Coffee Safari Takes Aim
Feb | 14
Coffee, caffè, Koffee, café: a cup of Joe by any other name would…still be black and inky but oh so irresistible! Last night was another edition of the Umbra Institute’s semi-regular Coffee Safaris. Six students, with staff member Zachary Nowak... Read MoreBuon S. Valentino!
Feb | 14
Valentine’s Day is a little more special in Umbria than in other Italian regions as the third-century bishop was from the nearby city of Terni. Saint Valentine supposedly married a Christian woman and a pagan man and got the normal... Read More
Festa di San Costanzo: Perugia’s Big Day
Feb | 05
Monday was just like any other day for Umbra students—a shot of caffè and a cornetto, Italian class, a slice of pizza or a Parma panino, and probably a few more classes. But it didn’t take too much thought first... Read MoreMaking Sausages with Otto
Feb | 05
“Laws are like sausages: those who like them should not see them being made.” So opined the nineteenth-century Prussian chancellor Otto von Bismarck. Despite this warning, an overbooked class of Umbra students handmade sausages last night. The class began with... Read MoreFrom Clay To Bisque
Feb | 05
The U. Grazia ceramics store is the 13th oldest company in the world. Some of their pottery dates back to the 1400s, which explains the success of the majolica today—they’ve had many years to perfect their craft. On a recent... Read MoreA Little Sulphur in Your Hair
Jan | 25
Academics come first at Umbra, but we recognize that great Italian experiences reinforce that learning. This weekend fifteen Umbra students did something few Americans have ever done: slipping into hot springs, water heated naturally by underground geological activity. The group... Read More