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PADUA 2012 Handbook BU in Padua

3 Getting Ready to Go 9 Arrival Language Preparation Travel Arrangements A Sense of Purpose Arrival Day Helpful Websites Orientation

4 Academics 9 Housing Programs Housing Assignments Courses Italian Households Università degli studi di Padova Family Housing Guidelines Libraries Academic Policies and 12 Life in Padua Procedures Food/Dining Erasmus Student Network 6 What to Bring Tandem Learning Handbooks Shopping Documents Entertainment Textbooks Transportation: Getting Around Calling Home Padua Clothing and Climate Mail, Packages, and Faxes Prescriptions and Drug Store E-mail Items Newspapers and Other Appliances Publications Laptops Television and Radio Miscellaneous Items Padua-area Hotels and Hostels

7 Money Matters 16 Names and Numbers Program Fees Cash Housing Deposit Airfare for Academic-Year Students Banking Getting Ready to Go “… For the great desire I had To see fair Padua, Nursery of Arts. Padua (known to as Padova) claims to be the oldest I am arrived… city in . Ancient Padua, inhabited by Veneti, thrived thanks to its excellent breed of horses and the wool And am to Padua come, as he that leaves of its sheep. Its men fought for the Romans at Cannae, and A shallow plash—to plunge him in the deep.” the city (a Roman municipium since 45 BC) became so powerful that it reportedly was able to raise two hundred thousand fighting men. The historian was born in — Shakespeare, Padua, and Padua was the first home to one of the most Act I, Scene I famous architects of the Renaissance, . Padua is also the setting for most of the action in Shakespeare's “The Taming of the Shrew.” LANGUAGE PREPARATION The city is the economic and communications hub of the It might be a good idea to brush up your Italian before region in northern Italy, and is included, with leaving for Padua. Students who have not recently taken an (Italian Venezia), in the Padua-Venice Metropolitan Area, Italian class (in Italian) are particularly encouraged to do so. population around 1,600,000. Its agricultural setting is the The more you revive your Italian before departure (particu - Pianura Padana, edged by the praised by larly in terms of grammar and vocabulary), the more you are and , and . The city is going to benefit from your semester (or academic year) in picturesque, with a dense network of arcaded streets Padua! opening into large communal piazze, and many bridges crossing the various branches of the River Bacchiglone, A SENSE OF PURPOSE which once surrounded the ancient walls like a moat. There is more to preparing for your semester in Padua than A lively city of 240,000 inhabitants, Padua is home to the deciding what to pack or brushing up on your Italian. You second oldest European university, founded in 1222, and it will also need to identify your own goals and objectives: now hosts a student population of 60,000. Elena Lucrezia Cornaro Piscopia, the first woman to receive a college • Establish some general priorities before you go— degree, graduated from the Università degli studi di Padova academic, personal, and professional—and try to keep in 1678. taught in Padua, and his podium is them in mind throughout the semester. still preserved at the Palazzo , the historic university • Think about what you hope to accomplish while you are building in the center of the city. Having been a university in Padua and in Italy. town for almost eight centuries, Padua bustles with all the • Think about how you might accomplish those goals. diverse cultural and social life that a large population of • Remember to keep an open mind. students and scholars brings. • Learn from all of your experiences.

Located about 20 miles west of Venice, Padua is extraordi - HELPFUL WEBSITES narily rich in art and architecture: it boasts ’s frescoes in the Cappella degli Scrovegni; works of Mantegna, Info on University Study Abroad Padua , and painters of the Venetian school; and it is one www.bu.edu/abroad/programs/padova-language-and- of the largest groups of interconnected medieval and renais - liberal-arts-program sance public spaces in Italy. Virtually all the great buildings www.bu.edu/abroad/media/padova-what-students-say of Palladio are within forty minutes of the city. Info on Padua Boston University’s Padua Academic Center is located in the www.padovanet.it historic center of Padua and within walking distance of most http://portale.provincia.padova.it university departments. Università degli studi di Padova www.unipd.it

Local Newspapers www.gazzettino.it/home_page.php?sez=NORDEST&ssez= PADOVA www.mattinopadova.gelocal.it

www.bu.edu/abroad 3 Italian Courses Offered in Intensive Month Academics LI 211 Third-Semester Italian LI 212 Fourth-Semester Italian LI 303 Self-Expression in Italian I Boston University hosts a rich language and liberal arts LI 306 Advanced Italian Practicum program in Padua, which offers a semester or academic year IT 310 Stylistics of intensive language study and coursework.

