Now that summer session has come to an end, the Institute staff will take a brief pausa before preparing for the Fall 2009 students' arrival. Fall '09 and other prospective students should contact the staff by email with questions during this time: info@umbra-institute.com. 
and Photography courses unveiled their works from the summer semester to the Umbra community. 
As always, visitors were blown away to discover what talent lies in the halls of the Umbra Institute! From top left, works from the pastel class, students Ashley Hall and Jenifer Miller-Dickey with Professor Martha Wakeman, and Alexandra Sedor and Amanda Romano pose by their newly completed fresco.
Wednesday evening Umbra students met up with Italian students from the local universities for an hour of casual language practice and cultural exchange.
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.
thy 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).
On June 2nd the people of Italy celebrate the official birth of the Italian Republic. The republic was established in 1946 after a public vote to decide whether Italy would become a democratic republic or remain a monarchy following World War II and the end of fascism. The Italian royal family -- the House of Savoy that had ruled Italy since its unification into one state in the 19th century -- faced the unpopularity of their ties to Mussolini and went into exile. Nationally the pro-republic versus monarchy vote went 54% to 46%, while nearly 72% of the people of Umbria voted for the republic. Somewhat predictably, it took more than two weeks -- more than a few breaks for cafè perhaps -- for the results of the vote to be certified by the high court, by which time Alcide De Gasperi, an Italian statesman who had opposed Mussolini and fascism and founded the Christian Democrat political party, had already been declared provisional Head of State for three days. Happy Birthday, Italy!
Classes start today!
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!
Yesterday night was one of the highlights of the academic semester at the Umbra Institute, and a time for the whole community of Perugia to see just exactly what the students have been doing, at least artistically, the whole semester. In exposition in the Via Bartolo building were the collected works of this semester’s digital photography, frescoe, and drawing classes. Students, faculty, staff, and many friends (Italian, American, and other foreigners) came to the opening and walked around looking at subjects as diverse as 
Renaissance-themed frescoes, charcoal nudes, and stunning photos of Italia, both modern and ancient. Kudos to Professors Philippa Stannard and Bill Pettit, and all of their students.
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!
Participants each read or sang a part of the traditional Seder service, both in English and Hebrew, and shared the four questions asking why the Passover night is different from all other nights. Thanks to all who joined us for this special meal!
The Telegraph (UK News Company) in their weekly travel article “One-minute wonder” this week featured Italy’s Piano Grande. The Piano Grande is located about 80 miles from Perugia. This small and highly unknown corner on the eastern edge of Umbria is rarely explored by tourists. The Piano Grande is a vast, upland plain, situated above 4,000ft, ringed by the Sibillini Mountains. Perched in the middle of this ‘Great Plane’ is the quaint village of Castelluccio. In late May and early June it is renowned for its extraordinary floral displays: swathes of wild crocuses one week, narcissi the next, grape hyacinth, wild tulips, poppies, thousands of orchid
s and rarities such as snakes' head fritillaries, among many others. 
use most public means of transportation simply don’t go there, however, with such a high concentration of natural wonders this trip definitely merits the effort.
Sunday night's earthquake in central Italy was big news in the United States. Scenes of churches without their ceilings and people being dragged out from under the rubble likely scared relatives of Umbra students. Though there were deaths near the quake's epicenter, more were prevented by Italy's highly organized Protezione Civile, a kind of non-military civil guard.
This weekend Perugia hosted the Internation Journalism Festival. Among many of the guests was the American team of Vanguard Journalists from Current US. The “Super-hero team” as they were called by one of the audience members during question time, included Kaj Larsen, Christof Putzel, Mariana Van Zeller and Adam Yamaguchi. Along with the four members, Laura Ling, colleague journalist and Vice President of Current TV’s Vanguard Journalism unit was scheduled to appear at the conference; however, while filming near the North Korea-China border Ling was arrested and remains captive in a North Korean prison. Negotiations with the North Korean government are under way to secure her release. The journalist, together with a cameraman and a guide, were headed to the town of Yanji where they planned to interview women forced into prostitution, according to sources.
Tandem met last night at Birraio making it the third to last tandem for the spring semester. The students have passed the halfway mark and in most of them it’s easy to see the maturity they’ve acquired being here in Italy. Whereas before Tandem coordinators Rachel Bethany and Paul Schiller had to provide a theme for the American and Italian students to talk about, now the conversation just “happens”… which is exactly what the program is supposed to do. Conversation is of course easier with some stuzzichini (finger foods and snacks often eaten with an aperitivo) and some sangria to loosen up the tongue muscles for italiano. Tandem will be back next week, same time, same place!
Last weekend a group of Umbra students went on an overnight field trip to Florence for their Survey of Italian Renaissance and Mannerist Art class. Professor Adrian Hoch led students on an extensive tour highlighting the city’s main museums and churches. Florence is known as the Renaissance Art capital of the world and this time Umbra students spared no stops. The trip included Santa Maria Novella, the Ufizzi Gallery, Santissima Annunziata, the Brancacci Chapel, Santo Spirito, the Bargello Museum, the Galleria del Accademia, San Marco, the Loggia del Lanzi, and Santa Croce. Of course everyone also had time for a sampling of Florence’s “edible art,” gelato – what’s your favorite flavor?
Yesterday was the second edition of the Umbra Institute’s Pizza Workshop. Staff member Zach Nowak led fourteen students through Perugia’s back alleys to the little neighborhood pizzeria, Pizza e Musica. The first part of the night was what Nowak himself defined as the “nerdy part”: he described the history of pizza, especially how it took off in the States after returning soldiers brought back the hunger for a Margherita. Then master pizzaiolo Felice showed the students how to actually make pizza, extending the doughball on the marble counter and pulling it out to a nice flat disc before popping it in the oven. And after the lesson to eat! All the participants had a Neapolitan pizza, dessert, and…caffè!
