Food, Sustainability, & Environmental Studies | Italy

Studying abroad at Umbra was an incredible, enriching experience where I learned just as much outside of the classroom as inside. I was a part of the FSE program and it was one of the highlights of my time in Perugia, every field trip was so special and memorable and allowed me to cultivate relationships with my professors, eat amazing food, meet really cool people, and see the beautiful Italian countryside. The Umbra staff is incredible and want to see you succeed and make the most out of your study abroad experience with travel and community engagement opportunities. Perugia is a beautiful city that welcomes you instantly, every time I traveled anywhere, coming back to Perugia felt like going home!

I had such a wonderful experience studying at the Umbra Institute in Perugia. From the moment I landed, to the very last day, the Umbra Institute made me feel right at home. The Food Studies program was very engaging and fun- the classes were all very interesting and the many class dinners and field trips were fantastic and something I will never forget. The staff at Umbra were very welcoming, kind and sweet and are the real heart of the program. I truly would recommend this program to anyone. This was by far the best semester I have had yet!

Umbra Institute is a community, one that I had such a wonderful experience being a part of. I learned personal and academic skills, volunteered in a urban garden, and made some amazing friends. The staff was so lovely and I felt like any of my needs were always met without hesitation. I participated in the FSE program which was so amazing. We had class dinners, a capstone trip to Emilia-Romana, and the coolest classes like Green Cities, Anthropology of Food and Eating, and Digital Marketing of Wine and Wineries in Central Italy. The professors are all amazing and I learned more than I ever would have thought. There are many extracurricular activities, including working with local high school students as an English tutor and working in the urban garden Orto Sole. Overall Umbra exceeded all of my expectations, and I couldn’t recommend it more!!

Highly recommend this program. I made friends for life and had such a blast living in a new, different country. You will never regret this decision! I entered with zero knowledge of the Italian language and had no problem getting around, and with some intentional language lessons and practice, I was able to hold daily conversation for necessities (restaurants, shops) with no problem! The schoolweek is only 4 days long, allowing for a lot of travel time on the weekends. Perugia, where I studied, is the perfect location. A small city with lots of restaurants, bars and a couple fun clubs, but also easy access to small villages and other major cities by train. It's also really affordable, and much cheaper than other European and Italian cities.

My experience abroad is one that I may not be able to have again because it was so amazing! From the locations traveled in Italy, to the activities, classes and staff, I could not ask for anything more. Being apart of the Food, Sustainability & Environmental Program at The Umbra Institute taught me things about the world and myself that I never thought possible. I came into the program a little later than others as I was not aware of the easy accessibility of being able to do the program as well as the acceptance. Even though I never considered myself a cook or someone with a passion for food before the program, I always had a deep fascination. The program has allowed me to broaden my appreciation for food and ignite a new passion for cooking. The program is now helping want to shape my future around sustainability, environmentalism and education.

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