After the intensive language month, students have an In the fall and spring semester students will complete four opportunity to choose from approximately 10 courses at the semester courses. All courses are approved for upper BU Padua Academic Center. These include courses in Italian division credit. The BU program offers an intensive language language and/or literature and cinema; art history; and program during the first month designed to prepare history. All readings are in Italian. A minimum enrollment of students for University-level coursework in Padua. The four students is necessary for a course to be offered. remaining three semester courses can be completed at the BU program site. Upon successful completion of the Language and Liberal Arts Elective Courses Intensive course and with the approval of the Director, LI 212 Fourth-Semester Italian students have the option to combine BU Study Abroad LI 303 Self-Expression in Italian I Padua courses with one or two courses at the Università LI 306 Advanced Italian Practicum degli studi di Padova. Please note: the Resident Director IT 310 Stylistics monitors each student’s progress and preparation and IT 343 Contemporary counsels accordingly. IT 341 History of Italian Art: From Giotto to Tiepolo IT 344 Topics in Italian Music History All BU Study Abroad Padua courses are taught by Italian IT 401 History of the Jews in Italy faculty from the Università degli studi di Padova or other IT 403 History of Italian Cinema from Neo-Realism Italian universities, as well as by the Resident Director. The to Present program also includes excursions in and around the Veneto IT 520 Art Seminar on Masterworks of the Italian region, as well as to other major Italian art cities. Renaissance in Venice (Fall) IT 520 Art Seminar on Masterworks of the Italian The Università degli studi di Padova is organized in schools Renaissance in Tuscany (Spring) (called Facoltà) scattered across town. The various Facoltà HI 324 The Venetian Republic are separated according to the various disciplines. The HI 330 Modern Italian History Università degli studi di Padova is particularly strong in archaeology, classical studies, art history, Italian literature, The academic offerings may vary during the year, as new political science, history, sociology, law, medicine, and courses may be approved. Please check the BU padova page philosophy. The Fall semester in Italian universities starts at for updated information: www.bu.edu/abroad/programs/ the beginning of October and ends in January; the Spring padova-language-and-liberal-arts-program . semester starts at the beginning of and ends in June.

*Note for fall semester students: fall term courses at the UNIVERSITÀ DEGLI STUDI DI PADOVA (UNIPD) university finish at the end of January, but you will most COURSES likely be able to make arrangements with your professor to Students who feel confident in Italian should speak with take your exams early. their advisor about the possibility of taking courses at the Università degli studi di Padova. Once in Padua, they will For more information about the Università degli studi di receive assistance to select the most appropriate courses. Padova, please visit the website www.unipd.it . Please check out the various departments for course offerings: www.unipd.it/strutture/facolta/facolta.html . BU PADOVA COURSES In order to be admitted to the Padua program students are Please note that the UNIPD course listings are not available required to have completed at least two semesters of until shortly before the beginning of the academic year in college-level Italian or the equivalent. Upon completion of October for the Fall semester, or March for the Spring the Intensive Language Program in the first (intensive) semester. For this reason, Boston University Study Abroad month, students below LI 306 (sixth semester Italian) enroll Padua cannot guarantee the availability of a particular in a consecutive (also four-credit) language course. course in a given semester. In any given semester, UNIPD offers more than 200 courses in the humanities and social sciences.

4 Boston University Study Abroad Padua Some courses that have been taken by students at UNIPD in Attendance the past are listed below: You are expected to attend each class session, field trip, and any other course-related event unless you have a valid Facoltà di Lettere reason for being absent. Attendance and class participation Medieval and Renaissance Literature will influence your grade for the course. You will be required Contemporary Italian Women’s Literature to account for undue absence either by personal explanation Contemporary Italian Poetry to the course instructor and/or to the Resident Director or History of Modern and Contemporary Italian Literature by written statement from another authority. Early Modern European History Foreign Languages and Literatures (German, French, If you have been absent from a course excessively, you may Spanish) be required to withdraw from that course without credit. If History of Italian Cinema you expect to be absent from a class, you must notify your History of Photography instructor and the Director in advance, preferably in writing. Film Studies If you are absent from class for medical reasons, you need to Dialectology contact BU Study Abroad Padua and seek medical attention.

