ISSUE 5 JULY 3, 2017 GRADUATE

IMPORTANT DATES

August 1 – Second Paperwork Deadline, Register for Fall 2017 Language Course

August 15– Summer Assignment and Student Questionnaire Due

August 18 – Arrival into Florence; Check into Marist Housing (if applicable)

August 19 – Mandatory Orientation begins

September 4 — Classes Begin

To our U.S. students: Happy (almost) 4th of July! Curious about when Italy’s independ-ence day celebration occurs? In Italy, this day is known as Liberation Day (Festa della Liberazione). It is also known as the Anniversary of the Liberation (Anniversario della lib-erazione d'Italia), Anniversary of the Resistance (anniversario della Resistenza), or simp-ly April 25. This national Italian holiday commemorates the end of the Italian Civil War and the end of Nazi occupation of the country during World War II.

The liberation put an end to twenty years of fascist dictatorship and five years of war. It symbolically represents the beginning of the historical journey which led to the referen-dum of June 2, 1946, when Italians opted for an end to the monarchy and the creation of the Italian Republic, which was followed by the adoption of the republic's Constitution of Italy in 1948.

How do Italians celebrate Festa della Liberazioine? Most of the country shuts down so Italians can attend parades, concerts, demonstrations, speeches and ceremonies honor-ing those who lost their lives at the hands of the Nazis, particularly the Resistance fight-ers. Bella Ciao, a popular song to commemorate the Italian Resistance, can be heard throughout Italy on this day.

Liberation Day

Florence Factoid

Have no fear, coffee drinkers,

because coffee is an integral

part of Italian life! Expect a few

differences, however. What we

would call a café in the United

States is known as a bar in Italy,

serving alcoholic and nonalco-

holic beverages (including cof-

fee) throughout the day. Coffee

breaks are typically short, with

patrons taking their coffee at the

bar for only five to ten minutes.

Here are a few types of coffee

drinks you can order in Italy!

• caffè : a small cup of very

strong coffee (espresso)

• caffè doppio : two espresso

served in one cup

• caffè ristretto : a stronger

version of a caffè

• caffè Americano : espresso

with hot water served in a larger

cup than a caffè

• caffè macchiato : espresso

with a drop of milk

• caffè latte : coffee with addi-

tional hot milk

• caffè lungo : espresso with

extra water

• cappuccino : espresso with

steamed milk and foam

• un deca : decaffeinated

PRE-DEPARTURE QUESTIONS:

Laura Zuelch

Marist Italy Coordinator

P: 845-575-3330 | E: Laura.Zuelch@Marist.edu

Phones and Calling Options

One of the biggest decisions to make while

preparing to go abroad is choosing a phone

plan. International calling can be incredibly

expensive, and most mobile phone plans do

not include international services. Interna-

tional services are, however, available

through any major phone carrier.

One option for students is to unlock their

smartphones, should they have them, and

acquire an international SIM card from their

providers. Once phones have been un-

locked, there is a fee for adding internation-

al calling and texting. It is best to check with

your individual carrier for their fees, terms,

and policies prior to departure.

Another option for students is renting a

phone through PicCell Wireless. PicCell

offers both standard cellphones and

smartphones, and offers a wide range of

international SIM cards. Students can pur-

chase a phone through PicCell and can rent

an Italian SIM card for a small additional

fee. PicCell is convenient in that it offers a

variety of calling and texting plans, so you

can choose a plan that works best for you.

One other popular option is purchasing a

pay-as-you-go phone. You can purchase

international calling cards as needed, and

the phones themselves are relatively inex-

pensive to purchase. For compatibility over-

seas, a pay-as-you-go phone can some-

times be the easiest way to stay connected,

as there are numerous pay-as-you-go op-

tions through Vodafone, Telecom Italia, and

Wind, some of Italy’s largest phone service

providers.

Regardless of which phone you choose, it is

important that you stay connected. Phones

are mandatory, and you are required to be

available by phone should there be an

emergency or should someone need to

reach you. Phone plans should also be ar-

ranged and ordered by mid-July to ensure

that phones and SIM cards arrive before

departure.

For more information on phone plans and

providers, you can visit your providers’ web-

sites, or you can visit some of the links be-

low for more information.

https://my.piccellwireless.com/index.aspx

https://ww.windmobile.ca/

http://www.vodafone.com/content/

index.html

https://www.telecomitalia.com/tit/en.html

https://www.verizonwireless.com/wcms/

global/international-longdistance.html

http://www.t-mobile.com/optional-services/

international.html