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Caifiordi - An Umbrian Art Experience Caifiordi La Scuola d'Arte, Inc. P.O. Box 1328 West Memphis AR 72303 US Toll Free: 1-888-300-6323 Email: info@caifiordi.com |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
WHAT IF I DON’T SPEAK ITALIAN?We would expect that few, if any, of our students will be fluent in Italian. That will not prove to be a problem for you, although it may result in some interesting experiences. Constance has been studying Italian for several years and can serve as a translator. Umbrians are by nature a very friendly and gregarious people. They will just be so delighted to have American artists visiting their beautiful region that they will go out of their way to be accommodating and helpful. In the past, we have had to resort to sign language and strange verbal sounds, but we have always been able to make ourselves understood. Just look upon this as a good way to become comfortable saying buon giorno and per favore. As with most travel, the best conversational tool you can bring is a bright smile and a good attitude. You will find the Umbrians to be most welcoming and very interested in all things American.WHAT CLOTHING SHOULD I BRING?Italians, like most Europeans, do not dress as casually as do Americans. Neither do they wear shorts, except at the beach or for athletic activities. For your week stay, you should need no more than 3 pair of dark slacks (or two pair of slacks and a skirt), five tops, and one jacket, sweater or shawl. During late June through early September, the daytime temperatures are quite warm and lightweight cotton clothing would be most appropriate. During the spring and fall, the temperature can be cool, especially at night, so a light jacket or shawl would be helpful. Many churches will not allow you inside in sleeveless tops, so it is helpful to have either a jacket or shawl that can be thrown around your shoulders while you are touring the church. We will be doing a lot of walking, so comfortable shoes will be a must. We would advise bringing only one pair to save on packing weight. Men will not need either a necktie or a sport jacket for any of the restaurants we will be visiting. It would be wise to also include a fold-up "straw" hat to wear during the heat of the day. Walmart and Target usually have those very inexpensively. They are also available on-line from various travel clothing companies.ARE THERE ANY PACKING RESTRICTIONS?The restrictions for items that can be placed in your carry-on luggage change frequently. We would advise consulting the Transportation Safety Administration at www.tsa.gov shortly before you depart to check the most current restrictions. Other than small quantities of some personal toiletries and medications, no liquids or gels can be placed in your carry-on baggage. Most airlines limit you to one carry-on bag and one personal item, such as a handbag, and a total of two checked bags. Neither of the checked bags can weigh more than 50 pounds. Italian vehicles are small and have relatively little space for baggage. Many Italian hotels, including the lodging where you will be staying in Pietralunga, do not have elevators. While there will be persons available to assist you with the luggage, you may find it far easier to bring only one carry-on and one checked bag. We have learned, through twenty-five trips to Italy, that the best procedure for packing is to pack half of what you originally thought you would need to bring and then remove half of that. Literally, the less you pack, the happier you will be.WHAT ART SUPPLIES DO I NEED TO BRING?The school will be supplying you with watercolor paper and a palette of either acrylic or watercolor paints depending on your preference of media. The school also has a limited supply of other art supplies for sale. You will be furnished a table easel for studio work, and a french easel and camp stool for plein air painting and a water bottle. You will need to bring your own brushes, palette knives and any other item you regularly use for painting. Please remember that your palette knives need to be placed in your checked baggage.HOW MUCH MONEY WILL I NEED?Your tuition covers nearly all your living and eating expenses while in Italy. You will need to bring money only for your lunch and dinner in Florence on Saturday evening and any personal items or souvenirs you will wish to purchase during your trip. At the end of each evening, following dinner, you may desire to return to one of the village bars for a drink or un caffe. You will need to be prepared for these and other small personal expenditures. The most convenient way to access money during your stay is through your bank ATM card. You should make certain that you have a four digit Personal Identification Number (PIN) and that your ATM card is linked to your checking account and not to a savings account. If in doubt, just call your bank. It is also wise to let your bank know that you will be traveling outside the country so that there will be no confusion on their part. There are several ATM machines available in Pietralunga and we have used them for years with no problem. There is a limit of 250 euros per day which can be withdrawn, but that should be much more than adequate. By using the ATM, you will get the current exchange rate, the fees are relatively low, and you will not be changing more dollars into euros than you need. Most restaurants and shops in Florence accept Mastercard and Visa. Many also accept Discover and American Express. Very few of