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AcaDEMIC Study Trips: Spring 2009

The John Felice Rome Center academic travel program is coordinated by its student life staff. Critical details for all of the trips are provided during the "Study Trips Informational Meeting," which will be held during orientation on Monday, January 12, 2009, at 9:00 p.m. in the cafeteria (Mensa). It is important that students understand the inherent risks involved in traveling abroad and that situations can change on daily basis. It is the student's responsibility to familarize him/herself with any travel related warnings while traveling outside of Italy, whether on a school-sponsored trip or independently of the Rome Center. Travel warnings, health and safety information, and other details may be located on the Website for the U.S. State Department at www.travel.state.gov.

The following information about academic study trips serves as a general resource for planning ahead. Prices and trip itineraries are subject to change. The information listed on this Website helps students to gain a general idea of the timing and quality of the academic study trips organized by the John Felice Rome Center staff. The actual details (hotels, meals, prices, etc.) for each trip will be made available in the weeks prior to the actual trip.

The first ninety (90) students to register in Rome for the spring break trip to Tunisia will be guaranteed a position. Positions for the remaining trips are secured via a similar registration at the JFRC Business Office. Details regarding trip assignments and payment will be outlined during the "Study Trips Informational Meeting" on January 12th. All students are to register and pay for trips in the Rome Center Business Office. No payments may be made in advance of a student's arrival at the Rome Center.

TUSCANY ORIENTATION: JANUARY 10-11, 2009

One has to work hard not to have a fantastic time in Tuscany, with its rolling hills covered in olive groves and grapevines and medieval towns with cobblestone streets. The Spring Semester Orientation program includes long meals, sightseeing and opportunities to meet faculty, staff and students of the Rome Center community. Students will visit the Chianti region of Tuscany including towns such as San Gimignano and Siena.  A daily Italian language immersion and language “survival” program is included in the Orientation program.
 
A detailed Orientation agenda can be found under the “Orientation” section of this JFRC website.
 
For more information about Tuscany, visit: http://www.regione.toscana.it/prehome_1024.htm.

Ostia Antica and the Catacombs: January 23, 2009

The ancient Roman port city of Ostia was in antiquity situated at the mouth of the river Tiber, some 20 miles west of Rome. Salt pans have been discovered in the Ostia area dating to the Middle and Late Bronze Age (1400-1000 B.C.). According to ancient tradition Ostia was founded by the fourth king of Rome, Ancus Marcius, in 620 B.C. Rome Center students depart early morning and return in time for dinner. The trip is always considered a success thanks to the wisdom of Prof. John Nicholson.

Approximate cost: € 25.00
The cost includes all transportation, guided tours, all museum entrance fees and a box lunch. Register and pay in the Rome Center Business Office.

Approximate number of students: 50

Approximate length of trip: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
This study trip is a day trip.

Facilitator: Prof. John Nicholson
Questions about logistics should be directed to RomeSLA@luc.edu.

For more information, visit: http://www.ostia-antica.org.

Pompeii: February 6, 2009

A unique visit to the Roman city of Pompeii which was buried by lava flowing from Mt. Vesuvius in the year 79 AD. Except for the lucky few, Pompeiians suffered a live burial. The amazing exhibits are visible all over the ancient site. The excavation is ongoing, from the first unearthing in 1784 through the present.

Approximate cost: € 25.00
The cost includes all transportation, guided tours, all museum entrance fees, a box lunch and a box dinner. Register and pay in the Rome Center Business Office.

Approximate number of students: 50

Approximate length of trip: 7:00 am - 8:00 pm
This study trip is a day trip.

Facilitator: Prof. John Nicholson
Questions about logistics should be directed to RomeSLA@luc.edu.

For more information about Pompeii, visit http://www.pompeiisites.org/database/pompei/pompei2.nsf?OpenDatabase.

Sicily: February 20-22, 2009

This study trip to the island of Sicily offers students the opportunity to see one of Italy's most beautiful regions while observing archaeological treasures left by the island's previous inhabitants -- the Greeks. Students arrive in the island's capital, Palermo, for a half-day tour of the city before moving on to Segesta where some of the best preserved Greek Doric temples are found, as well as a theatre built into the side of Monte Barbaro. The day closes in Selinunte with temples lined up against the island's southern coast at sunset.

Day 2 includes one of the most important colonies in Magna Graecia, Agrigento, where there are remnants from the Greeks and the Romans, including the Temple of the Olympian Zeus in the Valle dei Templi (Valley of the Temples). The trip fast-forwards through time a bit as students cross through the scenic countryside to Piazza Armerina, home to a 3rd century Roman villa and remarkable mosaics. The evening will be spent in Taormina, back in Greek times, in the midst of a gorgeous shopping and dining district. The final morning will be spent at the teatro Greco overlooking the northwest coast and Mount Etna. A drive past the largest active volcano in Europe to Catania concludes the trip before the return flight to Rome.

Approximate cost: € 280,00
This cost includes all transportation on the island of Sicily, two nights' accommodation in a three-star hotel (two students per room), daily breakfast, two dinners, guided tours and all museum entrance fees. Register and pay in the Rome Center Business Office.

Students are to book and pay for their own travel to and from Sicily. Details will be provided during the JFRC "Study Trips Informational Meeting" hosted during orientation. It is estimated that travel to and from Sicily will range from € 100,00 to € 150,00 round-trip from Rome.

Approximate number of students: 25.

Facilitator: Prof. Alexander Evers
Questions about logistics should be directed to RomeSLA@luc.edu.

For more information, visit: http://www.initaly.com/regions/sicily/sicily.htm .

