ISI Abroad

As we close our first week of classes in Florence, here are 5 essential Italian words to help you make the most of your adventure. 🇮🇹

"Ciao!" 👋
The first word you'll need in Florence! Say 'Ciao!' to everyone—friends, professors, and locals alike. It’s the perfect way to break the ice and start your interactions with a smile.

"Amici and Amiche" 👭👬
You'll make plenty of 'amici' during your time here. Friendships are at the heart of your study abroad experience, and these connections will last a lifetime.

"Studiare" 📚
Of course, you’re here to 'studiare' too! Dive into your studies and embrace the academic experience in Florence, where learning extends beyond the classroom.

"Viaggiare" ✈️
Florence is your gateway to 'viaggiare' across Italy and Europe. Explore new places and cultures, and make memories that will stay with you forever.

"Gelato" (not Ice Cream!) 🍦
One of the most important words—'gelato'! Treat yourself to this Italian delight. Remember, it’s not just ice cream—it’s a delicious experience you won’t want to miss!

What are your favorite Italian words? 🇮🇹

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Transform your study abroad experience by volunteering abroad! 🖐️🌏🌻

👉Discover a range of opportunities, learn more about how you can get involved this Fall ‘24 on our website.✨

✨Welcome to our Fall '24 Students!✨ We are excited to meet you all and hope to help you feel at home. Let's start this new chapter together!📚🌏🌻

👉Become part of the community while studying abroad!

Explore our courses featuring a community engagement component for Fall '24 on our website. 📚✨🌏

Wondering what activities you can enjoy during the semester at ISI Florence? Here's one of them!

Last month, our students participated in a wine, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar tasting at Pino's Sandwiches in Florence.
They learned a lot and had a great time! 🍷🥖🫒

Gear up for another semester of growth, learning, and new adventures!📚🌏

Check out our students having a blast rafting along the beautiful River Arno in Florence! This is just one of the many exciting extracurricular activities we offer here at ISI Florence.

Our Fall semester students will start their Italian adventure at the end of August. Are you ready for a semester filled with activities, unforgettable experiences, and delicious Italian food? 🇮🇹

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Students' Voices 🎤
Ava Tarone, Penn State University, Summer 2024

"I studied abroad for 6 weeks with ISI and I wish it was longer!

I loved the school and we got to go on so many field trips including a cooking class! 🍝

ISI also offered other events which were fun to go to like rafting in the Arno & Gelato tasting! 🍧

I recommend!" 🤩

👉✨As the summer term draws to a close in Perugia, the city seems to glow a bit softer in the golden light of late summer.

These final days are a bittersweet symphony: last-minute explorations, farewell gelatos, and promises to return.🌏📚

A heartfelt thanks to all the students who shared their pictures with us, helping to capture the essence of this season.✨🌻

My experience abroad in Florence has been nothing short of incredible 🫶

It has allowed me to meet people from all around the world and travel to more beautiful locations on the weekend ✈️

I could never ask for a better place to call home for 6 weeks than Florence!! ⚜️

- Emma C. Logan, The Ohio State University

Last Thursday, our students from the University of Melbourne had the opportunity to meet Vera Gheno, a sociolinguist and translator from the University of Florence. Professor Gheno has also collaborated with the Accademia della Crusca for about 20 years.

The students attended a guest lecture on how languages evolve to adapt to the modern world, with a particular focus on inclusive and gender-neutral language.

It was an incredibly fascinating lesson—thank you so much, Professor Gheno! 🫶

Studying with ISI Florence this past summer has been the more amazing experience! 🤩

All of the ISI staff have been so helpful and have made for the best support network throughout my time here.

I am especially grateful to have had Marco De La Pierre as my teacher for the “Social Media, Social Food” class.
The field trips and class excursions he took us on were so much fun and really enhanced my experience and knowledge of the city.

