fall 2008 orientation tour schedule
Rome - Verona - Siena - Assisi
General Background Information:
The John Felice Rome Center (JFRC) Fall Orientation 2008 will offer incoming students a sampling of the best that Rome has to offer combined with an Opening Tour of North Central Italy. The Orientation will be launched with a visit to the 4th century BC town of Ostia Antica (http://www.ostia-antica.org/). The remarkable ruins of this port city allow for visitors to gain a clear image of how every day life was lived in ancient Rome. In addition to Ostia Antica, the Orientation excursions will include an afternoon at the Roman seaside and walking tours of historic Rome. The entire Rome Center community will then head north for our Opening Tour. Each day will begin with an intensive two hour Italian language session taught by Rome Center faculty. The tour commences with a two day visit to the city of Verona where small-group day-trips will be offered, allowing students to explore the Veneto region. This northernmost leg of the tour will culminate with an evening at the Verona Opera, which is performed in a first century Roman arena, the third largest in Italy and is absolutely overwhelming. The Opening Tour will then wind its way through Emilio Romagna, stopping to visit early Etruscan archeological sites, finally arriving at the medieval Tuscan city of Siena.
The final leg of the Opening Tour will journey through the Umbria region to the town of Assisi. This mountain town is dominated by the spirit and legacy of St. Francis (c. 1181 . 1226). The brief 24-hour visit to Assisi will allow students to get a taste of the remarkable art, food and vistas that Assisi and Italy have to offer.
Orientation activities formally come to a close on Wednesday, September 10, as the community will gather at the Roman Church of Sant’Ignazio for a service to be followed by a traditional three-course meal. At the core of the JFRC Orientation program are a series of workshops which allow for students to set goals for the coming semester, informal gatherings to meet faculty, cultural adaptation workshops to learn about ways in which one can best acclimate to the Mediterranean way of life, and a handful of Italian meals to taste some of the best food in the world. After having participated in the John Felice Rome Center Orientation and Opening Tour 2008, students will have gained their bearings in Rome and will have encountered nooks and crannies of North Central Italy that few American tourists see.
Arrival in Rome
10:00 AM – 1:30 PM Early Registration
Students not arriving on the group flight may register in the Study Hall. Information packets will be available at the Registration Table. Staff and Student Life Assistants (SLAs) will be present to answer questions and provide instructions related to move-in procedures.
Student Life Assistant (SLA) Staff for 2008-2009:
Jim Brophy, Anna Carlson, Danielle Decina, Christopher Kelleher, Carla Mollica
Registration Fees
Upon arrival at the Rome Center, ALL students will be required to pay a €55 (€ = euro) key and room damage deposit fee. The key and room deposit will be refunded at the close of the semester assuming no keys are lost and no damage has been done to your room.
In addition, Italian law requires students to pay specific fees in order to attain their Permit to Stay (Permesso di Soggiorno). These fees total €58.50. This amount, equivalent to ca. $90, has been billed to you as part of your student activity fee so you will not need to pay this portion out of pocket. But payments for keys and the room damage deposit are to be paid upon arrival at the Rome Center. Students may pay in cash or with a credit card.
1:30 – 3:30 PM Lunch in the Mensa (Cafeteria)
1:30 – 4:30 PM Official Registration Begins
Students are required to attend the session at the times listed below. Information regarding your legal Permit to Stay (Permesso di Soggiorno) will be discussed. Please be sure to bring your passport to this session.
1:30 – 3:00 PM
Group #1: Students with last names beginning A to M
Time will be available for these students to have lunch in the Mensa.
3:00 – 4:30 PM
Group #2: Students with last names beginning N to Z
4:30 PM Academic and Student Life at the Rome Center (Mandatory)
Location: Mensa All JFRC students are required to attend this session
Dr. John Nicholson; Professor of Fine Arts
Bookstore information
Elise Aversa; Librarian
Library information
Teresa Mastropieri; Academic Services Coordinator
Academic advising
5:00 – 6:00 PM Introductory Meeting (Mandatory)
All students must attend this mandatory informational floor meeting at which critical information will be communicated regarding life at the Rome Center and in the local community.
Rinaldo’s Café bar: All Rome Center men will meet with the male SLA staff.
Mensa (Cafeteria): All Rome Center women will meet with the female SLA staff.
