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June 22 - July 19, 2013

     Calabria, on the southern tip of Italy, boasts unforgettable vistas across rugged mountains, vast golden wheat fields and crystal clear seas with aged-old olive trees that grow as tall as eucalyptus. Step back into history when you visit ancient Greek and Roman ruins. Tour beautiful Byzantine churches and walk the streets of medieval towns. Learn to cook traditional dishes and visit local artisans. Cultural events abound, from local festivals, to tradition parties, meal and music, to lectures by prominent Italian and international scholars.

Academics: 

     Students can earn 6-9 URI credits through this program. Italian language and film courses are offered. No previous Italian language study is required to participate in the program and courses are available in English and Italian. 

• List of courses for 2013: Available Here
• Film Program Flyer: Available Here

Housing and Dining:

     While in Italy, students will stay in dormitories or furnished apartments. Breakfast and dinner will be provided. A television, DVD player and VCR are available at the center.

Cultural Activities:

     Students will engage in cultural tours and excursions while in Italy including: museum visits; movie nights; cooking class; conferences and seminars; walking labs with local people; tours of Calabria, archaeological sites and churches; three day trip tp Puglia (three days at the beach); and an additional three day excursion to the beach.

     Special Guests include:

• 
  Dacia Maraini, one of the finest Italian woman writers alive today. She's won, among others, both Campiello and Strega prizes, which are the most prestigious Italian literature awards. In 2012 Maraini was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature (awarded to Mo Yan): she was the highest ranking female writer on the list. Maraini's books are translated in 22 countries and some of her bestsellers were turned into successful movies.

• Tommaso Affaldano, gelato-maker (gelato is the Italian ice-cream). Considered one of the best "gelataio" in the world, Tommaso Affaldano was born in Ortona, in the region of Abruzzo. He studied the art of making gelato at the very well known school "Copac" in Milan, and he worked in Italy (Ortona and Reggio Emilia), in Germany (Frankfurt a. M., Munich, and Travemunde) and in the United States (Cambridge and Natick, MA). He was elected twice among the best gelato-maker in the world in Longarone, Italy, and he offered seminars on the history and art of making gelato at Harvard University, MIT, University of Rhode Island, GE School. Many articles were written about Tommaso's gelato in different newspapers such as Boston Globe, Herald, USA Today, Natick Daily News; an article was also published by Cooking Light on the back cover of the magazine (see on the left). Recently he has also been interviewed by the Italian public TV RAI International. Tommaso Affaldano is one of our special guest and he will stay with us for about ten days to teach to our students what gelato is, how it's made, and even how students can make their own gelato at home.

• Kevin Powers, an Iraq War veteran, is the 2013 Hemingway/PEN Awards Winner and the Guardian First Book Award Winner with his debut novel The Yellow Birds. The book speaks about the close friendship between two soldiers and their traumas during the Iraq War. As the authos said in an interview with The Guardian, it's a novel intended to show the effects of the war "physically, emotionally, and psychologically." Kevin Powers holds a Bachelor's degree in English from the Virginia Commonwealth University, and an MFA from the University of Texas at Austin, where he was a Michener Fellow in Poetry.

 NOTE: All fees subject to change

 AIRFARE IS NOT INCLUDED

Scholarships available for the Calabria Program! Review details here.

For more information, please contact:

URI Faculty-Led Summer Programs Brochure