I could not have asked for a better place to call home for the summer! 🫶

- Sophie Kersun, PSU

‘The limits of your language are the limits of your world.’ — Ludwig Wittgenstein 💬✨

Reflecting on an incredible summer with our intensive Italian program! We're so grateful for our amazing students and can't wait to see you all again. Let's keep pushing boundaries and exploring new horizons together.🌍❤️📚

👉Want to upscale your language skills in Italian? Check out our website.

Last week, our students from University of Melbourne attended a lesson on the History of the Italian Language with Professor Tommaso de Robertis, who discussed the evolution of the language from Latin to modern Italian.

Professor De Robertis covered key figures like Dante, Boccaccio, and Petrarch, who were instrumental in the selection of the Florentine dialect as the official language in the 19th century. The lesson ended with a discussion about contemporary Italian, enriched by its diverse regional dialects.

After the lesson the students visited Accademia della Crusca, one of the most important linguistic institutions in Italy. Founded in 1583, it is dedicated to the study and preservation of the Italian language.

Accademia della Crusca focuses on researching and documenting the language, producing authoritative dictionaries, and promoting the proper use of Italian in both spoken and written forms. Its work plays a crucial role in maintaining the historical and cultural heritage of Italian linguistics.

It was an incredibly engaging activity that taught them so much! 🫶

What a fantastic day we had at the beach with our amazing Umbra students! 🏖️✨ It was the perfect escape from a week of lessons, offering a much-needed chance to relax, soak up the sun, and enjoy the beautiful seaside. ☀️🏄‍♂️

Here’s to many more fun-filled days and unforgettable memories! 🌊❤️

Florence is the perfect city to study abroad in!
Don't believe us? Here are five reasons our Social Media, Social Food students () loved their time in Italy 🇮🇹 🌟

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Wrapping up an unforgettable summer session at the Umbra Institute! ☀️📘 Swipe to see highlights from our adventures in learning and exploration. A big thank you to our students from across the US who made these weeks truly special. 🌍💫

🌍 This summer at the Umbra Institute, students from the University of Vermont engaged in a faculty-led program dedicated to Exploring Healthcare Systems, with an accent on the Italian National Healthcare System.

📌 Through this course, they uncovered the unique challenges and strengths of the Italian and U.S. systems, enriched by insights from local field experts, and new relationships formed along the way.

✨Enjoy these highlights from our enlightening summer!

📚🤝 "

✨ Exploring Siena's Rich Heritage with Our Intensive Italian Students!

Our Intensive Italian through Culture Program recently took us on a unique day trip to Siena! A UNESCO World Heritage site, this city has been hosting the famous Palio di Siena for 400 years. Originating in the Middle Ages, the Palio involves the city's various Contrade (districts) competing in this storied horse race.

Today, the Palio di Siena is more than just a race; it's a profound cultural event deeply entwined with the identities of the city's residents. We visited one of the 17 Contrade that animate this celebration. Guided by Emi, we delved into the rich history behind it. Emi even granted us a rare privilege: a glimpse at a jockey's uniform!

Thank you, Siena, for sharing your passion and history with us. 🌍🎨
To learn more about the Italian Language & Culture summer program, check out webiste (link in Bio).

First day of the conference was great! 🎉 We've been hosting a variety of panels exploring hybridity in different contexts: pedagogy, cuisine, digital foods, power, food scapes, food systems, and more. 🌍🍽️ It's been amazing to see how the concept of "hybridity" resonates and sparks meaningful discussions among scholars.

We ended our day with a wonderful dinner at Numero Zero, the first inclusive restaurant in Umbria that employs workers with special needs. 🌟❤️ Excited for what's to come!

📣 Exciting News! The 6th Edition of the Biennial Food Conference kicked off yesterday at the Institute here in Perugia! 🎉
We were thrilled to welcome everyone with a delightful aperitivo at Sina Brufani - Perugia.
This year's theme is "Food and Hybridity" – we will explore the intersections within the food sector.
🍹🍴 Let the conference begin, and may this be a moment of exchange and growth for all. 🌱✨

👉📚Exploring local traditions!

