Once in a lifetime experience!

I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Perugia, Italy. Umbra Institute definitely prepared me for my semester in Italy, as well as for future experiences. To start the semester, every student participants in an intensive Italian language course, which allows students to learn Italian and apply it within the community by interviewing people in the piazza or making Italian desserts by following directions solely in Italian. After this week, all students take an Italian course which provides a lot of practice and out of class experiences as well. The other courses are all very interesting and most of them consist of field trips in Perugia and also different parts of Italy as well. I took two of the three courses in the Food Studies Program--learning all about Italian food, culture and sustainability while attending many taste tests, having real Italian meals and even going truffle hunting (not for chocolate, for actual truffles--mushrooms!). This program was absolutely incredible and allowed me to see different parts of the food system in general, as well as specific parts of the Italian food system. With this program, I toured the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese factory, the Parma Prosciutto factory, and visited Dario Cecchini's meat store. All of these field trips gave me outside experience to further understand the material in class--exposing me to experiences I probably would not have in the United States. Although not located very close to major cities (2 hours by train from Rome and Florence), Perugia is located in the rolling hills of Umbria and surrounded by many historical and beautiful towns in this area. All of these towns are necessary to spend time in because each are unique and valuable to this area! All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Perugia and at the Umbra Institute; I learned a lot and the staff members were very nice and helpful to all of the students!