Fall 2020: Florence, Italy

Program Dates

• August 24 - September 3: Program starts at PCC 
• September 4: Group flight departs U.S. for Italy
• September 5: Arrive in Florence, transfer to accommodations
• September 6: Orientation tour
• September 7: Courses resume in Florence
• October TBA: Fall Break
• November 29: End of program. Group flight departs Florence for the U.S.

Program Fees

TBA (Based on a minimum enrollment of 20 students)

Program Fee Includes:

• Roundtrip airfare (LAX to FLR) & transfers
• Housing in furnished, self-catering, apartments within the historic center of Florence
• Welcome & Farewell Dinners
• Guided city tour of Florence
• Guided visits to select historical sites and museums in Florence & Rome
• Full-day excursion to Siena & San Gimignano
• 3 day/2 night excursion to Rome
• Access to on-site Student Center and the services of experienced Student Advisors
• On-site faculty, student support staff, and 24-hour emergency contact service
• Free wireless internet access at teaching site and in apartments
• Accident and illness insurance
• Liability insurance

Program fee does not include:

• Mandatory U.S. government and airline-imposed departure taxes, fees and fuel surcharges of TBA (subject to change)
• Optional meal plan ($400) consisting of 25 vouchers for use at lunch or dinner in selected Florence eateries
• Optional medical insurance upgrade ($65) and optional personal effects coverage ($95)
• Passport and visa fees, if applicable
• PCC course registration fees
• Textbooks
• Personal expenses

Item:	Fee:	Deadline:
Enrollment Deposit	$450.00	Due immediately upon acceptance into program
Balance of Fees	TBA	July 10, 2020
Airline Taxes (estimate)	TBA	July 10, 2020
Total	TBA
Optional Upgrades:	Fee:	Deadline:
Meal Plan	$400.00	Before departure
Medical Insurance Upgrade	$65.00	July 10, 2020
Personal Effects Coverage	$90.00	July 10, 2020

Airfare for student participants is offered on a space-available basis. Airline tickets cannot be arranged for students applying after Thursday, June 11, 2020. Land-only packages, without airfare, may be offered to students accepted into the program after this date.

All students must submit a $450 deposit upon acceptance into the program and when completing the online enrollment form. Subsequent payments may be made by check or credit card. Checks should be made payable to “AIFS.” You may also use American Express, MasterCard or Visa.

Please note: A $35 returned check fee will be charged on all checks returned by the bank for insufficient funds.

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Financial Aid Students

Financial Aid students are responsible for paying, by July 10, 2020, the airfare (TBA), airline taxes (TBA – subject to change), a $600 program reservation deposit, and any remaining balance that will not be covered by aid.

AIFS Transportation Package

Tickets purchased from AIFS are exclusively on scheduled airlines (not charters). They are not endorsable to another carrier. Flights are not necessarily direct or non-stop, and frequent flyer miles are not applicable. Once airline tickets have been issued to students, they can only be changed directly with the issuing agent – agent and airline-imposed penalties apply. The AIFS Transportation Package includes round-trip ground transportation from the airport in Italy to your accommodations on the regularly scheduled program dates.

Participants wishing to cancel from the flight must notify AIFS in writing by Thursday, June 11, 2020. Cancellation penalties will apply. Tickets are non-refundable after this date.

AIFS Airfare Regulations

Return must be to original U.S. departure point. Tickets are subject to airline availability. No refunds are available for any unused portion of ticket. Tickets cannot be rerouted, and stopovers are not permitted. Once in Italy participants may be able to change their return date, but only if that date is available and in the same class of service in which the ticket was booked. Only the ticketing agent can provide this information. Participants are subject to agency and airline-imposed change fees and space availability. Group round-trip ground transportation to and from the airport in Italy is on the regularly scheduled program dates only.

A minimum of 10 participants must take the AIFS flight for it to be offered.

Course Offerings

Participants must enroll in a minimum of 11 units from the following program courses:

Course No.	Course Name	Units
ENGL 001C	Critical Thinking & Argument	4
ENGL 009	Creative Nonfiction	3
ENGL 061	Introduction to the Novel	3
ITAL 010	Italian Civilization	3
ITAL 050	Italian Film as Dramatic Literature	3
ITAL 001-004	Elementary or Intermediate Italian	5

*All courses are CSU/UC transferable*Honors Program credit for those who qualify

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ITAL 010 Italian Civilization: This course is an overview of history, politics, literature and arts of Italy from the fall of the Roman Empire to present. We will look closely at the historical, political and artistic evolution of Italian society, and explore the major contributions of Italians to the arts and world culture with a particular emphasis to the Renaissance period, being Florence the center of Renaissance. In so doing the students will be given the basic knowledge necessary to understand the complexity of one of Europe’s oldest societies. Language and culture are inextricably intertwined. We would like our students studying in Florence to not only improve their knowledge of Italian language but also to acquire an in-depth knowledge of, and greater appreciation for Italian culture.

