountains of Umbria. Cheers!

Local university student, Paola D’Amora writes the following blog about her experience with Umbra students as they volunteer for UNICEF: 

Last Thursday, Umbra students learned how to create UNICEF Pigotta rag dolls that give hope for developing countries. A Pigotta is a unique doll because if it is “adopted” it can save a child as the proceeds go to providing the child with a complete vaccine kit protecting them against deadly diseases. Students gathered for the first time to meet welcoming volunteers in their fresco decorated office. The UNICEF ladies’ warm smiles and maternal patience guided the students’ hands while sewing and filling dolls’ bodies with cotton. Red and golden fabric, vivid enthusiasm, veil ribbon and true devotion were just some of the ingredients of that particular evening.

UNICEF volunteers and students are already looking forward for next week’s meeting when tiny dresses will be made and ID cards will be manufactured for each of the completed dolls.


This past weekend, Professor Adrian Hoch led a group of twenty students from her Leonardo da Vinci course on a comprehensive trip through Florence and Milan, visiting sites where Leonardo lived and found inspiration. Friday morning students arrived in Florence–where Leonardo was born and begin his artistic career as an apprentice in Verocchio’s workshop–and set out directly for the Uffizi Gallery. After lunch students stepped into the Palazzo Vecchio, the imposing town hall with enormous frescoes commissioned from Leonardo, Michelangelo, and other Renaissance-era masters. Currently there is even a debate about the possibility that an original work by Leonardo remains embedded in the wall behind another fresco later painted by Vasari.

 

After exploring Leonardo’s birthplace the students headed to Milan, where the artist lived and worked for over a decade at the Sforza Castle in the court of Ludovico Sforza. Professor Hoch brought students to see the Last Supper, one of the most well-known frescos in history that has miraculously withstood wartime bombing and an unsuccessful experimental painting technique. Finally, students had the chance to see Leonardo’s Codice Atlantico, the collection of his original writings and drawings that is usually kept under lock and key for preservation. This weekend however the Codice was on special display in two locations at Santa Maria delle Grazie and the Biblioteca Ambrosiana. Next weekend students in Professor Bevagna’s Roman Empire course are off to Rome!

Last night Umbra students, staff, and faculty celebrated San Martino (see previous post for a description of this central Umbrian holiday). Umbra alum Dan Bauer took care of the chestnut roasting while the guests introduced each other at a little vineyard in the center of Perugia.

This party was special not only because it was an opportunity for students to get right into Italian culture but also because they could become part of the Perugia family. Especially noteworthy was the recitation of the poem “San Martino” by locals from the nearby town of San Martino in Campo. See both the original and the translation here — but remember that it has a better effect under fourteenth-century arches, with chestnuts in a pan and Italian Novello!

It is always our hope that Umbra students integrate the experiences of a semester abroad with their culminating senior year upon return at their American home institution.

A recent feature by Wabash College showcases one Umbra alum’s decision to continue a passion for food he nurtured in Perugia. Brad Jones, a current senior at Wabash, took advantage of the student activities made available to him, including the cooking classes held in a Spoleto restaurant. Now back in Indiana, Jones plans to continue his passion for food by enrolling in the Culinary Institute of America. Jones reports, however, that he will return to Italy this December for more inspiration.
 
 
 
 

 

Anyone can read Machiavelli’s words on how to rule a state, but re-evoking Renaissance tastes at the table is quite another thing. This weekend Professor Simon Young’s “History of Food and Culture In Italy” class was able to do just. Professor Young, a longtime resident of Florence, took the students to the resturant “La Pentola d’Oro” (the Golden

Pot), famous for its dishes based on orginal Renaissance recipes. On the menu were pork in a sweet and sour sauce and beef in chocolate — tastes that are odd mixes for us but were typical in the late 1400s. A good time was had by all, mixing learning with eating!

The Food Cultures class with Professor Simon Young on the Ponte Vecchio in Florence. Thanks to Kendall Cassidy from Northeastern for the photo!

Anyone can read Machiavelli’s words on how to rule a state, but re-evoking Renaissance tastes at the table is quite another thing. This weekend Professor Simon Young’s “History of Food and Culture In Italy” class was able to do just. Professor Young, a longtime resident of Florence, took the students to the resturant “La Pentola d’Oro” (the Golden Pot), famous for its

 dishes based on orginal Renaissance recipes.

On the menu were pork in a sweet and sour sauce and beef in chocolate — tastes that are odd mixes for us but were typical in the late 1400s. A good time was had by all, mixing learning with eating! 

The Food Cultures class with Professor Simon Young on the Ponte Vecchio in Florence. Thanks to Kendall Cassidy from Northeastern for the photo!


Congratulations to Laura Bergstein from the University of Denver for her photo of a fisherman. Laura will enjoy a free meal from Quattro Passi Pizzeria. Auguri Laura!

Yesterday afternoon students in Professor Bill Pettit’s Fresco Painting courses put down the brushes and went to the Basilica of San Francesco in nearby Assisi. Despite some missed train confusion — a regular occurence while navigating Italy’s public transportation networks — the students were able to spend several hours at the Basilica studying the world-famous frescoes for both content and technique.

Can’t wait to see everyone’s finished works next month at the Umbra Art Show!

These leaves on the ivy on the fortress are about as much color as we get in Umbria in the Fall, though there are beautiful yellow birch trees that hide down in the valleys between the Umbrian hills. The weather is definitely turning now to chilly in the night (though there was a good crowd on costumed students on the Steps of the cathedral last night), though the days remain sunny — thank goodness for Perugian sun — and fairly warm. It’s the Umbrian version of Indian Summer.

 

There aren’t any hayrides or doughnuts or football games but this week marks a typically Umbrian tradition, new wine and roasting chestnuts. As you can see here, vendors are already out in the center of the city, selling their hot-roasted wares. We’re also getting close to San Martino, the traditional night to open up the wine barrels and taste the new wine. Umbra Institute students will likely go for an Umbrian classic, Falo’ (which translates to “bonfire”), made by the best local cantina. And next year we’ll get back to cider and football!

In a riff on the traditional “open cellars” celebrations, Umbrian olive oil producers will be opening up their workshops for tastings the weekend of the 7th-8th of November. The “open cellars” weekends started as a marketing technique of the wine business and quickly became a traditional Fall activity for many Italians. Olive oil, Italy’s green gold, has picked up on the idea.

 

As in the past, visitors to the region over this particular weekend in November will be able to taste Umbria’s extraordinary wealth of different and much-prized olive oils and take part in the many other promotional events scheduled, both directly at specially opened olive presses and in the main olive oil producing towns. Some of the highlights will be in nearby Spello, which is considered by many to produce the best oil in the region. For more details, click here. MMMMMMmmmmmm!