Our students from Clark University's Kitchen Chemistry course visited 'Il Casale de Li Tappi', a remarkable local farm dedicated to preserving the age-old tradition of breeding and curing black pigs. 🐖🧂

Norcia's breathtaking landscape made the educational journey even more unforgettable. 🏞️✨

Last week, our PSU Supply Chain Management course visited ZeroLab, a hub for the creative recovery of leather goods here in Florence. ⚜️

The leather industry is particularly strong in Florence due to the historical leather tanning activity that has been happening in the city for centuries. But did you know that 3.6 million kilos of leather are wasted each year worldwide? 🌍

ZeroLab upcycles this “waste” by creating corporate gadgets such as luggage tags, menu covers, and more. They also host workshops like the one our students attended, where they made an earbud case from scraps of leather. ♻️

During their summer abroad, our Penn State HDFS program in Florence had the opportunity to tour various cities in Italy, including Rome and Naples, visit school canteens, and even intern at kindergartens and nurseries! 🇮🇹

This week, our students had a unique opportunity to learn about fresco painting inside the Palazzo Vecchio, Florence's historic town hall. The building serves as the center of local government even today, and its rich history provided an incredible backdrop for us to try this centuries-old technique. 🎨✨

👉With students from Clark University and Texas State University, we had the privilege of exploring the enchanting Orto San Matteo degli Armeni, located just beyond the medieval walls of Perugia’s historic center.

🌿✨ This urban garden, cultivated by the dedicated 'Vivi il Borgo' association, is proof of the power of cooperation, shared knowledge, and respect for the environment. Ida and Franca, our wonderful guides, shared their passion and knowledge, showing us how their commitment keeps this oasis vibrant and purposeful.

📚🗺️The garden is part of a complex of buildings that date back to the 13th century, making it one of the oldest buildings in Perugia. It features a public library and an Orthodox church.

🖐️Our students also have the opportunity to volunteer, contributing to the care of the orto and its stunning rose garden.

👉Discover more about volunteering opportunities on our website: https://www.umbra.org/community-engagement-abroad/

Olive Oil Tasting 🌿

Andrea Lucarelli from Stoica taught us the tricks of tasting olive oil, the differences between oils from other regions of Europe, and how to discern these variations. 🌏📚

👉Stoica produces high-quality organic extra virgin olive oil in the areas surrounding Perugia. Our students had the chance to learn all about the know-how behind it, as well as the new techniques that allow for these results.

👉Our students from Clemson University and Lebanon Valley College recently had the chance to explore the town of Spoleto, not far from Perugia.✨

From the majestic Rocca Albornoziana, a 14th-century fortress 🏰, to the collection of Renaissance art at the Museo Nazionale del Ducato 🎨, we uncovered the hidden beauty of this magical town with its ancient history.

Our students also visited the Palazzo Collicola Arti Visive, a modern art gallery that showcases cutting-edge contemporary exhibitions in a beautifully historic setting 🖼️.

🌟 There’s no summer at the Umbra Institute without the Intensive Italian through Culture Program! 🌟

This week, the program kicked off with an engaging schedule of lessons. In addition to their classes, students are participating in language exchanges with Italian students and co-curricular visits that help them appreciate the rich culture of Italy and Perugia.

In the photo, students are visiting the Atelier Giuditta Brozzetti, a unique place that preserves Perugia's centuries-old textile tradition through antique machinery and exquisite techniques.

Stay tuned for the next steps of this Italian summer! ☀️

👉Mozzarella in the making!🍕

Our students from the "Kitchen Chemistry" course from Clark University learned how authentic italian mozzarella is made.❤️ A practical cooking class in the didactic kitchen at Umbra, all made possible by chef Mirco Calcabrina 🔥🌼🍴

Archeology field school started! 🌍🧾

In partnership with DePauw University and the Comune of Castiglione del Lago, we're thrilled to welcome our students to this hands-on experience in archaeological research at Castiglione del Lago. Together we will dive into excavation, documentation, and scientific studies 📚🏛️🧾