ITAL 050 Italian Film as Dramatic Literature: The purpose of this course is to acquaint students with Italian culture through the viewing and discussion of some of the most well-known and internationally acclaimed Italian films. The main changes in Italian society and the most important political and historical events have been “told” by the major Italian directors in their films. By watching the films we will follow a path that will take us from neorealism to contemporary cinema providing us with an outlook on Italian society then and today. This course will be particularly relevant to the Florence abroad program because through the medium of film the students will gain a deeper knowledge of Italian society, people, customs and traditions.

ITAL 001 through 004 Elementary or Intermediate Italian: The purpose of these courses is to enable students to develop skills in understanding and speaking everyday Italian in different common situations; to read and write with accuracy using correct grammatical points; to learn about Italy, its history and its culture. The language instruction is a central part
 of the students' experience in Florence, and learning the language is an integral part of exposing oneself to that culture. Language and culture are inextricably intertwined and at the end of the trip, students not only will have improved their knowledge of the Italian language, but they will also have acquired a greater appreciation for Italian culture There is no better way to learn a language than in the target country. In Florence the students will be able to practice every day what they learned so they will improve much faster.

Program Faculty

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Rita D'Amico, italian professor

Dr. Rita A. D’Amico is a professor of Italian at Pasadena City College, where she has taught a broad range of courses in contemporary Italian literature, culture, cinema, and language since 2001. Professor D’Amico is a specialist in nineteenth and twentieth century Italian Literature, and her teaching and research interests are also in Italian culture, cinema, pedagogy and methodology in second language acquisition. She is a native Italian, born and raised in Milan. She received a Doctorate degree in Political Science with a major in International Relations from the University of Milan and a Ph.D. in Italian Literature from UCLA. She is the co-author of a textbook on Italian Civilization, and she is a member of several professional organizations.

Professor D’Amico has led the Florence Program several times and each time had a memorable, mutually enriching experience with her students. She looks forward to sharing the artistic treasures of her native country with students and to exposing them to the unique experience of “living” in the country, interacting with Italian people, and getting acquainted with Italian culture and society. 

• Email: radamico@pasadena.edu
• Phone: (626) 585-7478

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Michelle Banks, English Professor

• Email: mebanks@pasadena.edu
• Phone: (626) 585-3148

Meals & Accommodations

Accommodations in furnished, self-catering, apartments located within the historical center of Florence. You will stay in twin rooms with typically 4 to 6 PCC students sharing a two or three bedroom apartment. Apartments include kitchens for meal preparation, with cooking equipment, plates, glasses, and utensils. Linens will also be provided, although you should bring your own towels.

Optional Meal Plan:

A package of 25 meal vouchers for use at lunch or dinner in selected eateries in Florence is available for an additional fee of $400.

Excursions & Activities

ORIENTATION TOUR
Orientation program upon arrival followed by a walking tour of Florence and a Welcome Dinner.

ROME
(Three days/Two nights) In Rome, there is visible evidence of the two great empires of the western world: the Roman Empire and the Christian Church. Home of the Roman Forum and the Coliseum, St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican, history comes alive as you stroll through the piazzas of Italy’s ancient capital. 

Your time here will include a guided sightseeing tour, entrance to the Roman Forum and the Coliseum, and a guided tour of the Vatican museums. Round-trip transportation, twin-room hotel accommodations, and breakfast are included.

SIENA AND SAN GIMIGNANO
Guided day-trip to the enchanting Tuscan towns of Siena, famous for its Palio horse race, and San Gimignano, the medieval city of beautiful towers. Round-trip transportation and local guide included.

INDEPENDENT TRAVEL
Use your free weekends to travel around Italy and to Europe’s great cities. Local staff will assist you in choosing destinations and transportation. Student favorites include Rome, Venice, Milan, Paris, Amsterdam, Dublin and Berlin. The program will have a Fall Break in October. This is a great time to explore!

ACTIVITIES
Additional activities will be available in Florence, either at no additional cost or for a subsidized fee. Activities may include a cooking class, opera, fútbol match, and more!

ITALIAN-AMERICAN SCHOLARSHIP
The Italian American Scholarship Fund provides awards and scholarships for the study of Italian to PCC students. To qualify for this scholarship, you must have completed an Italian language course at Pasadena City College. Qualified students are invited to apply to support their Florence program costs. $1,000 award.

Visit https://pasadena.academicworks.com/opportunities/4795 to learn more about the scholarship.

To begin your application, go to https://pasadena.academicworks.com/users/sign_in and log-in with your LancerPoint credentials.

Application Period: TBA

Financial Aid may be available to those who qualify. Grants, loans, and scholarships may be used to pay program fees.

Apply immediately. You should allow up to eight weeks for your financial aid request to be processed.

More About Financial Aid options at PCC