Category: Umbra Blog

Wednesday evening Umbra students met up with Italian students from the local universities for an hour of casual language practice and cultural exchange. 

Tandem was hosted this week at La Terrazza, an open air lounge above the mercato aperto in the center of Perugia, with live music and a breathtaking panorama view across the hills towards Asssisi. Students chatted about Italian and American stereotypes as well as the topic on everyone’s mind as the weather turns warm — plans for summer vacation!

Tandem will be taking a pausa for July and August… ci vediamo a Settembre!

Creative Writing professor Cynthia Clough and her class took the ferry across Lago Trasimeno to Isola Maggiore last week to find inspiration in writing. The weather could not have been better, and the class enjoyed hiking, dining, and working on writing exercises to extract some of their most creative ideas.

Isola Maggiore is a small island on Lake Trasimeno and a tiny fishing village with houses dating back to the 14th and the 16th centuries. It is the home of only 15 permanent residents, and gauging from the black and white postcards everywhere it’s clear that little has changed on the island’s single street. Visitors can find not only stunning views, but a healthy array of flora and fauna.

The islands main attractions are the church of San Michele Arcangelo that stands at the top of the hill. It is from the 12th century and has fine Umbrian school paintings from the late 13th century to the 15th century. There is also Guglielmi castle, built in 1885. It was built on the site previously occupied by the 1328 convent and church of St Francis. Oddly, the islanders specialize in making Irish lace. The technique was introduced in 1904 by the Marchesa Elena Guglielmi, when she imported an Irish housekeeper to the island.

Foligno, in the heart of Umbria and Italy, is famous worldwide for the Quintana, the jousting tournament which in June and September renews the challenge among the knights of its ten wards. It is a great feast of people, colors and passions, but also an accurate historical, scenic, iconographic and gastronomic reconstruction of the Italian Baroque. The historical center of Foligno is traditionally divided into ten rioni (wards).

The festival’s main events take place in the piazza, however, it is in the taverns were you will find the real action. The Taverns are the heart of the wards and where people meet and taste Umbrian dishes, an occasion which brings back the atmosphere of the spectacular banquets typical of the Baroque period. The food served in the taverns by characters in costumes is prepared following the 17th century recipes. From the architectonic point of view the taverns are very interesting because they are located in the cellars or other parts of the old palaces

The Giostra della Quintana is a knight ring jousting tournament based on a historical event. The definition of Quintana comes from the 5th road of the Roman military camps, where the soldiers were trained to the lance fighting. They run against a dummy-soldier, trying to catch a ring hanging from an arm of the dummy. Here the origin of the tournament’s name, but the first definition and documented “Quintana” as a knights’ jousting tournament during a festival, dates back to 1448. Since then, in Foligno, the “Quintana” has been held uninterruptedly every year. The knights are 10, each representing a quarter of the Town. Rushing at gallop, they have to catch 3 rings having smaller size at each tournament. The rings are hanging from a rotating statue represent Mars the Roman god of war. A number of happenings involve the whole town and a parade of 800 persons dressed in original-like precious dresses walk in the town the day before the joust takes place.

Good news for Umbra students and alums! Studies have shown that people who live abroad are likely to be more creative than people who don’t. 

See for yourself here and here. 

Then again, this probably isn’t news to all you alums out there.

Classes start today!

Another big welcome to all the students of the Umbra Institute’s summer session. Perugia is buzzing with activity and for this short six week semester there’s no time to waste! During this period of the season there’s as much to do in the region of Umbria as any where else on the boot penninsula. Every town, village or other is host to some festival, event, or excursion. The weather couldn’t be more perfect to get out and take advantage of all that Italy has to offer. We suggest to all the students to first get your work done, and then get out and have some fun! For more information on organized events in the Umbrian region, click on these links: Perugia and Assisi, Spoleto, Foligno, Spello, Gubbio.

Arrivederci!

The Institute re-opened its doors this weekend to welcome the Summer 2009 students to Perugia. After a smooth day of arrivals at the Fiumicino airport in Rome, Umbra staff members accompanied students up to the historic center of Perugia. Everyone stayed over at La Rosetta Hotel for their first night in town and enjoyed a typical Umbrian meal for dinner. Today the Umbra staff are busy hosting Open House and helping students settle into their new apartments. The weather is gorgeous, the cafes have brought out the white umbrellas, and the new students are outside exploring their new campus — gelato anyone??

Yesterday marked the last day of the Umbra Institute’s week of Special events for the spring semester. After an art show, an anthology reading for creative writing, and last night’s presentations at the Ranieri di Sorbello Foundation, students only have a few more days to wrap up exams and say their goodbyes.

 Those of the students who did service learning projects over the semester gave presentations last night detailing their experiences and introducing their Italian families. Other students who worked with local businesses and organizations for the international business and management classes also presented their semester analyses projects. Great job to everyone who presented, and thank you for sharing your experience with the rest of us!

Over sixty Umbra Institute students, both those taking the Italy of the Imagination creative writing class and their friends, were on hand last night for the ninth reading of the Umbra Institute’s Literary Anthology. The theme this semester was “Che sorpresa!” — “What a surprise!”, which was well-conveyed by the cover’s whimsical cat. Students read their works about culture clashes and a reluctance to go “back home,” and by the time everyone had had a chance to read, the reality that the end of the semester is fast approaching seemed to have set in for everyone present.

The annual creative writing reading is the first in a week of Special Academic Events at the Umbra Institute before finals begin. Umbra’s art students are currently busy arranging their works for tonight’s art show — pictures tomorrow!