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Italy Summer Program in Taormina
GENERAL INFORMATIONAuburn University is conducting an intensive academic program for undergraduate and graduate students as well as teachers of Italian in Taormina, Sicily, Italy, from May 29 to June 26. No previous knowledge of Italian is required since the program offers language courses at the elementary, intermediate, and advanced level. LOCATION: Taormina, ItalyJ. W. Goethe wrote about Sicily, in his book Italianische Reise, "Without Sicily, Italy cannot be fully understood. It is here one finds the key to all things." With its sun, its beige pebble and sandy beaches, its warm blue waters, its snow-topped volcano, its forests and rolling hills, Sicily has always been at the center of the Mediterranean Sea. Every major European royal dynasty wishing power wanted to "own" it; every major power has left its mark. In arts, law, and sciences, Sicilian contribution has been enormous: Caronda, Pirandello, Quasimodo (2 Nobel Prizes), Verga, Bellini, Antonello da Messina, Renato Guttuso, Sciascia, Vittorini, Tornatore, Dolce & Gabbana are unforgettable, without mentioning writers who have written of it (among these are Vivant Denon, Maupassant, Oscar Wilde, Virginia Woolf, and D. H. Lawrence). Taormina, on top of the Mount Tauro hill, overlooking the coastline of the Ionian Sea, is a treasure chest of history: walking along its streets, one finds a Theatre and Gymnasium of the Greek Empire, Odeon and Baths of the Roman Empire, and architectural traces of the Byzantine, Arab, and Norman dominations. It offers many opportunities of entertainment, among these the International Festival of Taormina Arte (films, operas, plays, ballets, and concerts) from May to July. The school is housed in a four-story XIX building which faces the community tennis courts, the lush public gardens, the magnificent bay of Naxos and the impressive Mount Etna. The teaching methodology emphasizes the communicative approach in classrooms of no more than 10 students to ensure that students are able to employ the Italian language in the Italian context. The school, Il Centro di Lingua e Cultura Italiana Babilonia, is accredited by the Italian Ministry of Education, I.A.L.C. (International Association of Language Centres) A.S.I.L.S.(Association of Language Schools of Italian as a Foreign Language) and E.L.I.T.E. (Excellent Language Institutions Teaching in Europe), the University for Foreigners of Perugia, and the University Ca' Foscari of Venice for teachers of Italian. It is quite easy to travel to any part of the country as well as to visit other parts of Europe. Students can travel at their own expense during the period after the end of the program. For more information on Taormina, click here. PASSPORT AND VISA REQUIREMENTSApplication for a United States passport must be made well in advance. If you do not have a PASSPORT: Please check http://travel.state.gov for the nearest local passport office and forms. Application for a United States passport should be made at least 120 days in advance of your departure date. |
Daniel NeSmith, Italian Studies Minor 2007 Thanks to the training I received from the Italian teaching staff at Auburn, especially Dr. Summerfield, I had a solid grammatical language base and a strong knowledge of Italian culture and lifestyle when I arrived for follow-on language studies at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, CA. As a Naval Officer stationed in Sicily, my foreign language skills are useful when working with the Italian Military and communicating with other Italians while I'm out exploring the country's history. However, being able to talk with my Sardinian wife, her family, and my children in Italian is the most gratifying part about learning the language. Cari saluti! 
Giovanna Summerfield |
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