part 7: culture & campus - rome
DESCRIPTION
Part 7: Culture & Campus - RomeTRANSCRIPT
Part 7: Campus and
Culture
Part 7: Discover Rome
In this lesson, you will learn about:
• Basic Information about Italy
• Safety Information
• SJU’s Campus in Rome
• Local Transportation
• Language & Culture
Benvenuti a Roma!
Italy: Some Basic Facts
• Capital: Rome
• Government Type: Republic
• President: Giorgio Napolitano
• Prime Minister: Matteo Renzi
• Major Political Parties: Popolo della Libertà, Partito Democratico, Lega
Nord, Italia dei Valori, and Unione dei Democratici Cristiani e di Centro
• Population: 61.5M (23rd largest in the world)
• Most populous cities: Rome (4.32 million), Milan (2.96 million), Naples
(3.12 million)
• Area: 301,340 km² (slightly bigger than Arizona)
• Climate: Alpine in the north, hot and dry in the south
• Time difference to the east coast: 6 hours
• Major religions: Catholicism (90%),
5% Protestantism, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Baha’i, Buddhist
and others
Safety Abroad: Rome
• Some emergency phone
numbers:
– Police: 112
– Fire Brigade: 115
– Ambulance: 118
– General Emergency: 112
Living Abroad: Italy - Classrooms and Housing
• Campus Facility: St. John’s University Rome Campus
• Location: Central, about one block from the Lepanto metro stop and many major bus
lines. In the beautiful Prati district, a 15 minute walk from the Vatican, with easy access to
the historical center. Restaurants, shopping, cinemas and gyms are plentiful.
• Room Description: Students are housed in double and triple rooms, each with its own
air conditioning and heating unit. Some rooms utilize bunk beds.
• Bathrooms: Single-sex shared bathrooms are available on each floor.
• Common Space: Each floor has a lounge space with a refrigerator and microwave; in
addition, the campus has a large student lounge and a library.
Living Abroad: Italy - Classrooms and Housing
• Computers/Internet: There is a computer lab as well as wireless internet access
throughout the building.
• Laundry: Coin-operated machines are available on campus. Expect to pay €4-6 per load.
• Linens: Bed linens, a blanket, and one towel are provided; students are responsible for
cleaning and maintaining these during their stay.
• Meals: SJU provides 15 meal vouchers each week valued at €3 each. These can be used
to eat at many area restaurants or at supermarkets. There is also a kitchen available for
student use as long as the kitchen rules are followed.
• Classrooms: Located within the campus building.
Living Abroad: Local Transportation: Rome
• Metropolitana (metro), bus. Important Note: Hours may vary but the metro
and buses do NOT run all night, but rather may stop as early as 11:30 pm.
• Taxi
• Mobilità – Rome Bike Sharing
• Walking – The best way to explore the city!
Language Briefing
Knowing the basics of the local language is crucial for getting around,
meeting new people and making a great first impression. Practice the
words and phrases below to get a head start:
• Ciao (chow) – Hello/Goodbye informal
• Buon giorno (bwohn djohr-noh) – Good Morning
• Buona sera (bwoh-na se-ra) – Good Evening
• Arrivederci (arr-ee-ve-der-chi) – Goodbye formal
• Per favore (pear fa-vo-reh) – Please
• Grazie (grats-yeh) – Thank you
• Prego (preh-goh) – You’re welcome
A few notes on culture
In case we haven’t stressed it enough, you’ll be dealing with a LOT of
cultural differences. We’ve also tried to stress that differences don’t have
to be a bad thing – in fact, they should be the reason you’re going abroad!
It helps to prepare yourself, though, so we’ve pulled together a few basic
notes on Italian culture:
1. Calcio – Forget about the Giants and Jets, the sport that the rest of the
world calls football (and Italians call calcio) is a way of life in Italy. Pick
a team to support and you’ll instantly gain about a million new friends.
2. La Bella Figura – Don’t leave the house unless you’re dressed to go
out (that means no sweatpants), don’t eat or drink while walking down
the street, and always dress for the season. They aren’t rules per se,
just standard expectations for every native Italian.
3. Sundays – Most Italian cities will pretty much shut down on Sundays
as people gather together at home for rest, relaxation and big family
dinners.
Culture, Cont’d.
4. Coffee – This is a big one, and there are rules: feel free to drink it
standing up at the bar, but never take it to go. Cappuccinos and lattes
are usually reserved for the morning hours, while in the afternoon it’s
standard to go with a simple caffé (what we call espresso) or macchiato
(“stained” caffé, with a drop of cream).
5. Time – Italians have an easy going culture, and that extends to their
interpretation of time. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be punctual
(especially when it comes to your classes!), but don’t be surprised if
things occasionally happen a few minutes later than planned.
Further Research
We could go on forever telling you about the language & culture
of these places, but the best way to prepare is to do some
research on your own and focus on the things that interest you.
Here are some resources to get you started:
• The Student Guide – made for SJU students by SJU
students, it has tons of info on each of our locations.
• LonelyPlanet.com – a website devoted to travel, with
general info on all of our locations and many more
• Wikipedia – for all its faults, Wikipedia can be great for
getting quick facts on things like geography, politics, people and
climate.