News

Sesto, Aprile 2008

The Academic Year 07/08 is almost over. Students will leave the Villa today and tomorrow. The website has been updated with all the pictures of the semester. New pictures on high school internships and calendars for the next terms available also.

Sesto, Settembre 2007

The fall program is well on its way - Professor Patrick Rumble is enjoying his second semester at the villa as a professor and his first semester as the Resident Director. Professors James Basset, Josephine Rogers Mariotti, Grazia Menechella, Ettore Recchi, Joseph Shatmiller, and Paola Zeller are accompanying Professor Rumble on his journey to educate and enlighten four dozen students from Duke University, University of Michigan, and University of Wisconsin-Madison.

In the month of September, the group took day trips to Sienna, Florence, and Cinque Terre, along with an overnight trip to Venice. Additionally, groups of individuals planned their own day and weekend trips to see the sights of Italia.

Villa life provides a "break" from traveling and a comforting taste of the normalcy of "home." The homemade and freshly prepared meals leave students and staff raving, especially for dolce nights. In an effort to build their appetites for the delicious meals, the majority of the students participate in the recreational villa soccer league. Rachael Johnson, the Resident Assistant organized teams, game schedules, and an end of season play-off tournament. In lieu of the battle wound bruises, multiple bug bites, and the sweatastic competition, the students have enjoyed true calcio fun.

In addition participating in Italy's most popular sport, students have taken other opportunities to immerse themselves in Italian culture, such as interning at local elementary schools or partaking in the conversation partner program. The internship allows students travel to local elementary schools for an hour each week, sharing American traditions with the children, such as games, songs, and children's books. Interested students can also become a conversation partner with a local Italian. The partner program allows both parties to share the mutual duty of teaching and learning, as one assists the other with their native language.

Students and staff are looking forward to future excursions, including a night at the opera, a weekend trip to Rome, and the lengthy fall break. Within the next month, you will be able to vicariously partake in their experiences, as photos are added to the villa gallery.

-Alison Curtis