Topics to be covered: Community Standards, Rome Center Institutional Policies, Campus facilities (laundry, cafeteria, chapel, etc), Administrative Matters, Medical Support, Safety, Student Mail, Computers, Phones, Fire Exits
6:00 – 7:30PM Mensa (Cafeteria)
Evening Free
9:30 AM Departure by bus to Ostia Antica (http://www.ostia-antica.org/)
The three hour visit to the archeological site will include a sack lunch which will be offered mid-tour. The bus ride from campus to the archeological site will take approximately 30 minutes.
1:00 PM Community Lunch at the Maccarese Beach - Paradise Restaurant
Summer life at the beach is a tradition for nearly all Italian families. The entire JFRC community is encouraged to join faculty and staff for a luncheon to be hosted at restaurant on the beach. After lunch students will have ample time to swim in the Mediterranean sea and relax Italian style.
5:00 PM Late Departure for the Rome Center
6:00 PM Dinner in Mensa
Evening Free
Rome
Late Morning: Mandatory Permit to Stay (Permesso di Soggiorno) Paperwork Session
Students are required to attend the session at the times listed below. Information regarding your legal Permit to Stay (Permesso di Soggiorno) will be discussed. Please be sure to bring your passport and a blue pen to this session.
10:30 AM – 11:15 AM Students whose last names begin with the letter A through G
11:15 AM – 12:00 PM Students whose last names begin with the letter H through N
12:00 PM – 12:45 PM Students whose last names begin with the letter O through Z
12:00 to 2:00 Mensa
Afternoon Free
6:00 – 7:30 Dinner in Mensa
Verona
8:00 AM Liturgy (optional) Mass will be celebrated in the Chapel
8:45 AM Departure - Opening Tour: Departure by Bus to Verona
Fall Semester Rome Center students will participate in an Opening Tour to experience some of the wonders that North Central Italy has to offer. The excursion provides an opportunity for the Class of Fall 2008 to prepare for the busy semester to come, while getting to know one another in the beautiful and historic towns of Verona, Siena and Assisi.
What to bring and what not to bring: You will be away from the Rome Center for approximately five days but we ask that you please pack simply. A small backpack that includes comfortable walking shoes and a jacket for the evenings should suffice. You may also want to consider bringing business casual attire for the evening at the Verona Opera. While staying in the hotels you will be assigned to a room with two or three other Rome Center students (men and women in separate rooms). The accommodations will be comparable to a three-star Italian hotel with meals and private bathrooms included.
3:00 PM Arrival in Verona.
Hotel Saccardi Europa at Caselle di Sommacampagna (www.hotelsaccardi.it)
6:00 PM Dinner at Hotel
7:00 PM Depart for Opera Arena
The 86th Opera Festival will come to a close on 31 August with a production of Giuseppe Verdi’s Aida against the magnificent backdrop of the Arena di Verona (http://www.arena.it/eng/arenaeng.urd/portal.show?c=1). This is a rare opportunity for the JFRC Fall Class of 2008 to gather for the closing of the world renowned summer Opera Festival.
Verona - Classes Begin
8:00 AM Breakfast
9:00 AM Italian Language Classes: Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced levels Italian classes will be instructed by Rome Center Faculty. Locations to be announced.
11:00 AM TENTATIVE Tours: Three tours will be offered allowing Rome Center students to explore Verona and the Veneto region.
Buses 1 & 2: Day Hike near Lake Garda (sack lunch provided)
Bus 3: Leisurely Lunch in the village of Sirmione on Lake Garda (students should be prepared to pay for their own lunch)
Bus 4: Tour of Verona (sack lunch provided)
5:00 PM Return to Hotel
7:00 PM Dinner at Hotel
Siena
8:00 AM Breakfast
9:00 AM Italian Language Classes: Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced levels Italian classes will be instructed by Rome Center Faculty. Locations to be announced.
11:00 AM Departure for Siena
1:00 PM Visit to to Etruscan Archeological Site
A brief stop will be made for students to explore an Etruscan archeological site in the Emilia Romagna region. Sack lunches will be available.
5:00 PM Arrival in Siena
7:30 PM Dinner at Hotel
Evening Arrival in Assisi
8:00 AM Breakfast
9:00 AM Italian Language Classes: Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced levels Italian classes will be instructed by Rome Center Faculty. Locations to be announced.
