Program Information

We are pleased to invite you to join our travel-study program on Procida, Italy, an island known for its unique architecture, which has made it a favorite film location, most recently in The Postman and The Talented Mr. Ripley.

Procida
Procida is much more than a picturesque tourist locale. Inhabited since Neolithic times, this island captures to perfection the Mediterranean balance between land and sea. In a territory smaller than four square miles, agriculture and hunting thrive as much as fishing! Almost every Procidan house has a rooftop garden, and every garden displays rows of lemon trees renowned for the size and abundance of their fruit. And, although every day at dusk fishing boats leave the ancient harbor of Corricella, the most typical Procidan dish remains coniglio alla procidana (rabbit Procidan style).

Procida belongs to the Procidans, in other words, and they, in turn, belong to the history of the Mediterranean. This is the perfect place to learn more about the long-standing relationship between the "sea between lands," i.e. the Mediterranean, and the peninsula we today call Italy. We will do this through a three-week seminar integrating archeological, historical, and cultural perspectives with on-site studies. From Procida we will take field trips to the neighboring islands of Ischia and Capri, world-famous archeological sites such as Paestum, Cumae, Herculaneum and Pompeii, as well as the cities of Amalfi and Naples. Your seminar will prepare you for these excursions, giving you the necessary historical-cultural background to understand what you see and to ask informed and relevant questions of yourself, me, and our local guides. Your Italian language course, focused specifically on terminology that you will encounter in your trips, will enable you to ask these questions in Italian. Both the seminar and the Italian course will be held in the classrooms of the so-called Ex-Conservatorio delle Orfanelle , administered by the "Orientale" University of Naples on the island of Procida.

You will find more information on Procida and the Naples area in your Student Guide, which also includes information about the program, fees, accommodations, curriculum, faculty, and field trips, plus many helpful hints about your travel and stay in Italy. After deciding to join the program and to experience Italy first hand, please read through the Student Guide in detail.

L'Orientale University of Naples
The " Università degli studi di Napoli L'Orientale" is located in the Palazzo del Mediterraneo in Naples. Founded in 1732, it is the oldest institute of Sinology and Oriental Studies on the European continent, and is the main university in Italy specializing in the study of non-European languages and cultures. Today more than 50 languages are taught at the "Orientale," and the university has active research and studies agreements with other universities all over the world. Our Summer School will be hosted by the "Orientale" in a completely restored ex-convent in the Terra Murata on the island of Procida , a short boat ride from downtown Naples.

Video of L'Orientale facilities

Accommodations

All students of the program will be hosted at the Tirreno Residence , a typical Procidan structure surrounded by 3,000 square yards of garden with a swimming pool, a solarium and numerous lemon trees, bouganvilles and other local flowers, in an oasis of absolute quiet. The Residence is located in the green heart of the island, in the area named Faro (lightouse), which is not very from the port of Marina Grande. The hotel is just 100 yards away from the sea.

Students will be accommodated in double or triple occupancy rooms, on a first enrolled first served basis, as well as gender distribution at the discretion of the Director of the program. Among other amenities, all rooms have fridge, kitchen facilities, and a television.

Included in the program fees is one daily one-way transfer by taxi from the Residence to the locales of the Summer School in Via San Michele on Terra Murata . All other transfers, from Terra Murata to the Residence or elsewhere on the island are not included, but can be done by bus, on foot, or renting a bicycle.

Field Trips (click here for detailed information)

• Procida: Boat tour of the island
• Ischia: Archeological museum of Villa Arbusto
• Cumae-Baia archeological area
• Paestum
• Pompeii-Herculaneum
• Naples: The ancient city, including the Archeological Museum
• Capri: Roman Villas
• Amalfi
• Ischia: Aragonese Castle and Maritime Museum
• Naples: Modern and Contemporary

Application Process
To apply for the program, please complete and return the requested forms (under Forms and Documents) to the Office of Summer Sessions by May 1, 2009 . We look forward to receiving your documents and we are here to assist you with any questions you may have in preparing for your trip. We hope that your stay in Italy is memorable, and that you will return to the U.S. with a better understanding of the many cultural riches of the Mediterranean.

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Orientation Meeting for admitted students:
Thursday, June 4, 2009
PHELPS 5309
5:00-7:00pm

Procida - the ancient harbor of Corricella