Facoltà di Scienze Politiche Academic Conduct Code Contemporary Italian History All students participating in a Boston University Study European Political Organizations Abroad are expected to maintain high standards of European (EU) Studies academic honesty and integrity. It is the responsibility of History of Journalism every student to be aware of the College of Arts and Scienes History of Political Thought Academic Conduct Code’s contents and to abide by its History of Political Institutions provisions. This can be found at www.bu.edu/cas/students International Relations /undergrad-resources/code . International Law Political and Economic Geography Tardiness Political Parties and Pressure Groups Students must make every effort to be on time for all Psychology meetings and class sessions and, in case of extenuating Sociology of the Cultural Process circumstances, must notify the appropriate persons about the tardiness . If you arrive late to class, please minimize the We recommend that full-year students take a combination effects of your arrival. Students are not admitted more than of BU courses and UNIPD courses. ten minutes past the start of class.

Coursework LIBRARIES You are expected to turn in all course assignments on time; Owing to the affiliation with the Università degli studi di turning in assignments late will have a negative effect on Padova, BU Study Abroad Padua students enjoy the same your grades. Students caught submitting the same written rights as local students in terms of borrowing materials and work for two separate courses will fail one of the courses. use of the local resources. You may access most department All academic commitments must be completed before you libraries by simply showing your Università degli studi di leave Padua; no incompletes are permitted. Students who Padova ID. In addition to all the various Università degli studi do not complete a course on time will be given an ‘F’. In di Padova department libraries, BU Study Abroad Padua addition, students are not permitted to audit courses or to program students have access to the BU Padua Academic take courses on a pass/fail basis. Center library, which specializes in Italian literature, history, and art history. At the BU Padua Academic Center you can Registration For Your Semester Abroad find all the materials needed for each BU course (articles, You will register for your program courses prior to your DVDs, VHSs) and much more. departure for Italy by submitting the course selection form. Changes to your home campus' advisor-approved course ACADEMIC POLICIES AND PROCEDURES selection can only be made based on academic reasons. You will receive detailed information on academic policies, Students must register for a total of sixteen credits. attendance, and coursework once you are in Padua. Please keep in mind that all academic commitments must Credit Transfer be completed before you leave Padua. Please make sure that your credits will transfer to your home university before you leave for Padua—this is very important. All courses are upper division.

www.bu.edu/abroad 5 It is up to your university to grant transfer credit. Please note: make color photocopies of all personal Once in Padua, should you need to enroll in different courses documents, as this makes things much easier if they need to from those which were originally approved by your be replaced. It’s a good idea to bring a money belt to carry academic advisor, you should obtain new course approval your passport, credit cards, and money. from your home school. Approving transfer credit is ultimately your home institution’s decision. TEXTBOOKS Some textbooks for the courses could be available at the BU Padua Academic Center library, while others can be purchased by students in Padua. Further information will be give during academic orientation on site. In addition, plan to What to Bring take a good size Italian-English dictionary, though diction - aries can also be purchased in Padua. HANDBOOK Bring this handbook along with you, as it contains useful CALLING HOME information which you may need during your semester Using a calling card is a convenient and generally inexpen - abroad. sive way to call the US since calls are billed at US, not local, rates. Check with your US long-distance carrier to obtain an international calling card for your calls back home to the DOCUMENTS States. Most of the long-distance companies offer these Passport and Student Visa cards and special calling plans for international calls. Be sure You must have a valid passport and student visa to spend to contact your long-distance calling card company before the semester or academic year in Italy. US citizens should leaving home to obtain the necessary access numbers to refer to the Visa Guidelines and Sample Visa Application dial from Italy. that were sent to you with your acceptance materials for the program. Italy offers a direct, toll-free line to a US operator. However, a convenient and perhaps easier method would be to buy Students not traveling on a US passport should contact the pre-paid phone cards at the tabacchi stores and use them at nearest Italian consulate to confirm visa requirements. If you the city pay phones which are located on all blocks of the are not an Italian or EU citizen and you arrive without a city for local and long-distance calls. student visa, the program reserves the right to send you home at your own expense. Cell Phones Don’t expect to use your homestay family’s phone. Most Passport-Size Photos students have found that buying a cell phone in Padua can You should already have supplied the Padova Office with the be very convenient, especially for staying in touch with specified JPEG of a passport-size photo along with your friends and family at home, and friends in Padua. acceptance paperwork. If you are planning on bringing your own mobile phone make Additionally, bring with you four original passport-size sure that you have checked with your phone company to photos for the Permesso di Saggiorno application process. assure that you can use it in Italy. Experience has shown, however, that it is easier and cheaper to purchase a simple Student Identification model in Padua. The BU Study Abroad Padua staff helps you You will receive information on applying for your student ID with this on the first day of orientation. card prior to your departure. On orientation day you will be given this card issued by the Università degli Studi di Padova, which allows you to access department libraries and CLOTHING AND CLIMATE cafeterias (mense). You can also request other student The most important thing to remember when packing discount cards once in Padua. clothes is that whatever you pack will probably be more than you will need. Also, keep in mind that you may not Also bring your student ID card from your home university. have a lot of closet and drawer space so bring only what is It is also a good idea to purchase an International Student necessary. You will do best to bring clothes that are easily Identification Card (ISIC). This provides some student mixed and matched. Please note that casual wear in the US discounts and insurance benefits. is more casual than in Italy and .

