Here at the University of St. Francis in Joliet Illinois, we have a unique program that allows students to study abroad in Florence, Italy for a semester.
The dates are Febuary 2nd to April 30th 2011
This program offers students an opportunity to experience springtime in one of the most beautiful cities in Europe while obtaining college credits.
We have worked, with the help of the University, to keep prices as low as possible for students participating in the program. As a result, our program is very competitive when compared to programs offered at other universities. The initial cost of this program is actually less than the price of room, board and tuition for a semester at the University of St. Francis. (See the section on money matters).
Please check out the information at the side. Please peruse some of the pictures that students have taken from our previous semesters.
This is a chance of a lifetime; if you are interested, please contact me for further information.
Dr. John Bowers
University Of Saint Francis
Program Coordinator
http://www.blogger.com/jbowers@stfrancis.edu
Can students from other Universities attend this program?
Yes. We encourage students from other Universities to attend our Program. The cost of our Italy Program is very competitively priced.
Add to that we are based in Florence. Florence is arguably the last preserved Renaissance city in the world, in fact is known as the “cradle of the Renaissance” (la culla del Rinascimento) Florence is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and its artistic,historic and cultural heritage and impact in the world remains vast up to this day. The city has also a major European impact in music, architecture, education, cuisine, fashion, philosophy, science and religion. The historic centre of Florence contains numerous elegant piazzas, Renaissance palazzi, academies, parks, gardens, churches, monasteries, museums, art galleries and ateliers. It is also regarded by many as the art capital of Italy. It also has numerous more modern bars, restaurants, clubs and shops.
Do you need to come from a Catholic University to attend?
No. There are some grade considerations; if you are interested, contact me and we can discuss it.
Is this affiliated with the the Association of Franciscan Colleges and Universities?
No, not directly. But we warmly and openly invite students from those Colleges and Universities : Alvernia College; Cardinal Stritch University; Felician College; Franciscan University; Hilbert College; Lourdes College; Madonna University; Marian College; Neumann College; Quincy University; Siena College; Silver Lake College; St. Bonaventure University; St. Francis College; St. Francis University; St. Bonaventure University ; University of St. Francis, Ind; Viterbo University.
La Passeggiata - What is the Italian ritual Passeggiata all about?
As evening falls and the tuscan sun inches out of the your favorite piazza, an evening ritual begins, the Italian tradition of passeggiata, a gentle stroll ( think slow) through the main streets of the old town, usually in the pedestrian zones in the centro storico, the historic center.
Italians tend to dress up for passeggiata, and tourists are usually easy to spot in their shorts and fanny packs. Older folks sit along the route, nursing a beer or a glass of wine in the bar, and watching for things to gossip about; la passeggiata is where new romances are on display as well as new shoes.
Passeggiata is especially popular on Sunday evenings.
University of Saint Francis Of Joliet Illinios Study Abroad in Italy
Pictures from Spring 2009
We had a lot of fun!
to the group "USF Students in Italy"
from the album "Cruising around the town..."
View from one of the bridges
Nicole Worthem write about this pic: "best prof EVER"
________________________________________________
We made an awesome afredo sauce tho, we should package it and become rich and famous here in Florence..
Report - Delete
Tara Sandhya Rodriguez (St. Francis IL) wrote
at 9:06am on February 10th, 2009
They don't have Alfredo sauce here or heavy cream to make it. We actually learned that Alfredo is a name of a man that probably came to America and made the sauce for a restaurant, but Italians have no idea what the Alfredo is. Yesterday Jenna and I went to the store to try and find creme to make the sauce and they just looked at use like we were crazy. It might of been because or Italian was horrible or because creme is a dessert item not a ingredient. We had to improvise and make the sauce with milk instead but it turned out really well. We also sauteed some mushrooms to but in it as well.
----------------------------------------------------------
Added by Tara Sandhya Rodriguez
Photo byAmanda BojanPhoto by Amanda Bojan
Tara Sandhya Rodriguez (St. Francis IL) wrote
at 9:01am on February 10th, 2009
Going out for a drink after class has a whole other meaning here. A drink is just that, a drink. The class with John went out and we had a really great discussion aobut St. Francis and his ego. It was nice to be able to have a conversation with people about something so deep while sitting in a bar. The night was a great one to walk around and take pictures on too. The lights fit the river off of the pantivecio just right and illuminate everything, its magical.
Florence at dusk by Thaddeus Kakeuko Henderson
Another view of the Duomo and Cathedral by Jenny Hays
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The University of Saint Francis of Joliet Il. is here in Florence (arrived 1/31/08)
We hope in these few pages to provide future students with information and inspiration.
___First week___
Nick Matesevac (Tera's Boyfriend,USF & USF Italy Trip alum) Suggest that the group check out Florences Museum of Natural History: "Spiders, insects on pins, stuffed animals in glass cases, and wax bodies."Here are some more details:
.
Florence's Museum of Natural History:
Several generations of the Medicis had collected with passion great artistic treasures, but also a wide range of natural treasures like fossils, animals, minerals and exotic plants. This material was used to create a Museum of Natural History.
For this reason, the prince purchased in 1771 the block of buildings situated next to the Pitti Palace, which still is the present-day location of the museum. "La Specola" was officially inaugurated in 1775; until the early years of the l9th century it was the only scientific museum specifically created for the public, with opening hours, guides and keepers. Today the philosophy of the museum is very much the same.
Today visitors have access to 34 rooms: 24 are dedicated to zoology and 10 to anatomic waxes.
The zoological section displays both recently acquired and old examples of animals preserved with the technique of taxidermy, such as the hippopotamus (shown on your left) that was apparently given to the Grand Duke in the second half of the 17th century and lived for a few years in the Boboli Gardens.
The Museum is particularly proud of its collection of anatomic waxes, an art introduced in Florence by Ludovico Cigoli (1559-1613), which enjoyed its maximum period of splendour and technical and scientific accuracy during the 18th century.
The most important pieces of the wax collection is represented by the group of waxes by Gaetano Zumbo (1656-1701), which possess an extraordinary artistic value besides representing excellent anatomical models..The wax collection, unique in the quantity and beauty of its pieces, was created in order to teach anatomy without having to directly observe a cadaver.
The interior of the museum also houses a very special area: the so-called Ttibune of Galileo designed and built in 1841 by the architect Giuseppe Martelli to celebrate the famous Tuscan scientist and to display his instruments together with those belonging to the Accademia del Cimento (this material is now displayed in the Museum of the History of Science). The room is decorated with frescoes and sculptured and inlaid marbles that illustrate some of the most important Italian scientific discovers from the Renaissance period to our days. http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/museum_of_natural_history.html
Thaddeus Kakeuko Henderson started his own blog titled:
A Black Man in Italy- here is an excerpt:
We loaded on the train to Florence and its so odd that I'm the stranger speaking a different language, but I am surprised at how many people speak some form of English. As we road the train we got to see what I call the Italian country side. It was truly amazing. On the train ride we saw so much. To the right of me I had hills that kissed the clouds, and to the left was the vineyards that made this country legendary.
Ciao
Theadore, thats my Italian name
_____________________________________
(Note: Ribollita =Tuscan Vegetable and Bread Soup)
Tara Sandhya Rodriguez , Hayley Schommer , Thaddeus Kakeuko Henderson celebrating their arrival