the merchants in the smaller villages accept any credit cards.WHAT WILL THE WEATHER BE LIKE?During the months of April, May and June, the temperatures will be similar to springtime in locations such as Virginia and Connecticut. The days will be warm, with temperatures in the mid to upper 70s. The nights will be much cooler, with temperatures in the low 50s. Rain, always a possibility, is particularly likely during April. The prospect of rain is offset by the fact that the spring months are literally beautiful, with all the surrounding hills turning green and literally covered with the brilliant yellow of wild forsythia bushes. It is at this time of the year that you are likely to see wild deer and the wild boar, i cinguali. July and August are, in a word, hot. There will be some letup in temperature as the sun drops, especially as Pietralunga in quite high in elevation. The studio, hotel and restaurants are not air-conditioned, the normal practice in Italy. Depending on the daily temperature, our schedule may be reversed with painting on location in the morning and studio work in the late afternoon after a time for siesta. We have spent six summers in Italy during this time of the year. It is hot, but I have not found it an overwhelming obstacle. If you have chosen this time of year for your visit with us, you should bring some sunscreen, good sunglasses and a hat. September and October have weather similar to the spring months. Again, there is a chance for rain. This is the season for harvesting the truffles and porcini muschrooms which grow wild here and the fall foliage begins to show itself. We cannot tell you which of these seasons is best. We simply love them all.WHAT KIND OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY WILL THERE BE?Each day we will be visiting another medieval hill town in the Umbrian region. As the term "hill town" implies, the streets are located on hills and there are sometimes walking challenges. We will make every effort to park our vehicles in the most convenient location. Often, vehicular access is restricted either because the streets are pedestrian only areas or because the streets are too small to accommodate our vehicles. If you are moderately fit, you should have no trouble. If your mobility is dependent on a wheelchair or crutches, we would suggest that it will be virtually impossible to accommodate your needs. The restaurants, hotels and churches we will be visiting are simply not designed to be accessible to mobility impaired individuals.WHAT ABOUT MEDICATIONS?You should bring with you any prescription drugs you take regularly. Those should be packed in your carry-on luggage. No extra shots are needed for travel in Italy. If you are prone to motion sickness when traveling by car, you should probably bring either a prescription or over the counter drug to combat that. We will, whenever possible, accommodate those of you who become car sick by placing you in the front passenger seat. That may not always be possible. A friend of ours, who has visited us many times, routinely takes a motion sickness pill every time she gets into the car just in case. There are pharmacists and an emergency room doctor in Pietralunga. The nearest hospital is in Umbertide, which is only 20 minutes or so away. You should check with your medical insurance provider to determine if there are any special forms you need to file a claim in Italy. To set your mind at ease, however, Italian hospitals do not charge foreigners for providing medical treatment in emergency or accident situations.WHAT IF I HAVE TO CANCEL MY TRIP?Unfortunately, personal events sometimes require a student to have to make a cancellation in their travel plans. As our school is so small, we cannot refund an application fee unless we are able to fill that particular place. We would urge you to consider purchasing trip cancellation insurance. Several companies who provide this service can be found at: www.travelguard.com; www.insuremytrip.com; and www.eglobalhealth.com. We cannot be in a position of endorsing any of these companies and urge you to undertake your own investigation before purchasing this insurance. The cost for this type of insurance is minimal and you may determine it to be a wise investment.WHAT IF I WANT TO EXTEND MY TRIP?There are many delightful parts of Umbria and neighboring Tuscany that would be of particular interest to artists. You may decide that you want to extend your trip and stay an additional week or two in the region. Please check our Add Ons page for suggestions for accommodations and tourist attractions. You could easily reserve a rental car for pick-up in Sunday at the Florence airport and return that car there at the end of your extended stay. Italians drive on the same side of the road as do Americans, so that would not be a problem for you. Most Italian vehicles are manual transmission. If you want to drive an automatic transmission, you should arrange for that at the time you make your reservation. We always use Auto Europe at www.autoeurope.com to reserve vehicles for our trips. You must pay for the reservation at the time of booking but there are cost advantages to paying in the US rather than upon arrival in Europe.WHAT IF I HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS?We are certain that we have not managed to answer all of our questions. Just e-mail us or call the toll free number listed on the site. We will be happy to help make this trip very enjoyable and productive for you. |
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