Padua can be very cold during the autumn and winter months, so you should remember to bring plenty of warm clothes. Most Italian homes are not heated as much as

6 Boston University Study Abroad Padua American homes, so you will probably find yourself wearing have recommended the use of laptops. While bringing a sweaters both indoors and outdoors during the colder laptop is by no means necessary—some students, in fact, months. Remember also to bring long underwear, and be prefer not to worry about having a laptop while in Italy—it sure to bring rain gear. In Padua it starts getting warmer in might allow for greater flexibility, if only to avoid the April, but raincoats and umbrellas are still necessary. occasional crowd in the computer room. There are Between May and September it can be quite hot and very numerous Aule Studenti and libraries at the Università degli humid. Studi di Padova where students, aside from studying, can also access the Padua WiFi service once registered. Linens Bed linens and towels are provided, but you should bring an Students will receive more information on orientation day. extra towel and/or beach towel for weekends away. There are also some internet cafes, some of which allow you to bring your own laptop, and students have been known to frequent these places when the BU Padua Academic Center is closed. Students may opt to purchase a wireless internet PRESCRIPTIONS AND DRUG STORE ITEMS key. Students are provided limited Internet access at home. You should bring copies of prescriptions for any medications Make sure that you are entirely familiar with the working you may need and for glasses or contact lenses if you wear programs of your computer, as there is limited technical them. Since medications tend to be expensive in Europe and support in Padua. because it sometimes can be difficult to get the appropriate equivalent medication, we recommend that you bring an adequate supply of whatever medications you may use MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS while abroad. Any medications you do bring should be in the • sewing kit—bring a small one; it may prove useful original, properly-labeled bottles. You should also bring an • school supplies—you’ll find the supplies you'll need in extra pair of glasses (or contact lenses) if you wear them. Padua, and it’s much easier to purchase them there than You also might want to bring your preferred over-the- to bring those materials with you. counter drugs (Tylenol, for example), a supply of deodorant, • gift for your host family—a calendar or anything that and contact lens solution. represents the place where you are from. Some families have hosted for a number of years so photo books of your hometown may not always be the best choice. APPLIANCES • camera, film, batteries, or digital camera—be sure to You may want to leave electrical appliances (especially hair bring a camera, and batteries or extra memory cards dryers) at home. Fairly inexpensive models can be since they tend to be more expensive overseas purchased overseas, and you won’t need to worry about • alarm —bring a small, non-electric one adapters or converters. If you are bringing a photo or video • sleeping bag (optional) camera you'll probably need a plug adapter for Italian-type • calculator outlets(not a voltage adapter as most travelling devices • budget travel guide—Berkeley guides, Lonely Planet have this already built in). It's easier if you bring it with you, guides, and Let’s Go Italy are recommended. The BU however, these can be purchased in Italy. Padua Academic Center does have a small collection of guides which past students have left. LAPTOPS BU Study Abroad Padua offers internet-connected PCs that are available for student use. Given the limited space at the program site, as well as the availability of wireless internet Money Matters throughout the premises, students from recent semesters PROGRAM FEES How much should I take? For information about the program fee and personal Depending on your own standard of living and budgeting guidelines visit: www.bu.edu/abroad/aid how much traveling, shopping, and dining out /finances.html . you do, students’ expenses (exclusive of Room and Board tuition, room, and board covered by your You will receive a monthly stipend as a subsidy toward your program fee) will vary. In the past, students daily expenses like food and bus transportation. Funds for have spent from $1,500-$2,500 per semester. the twelve meals per month you take with your families will Keep in mind that your buying power is directly be automatically deducted from your stipend and paid related to the exchange rate. directly to the families.