While most often associated with 
After leaving Santa Maria delle Grazie, the class spent the rest of the first day of spring under a perfect sunny sky day taking in the Milan Cathedral, the Sforza Castle, and the first gorgeous day of spring in Milan.
Louis Daguerre announced the perfection of the “daguerreotype,” the first photograph, on 7 January 1839, and as he recounted the procedure, notes about it were relayed by people in the hall of the French Academy of Sciences to those outside and people were making their own daguerrotypes by that night. For years the Umbra Institute had its own darkroom in Via Danzetta, where students would transfer photographic paper from one tray of chemicals to another, in a process not too radically different from Daguerre’s.
gave way to the cyanotype, the cyanotype was replaced the wet plate process, and in 1884 George Eastman (the founder of Kodak), developed film…and that’s where we’ve been ever since. Until Fall 2008, when the Umbra Institute made the switch to digital photography. Professor Philippa Stannard now teaches two courses, beginner and advanced, and instead of dodging and burning under an enlarger, students use these tools in Photoshop. The result? We think you’ll agree that it’s spectacular – have a look!
The Steps. Even in Italian, a language hesitant to capitalize anything but the first letter of the first proper noun in a long name (e.g. "A farewell to arms" instead of "A Farewell To Arms"), you can hear that capital S. The capital S in "le Scalette," the Steps...which mean the beautiful steps on the long side of Perugia's cathedral that faces the piazza. During the winter the Steps are mostly empty but like the wild asparagus popping up all over Umbria, people were popping up on the Steps this weekend. Spring has arrived in Umbria and clear skies and mild temperatures filled up Perugia's outdoor living room, Piazza IV Novembre.
As tired eyes and sore feet descend back "home" to Perugia, stories fill small Italian kitchens over boiling pots of pasta. Umbra Institute's Spring Break 2009 has come and gone, leaving little undiscovered and even smaller amounts in our bank accounts [eek!].
Last week Mary Danahy, Linda Moore, and Bethany O’Connell took a mini-bus down to the Perugia airport (one terminal, two check-in desks) and flew to London’s Stanstead airport (three terminals, about seventy check-in desks). Like Grand Tourists of centuries past, the ladies saw all there was to see: Big Ben, the London Eye, the Big Red Bus tour, and of course some of the City’s best pubs and best fish and chips. Yum. But that happy journey had to come to an end and, like all the rest of the Umbra Institute’s students, they have come back to Perugia to hit the books again. A consolation, though, is that the chilly weather has broken and Spring, if not quite upon us, seems around the corner. Sunny days on the cathedral’s Steps aren’t too far away!
With mid-terms coming to an end, (HOORAY!) and spring break fast approaching (HIP-HIP HOORAY!) we know that many of you Umbra students will leave your text books behind for the week and head out of Italy on an adventure across Europe.
bsite, glimpse.org (which is in part sponsored by National Geographic), features stories and experiences from students (like yourself) abroad. Glimpse is sponsoring a photo contest entitled "Getting Places."
With Martedì Grasso (Fat Tuesday) yesterday, Carnevale came to an end. Children and adults alike celebrated during the day and night by wearing costumes, masks, and painting their faces. Last weekend, some fortunate Umbra students even found themselves at the celebration’s epicenter, Venice, masquerading about in good tradition. Carnival typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, masque and public street party. People often dress up during the festival, which mark an overturning of daily life. Traditionally in Christianity, carnival marked the last op
portunity to celebrate and to use up special foods not allowed during Lent.
Thursday night, after a long day of Italian mid-terms, seventeen Umbra Students (as well as two staff members, Paul Schiller and Zach Nowak) headed to the soothing waters of the hot springs in San Casciano. The event was just what the doctor ordered after the stress of studying and bitter cold weather (not to mention snow) in Perugia, the relaxing hours in the hot thermals was the reward for the student’s hard work and definitely the week’s high point. The hot springs, nestled in a valley below the medieval town of San Casciano, are free and open to the public. The hot water bubbles up and is channeled into two large pools where bathers can sit back, relax, and see all the sky’s stars.
ope as well. With Spring Break just around the corner, students have already began to get their feet wet by traveling to some popular destinations. Below is an excerpt from Umbra students Erin Costello and Chris Smith about their time spent in London. 
Do you have what it takes to throw a pizza into a 400°C oven, spin it three times without burning it, then setting it, with the end of a long pole, perfectly in the center of a plate? That was the test that Umbra students were set to yesterday at a local pizzeria. The students were participating in the Umbra Institute’s pizza workshop, one in a series that includes cheese, coffee, and bread. Where does pizza come from? Why is a Margherita called a Margherita, and what does it have to do with Italian nationalism? And how long does a pizza have to cook before it’s ready? That and other questions were answered last night, and some students even got the chance to roll out pizzas with master pizzaiolo (pizza maker) David. The workshop will repeat in two weeks (signups in Bartolo with Zach and Paul).
The third in a series of wine tasting concluded yesterday evening at local enoteca Enone. Professional sommelier, Silva Bartolini, was on hand to guide the students through the wine tasting. All the tastings consisted of local Umbrian wines (one white, one red and one sweet) paired with food (parmesan, mortadella and a fritatta). Silvia discussed the three forms of analysis-visual, olfactory and tasting. Then the students had a go at it themselves, some smelling berries, pine and flowers in the wine. Silvia dicussed the process of making wine, how to open a bottle and which glasses are correct for each one.