11:00 AM Guided Tours of Siena
Siena, much smaller than Florence, situated in the middle of Tuscany, combines an elegant historical center with grandiose Gothic architecture. Siena is home to one of Italy’s major university’s and as a result offers a rich street life combined with wonderful art and architecture.
1:00 PM Late Lunch
3:00 PM Departure for Assisi
5:30 PM Arrival in Assisi
7:30 PM Dinner at Hotel
8:30 PM Evening keynote address
Dr. Susana Cavallo; JFRC Associate Director
9:00 PM Closing ceremony for the day
Director of JFRC Campus Ministry
10:00 PM Orientation Activities completed for the day
While in Assisi we will be staying at the Pro Civitate Christiana retreat center (www.citadella.org). Buses are not allowed in the center of Assisi, another reason to pack light, since you will be walking approximately ten minutes uphill from the bus parking area.
8:30 AM Breakfast
10:00 AM Rome Center: A window into our living and academic communities
Community Standards workshop in Auditorium
Conducted by the SLA Staff and Mr. Todd Waller, Associate Director for Student Life
Community Standards workshop in Auditorium
Conducted by the SLA Staff and Todd Waller
JFRC Rooms 204 - 217
JFRC Rooms 401-415
JFRC Rooms 101 -117
Assisi Historical Tours: Three separate tours will each be conducted by Rome Center Professor Dr. Nicholson with the assistance of two local Italian guides.
JFRC Rooms 301 – 317 – Tour leader Dr. Nicholson
JFRC Rooms 218 – 234 – Tour leader Anne Robichaud
JFRC Rooms 235 – 251 – Tour leader Anne Robichaud
JFRC Rooms 318 – 334 - Tour leader to be announced
12:30 PM Lunch
2:30 PM Rome Center: A window into our living and academic communities
JFRC Rooms 301 – 317
JFRC Rooms 218 – 234
JFRC Rooms 235 – 251
JFRC Rooms 318 – 334
Assisi Historical Tours: Three separate tours will each be conducted by Rome Center Professor Nicholson with the assistance of two local Italian guides.
JFRC Rooms 201 - 217 – Tour leader Dr. Nicholson
JFRC Rooms 401-415 – Tour Leader Anne Robichaud
JFRC Rooms 101 -117 – Tour Leader Anne Robichaud
5:00 PM Departure for the Rome Center
8:30 PM Dinner in Mensa
Normal Class Schedule Begins
6:00 PM Welcome Address: Emilio Iodice, Associate Provost and Director, the John Felice Rome Center
Reception and Meal in the Courtyard (all are to meet in the Chapel at 6:00)
The Rome Center community will gather in the chapel to hear from the JFRC Director and Associate Provost of Loyola University Chicago. Following the welcome address we will proceed to the courtyard for a light meal. Mensa will be closed, all are required to attend the brief meeting in the chapel followed by the reception in the courtyard. Casual dress is discouraged.
9:00 PM Study Trip Informational Meeting (Optional)
Details will be explained pertaining to all Rome Center Study Trips scheduled for the Fall semester. Trip itineraries, costs and travel tips will be provided. The meeting will be held in the Mensa.
(Tentative)
7:30 PM Mass of the Holy Spirit
The Rome Center community will celebrate Mass of the Holy Spirit at Sant’Ignazio Church in the historic district of Rome.
The Mass of the Holy Spirit is an annual Rome Center community event which initiates the academic semester. This celebration is open to all members of the John Felice Rome Center community regardless of their religious affiliation. A grand Italian meal will immediately follow Mass, hosted at a neighboring famous Roman restaurant. Campus Ministry will subsidize the cost of the meal. Students will be asked to pay a modest €15 toward their meal.
All Orientation activities, times and dates listed on this web page are subject to change. A final agenda will be provided upon arrival on August 28th in Rome. A reminder for those who will not be traveling with the group flight:please refer to the Travel section of this website for details as to how to secure an official taxi upon arrival in Rome.
No John Felice Rome Center students are allowed to move into the residence hall prior to 10:00 AM on Thursday, August 28th. If you plan on arriving in Rome prior to August 28th, you may consider some of the lower cost hotels listed in the accommodation section of the JFRC website.
Please arrive in Italy with Euro (€) currency in your pocket. Orientation week activities will be busy and you are likely to find yourself NOT able to easily access bank machines for Euro currency. Play it safe and arrive in Italy with a substantial amount ...ca. €200... in hand in order to save time during Orientation week.
May 13, 2008