ASSISI: February 27, 2009

This day trip will transport students to the medieval town of Assisi, a three hour drive northeast of Rome, situated in the center of the Umbria region, extremely rich in historical and cultural interests and is the birthplace of St. Francis.  
 
Approximate cost: €25.00
The cost includes all transportation, guided tour, all museum entrance fees and a box lunch. Register and pay in the Rome Center Business Office.
 
Approximate number of students: 50
 
Approximate length of trip: 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.
This study trip is a day trip.
 
Facilitator: Prof. John Nicholson
Questions about logistics may be directed to RomeSLA@luc.edu .

 Spring Break

Two John Felice Rome Center sponsored excursions are offered during the March Spring Break.  The annual North Africa trip to Tunisia will be available to all who are interested.   A new mini-Spring Break school-sponsored trip is being offered to the Italian island of Sardinia (Sardegna).  The Sardinia trip will be limited to the first half of the Spring Break, thus allowing students the opportunity to travel to other European destinations during the second half of the Spring Break.

Tunisia: Islam and Democratization: March 6 - 15, 2009 (Spring Break)

This study trip offers a combination of site visits and lectures by Tunisian scholars focusing on the politics of democratization in the Arab world, the role of women in Muslim society, Arab perceptions of U.S. foreign policy, U.S. perceptions of Tunisia's role in the global war on terrorism, the socio-economic challenges of development in the Sahara desert and the history of Islam in North Africa.

The study trip will start in the capital (Tunis) and then proceed to the kasbahs (Arab citadels) of Sousse and Monastir, the troglodyte dwellings of Matmata, a visit to the Muslim holy town of Kairouan, as well as the Roman coliseum of El-Jeb. The trip includes camping overnight in the Saharan desert (with an optional camel trek for the most adventuresome).

Approximate cost: € 830.00 - € 870.00
The cost includes all transportation, travel to and from Tunisia, guided tours, all museum entrance fees, four-star hotels (3 students per room), daily breakfast, daily lunch, and daily dinner.

Approximate amount of deposit: €300.00
The non-refundable deposit is necessary to secure your place on the study trip. Register and pay in the Rome Center Business Office.

Approximate number of students: 90. You are not able to give up your seat to another student in the event you decide not to participate in the study trip after having made a deposit. All deposits are non-refundable.

Facilitator: Mr. Todd Waller and Prof. Alexander Evers.
Questions about logistics should be directed to RomeSLA@luc.edu.

For more information about Tunisia, visit: http://www.tunisiaonline.com.

SARDINIA (SARDEGNA): MARCH 6 - 10, 2009 (Friday through Tuesday)

The Sardinia Study Trip is new this year and will be offered for the first half of the Spring Break.   The mini-trip allows flexibility for students who want to explore one of Europe’s most sensational islands and then venture off to other European destinations for the second half of the Break.  Paris, Barcelona, and London can be easily reached via low budget air carriers originating from the Sardinian town of Alghero. 

Sardinia is the preferred destination for many tourists. The sea around this large Mediterranean Island (second only to Sicily in size among all Mediterranean Islands) is among the most beautiful and transparent in the entire world.  The trip will primarily cover the western coast of the island.  Details as to exact locations and sites will be outlined during the January 12th study trips meeting.   The island offers a remarkable history having been sacked by the Carthaginians onward.  Perhaps the most striking of all, however, are the remnants of Sardinia’s only significant native culture, known as the Nuraghic civilization which left behind 7000 odd shaped rock formations that litter the landscape.   The trip will bring students to nooks and crannies that few Americans ever encounter.

Approximate cost: €500
This cost includes all transportation on the island (students will need to get to Sardinia on their own), hotels and most meals.

Approximate amount of deposit: €300.00
The non-refundable deposit is necessary to secure your place on the study trip. Register and pay in the Rome Center Business Office.

Approximate number of students: 20
You are not able to give up your seat to another student in the event you decide not to participate in the Study Trip after having made a deposit. All deposits are non-refundable.

Facilitator: Prof. James Schwarten
Questions about logistics may be directed to RomeSLA@luc.edu.

For more information about Sardinia, visit: http://www.sardi.it/sardinia/

 PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC: March 27-29, 2009 (tentative)

Prague, capital of the Czech Republic, is one of the few great European cities to escape massive destruction in the Second World War. As a result, it is unrivalled in its preservation of the entire historical legacy of North-Central Europe -- from the medieval to the baroque, from the "Belle Epoque" at the turn of the 20th century to the Soviet-style architecture of the 1950s, 60s, and 70s to the post-modern experiments of the present.

This study trip includes a guided walking tour of the old town, the Jewish quarter, and the neighborhood of Prague Castle as well as a visit to the modern heart of the city at Wenceslas Square. Interested (and adventurous) students will be able to visit the outer-lying area of Prague 10 to see how once-sleepy villages were incorporated into Stalinist suburban plans. Opera (Mozart composed many of his works here and is a perpetual favorite with Prague opera companies) and/or ballet tickets can also be arranged.

Approximate cost: € 270.00. The cost includes two nights' accommodation in three-star hotel, daily breakfast, two dinners, guided tours and all museum entrance fees. Register and pay in the Rome Center Business Office.

Students will be required to travel to and from Prague on their own. Numerous low-cost air carriers fly in and out of Rome's Ciampino airport. Details as to how one can find low-cost airfares will be explained at the January 12th "Study Trips Informational Meeting."

Approximate number of students: 25

Facilitator: Prof. Anne Wingenter

Questions about logistics should be directed to RomeSLA@luc.edu.