www.bu.edu/abroad 7 Your room and board is covered when the academic program is in session. You should always carry your cash and other valuables (credit cards, passport and visa, Student stipends do not cover vacation periods or winter or airline ticket, etc.) in a money belt that you spring break. For academic-year students who are not taking wear around your waist under your clothes. If Università degli studi di Padova courses, room and board are you leave for a trip out of town be sure you also not covered during the 6-week Intercession between have your passport with visa ALWAYS with fall and spring terms. you, since police may ask you for it at any time for any reason. Field Trips and Program Activities You are expected to participate in all orientation activities, excursions and other program activities, the costs of which are covered by the program and are not refundable. The The most convenient way to obtain money is with an ATM schedule for these activities varies and is at the discretion of card. You can use a Visa/Mastercard in many stores and the Director. restaurants, and to withdraw money at the many ATM machines in town. Western Union has opened many CASH branches throughout Italy, so a wire transfer from the US is always possible in the event of an emergency. The program Cash for Arrival does not recommend that students open a bank account, as You should plan to exchange $50–100 into euros before you it is an involved process for non-residents, and also leave so that you will have money to use when you first expensive due to high bank fees (approx. 100 euros to arrive in Italy; small denominations are best. You may also open/close an account, and monthly fees for one year). want to carry some US currency. ATMs Cash for Departure Instead of only using travelers checks (as used to be the It is also wise to keep around $50 in cash for your return custom), many students now rely on a combination of an trip. Check to see if there is a departure tax payable at the ATM card and credit card. Remember to bring both types of airport before you leave—you might need your last euros or cards with you, as your ATM card will be useless if it your credit card for this purpose, or if you are charged for becomes demagnetized, damaged, or lost. excess luggage.

AIRFARE FOR ACADEMIC-YEAR STUDENTS With your ATM card from home, you will be able to withdraw funds from your US checking account. Although Our office will e-mail you the Spring group flight information there will probably be a fee for each transaction at another while you are in Padua. If you opt not to take this flight, bank’s ATM machine, you will be charged the bank’s please notify our office in writing (e-mail) in order to receive exchange rate in effect on that day, which is typically better a flight credit on your student account for the Spring than the one used for normal currency exchanges. US banks semester. vary widely in the charges they attach to foreign ATM withdrawals; shop around well before leaving and consider If you take the Fall group flight, and choose to extend this moving your account based on what you learn. ticket for your return at the end of the spring semester, you are responsible for any flight changes and must contact Note: Money deposited into your US bank account during Advantage Travel directly to do so. the normal working day is typically updated on the US bank’s computer at midnight that day, which means you BANKING cannot withdraw money until the Italian bank’s computers have similarly updated their records at midnight the Expect more limited hours at banks in Padua than you may following night—in other words, there will generally be a be accustomed to in the US. Banks in Padua will usually delay of 2 business days before you can access those funds. exchange currency 8:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. and 2:30–4:30 p.m., Details for using ATM cards abroad vary from bank to bank. approximately, Monday through Friday. Most ATM systems For some banks, you will need to inform them that you plan are available to withdraw money from US accounts. Check to use your ATM card abroad so that bank officials can allow with your bank for international ATM and PIN information as overseas card transactions. Be persistent in finding out well as any applicable service charges before leaving. Keep information on service fees and restrictions. in mind that international banking fees vary depending on your bank at home—check service fees before leaving.

8 Boston University Study Abroad Padua Credit Cards and/or stay later than the official departure date, you will Credit cards are a very good emergency money source, as need to make your own housing arrangements. Up-to-date holders of these cards can get cash on the spot from partici - hotel information can be found at www.turismopadova.it . pating banks. Students have found VISA and MasterCard to Visit this site for all contact info for hotels listed on page 15. be more useful than American Express. There are ATM machines in Padua, and in cities throughout Europe, where credit cards may be used to withdraw money. Check with ARRIVAL DAY your credit card company to make sure that your PIN will The resident staff meets the group flight at the airport, then work overseas. Many stores and businesses accept students are taken directly to meet up with their host MasterCard and Visa. families. Independent travellers must check with BU Study Abroad Padua staff about the time and place of the meeting Cash point. No student should ever keep large amounts of cash in his/her room or on his/her person. ORIENTATION Orientation is held over the first four days of the program to help you with your transition to life in Padua. Activities include information sessions and tours designed to Arrival introduce you to your new surroundings as well as the academic expectations of the program. During orientation you will have lunch with the staff and dinner at home. TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS You will receive separate information on group flight You will be given the Padua Student Handbook and Survival arrangements. If you are taking the group flight, you must Guide, a very useful and complete guide to the city and the contact the travel agency directly to make your reserva - Padua activities rich in updated information on what is going tions; we cannot do this for you. on, as well as a full program calendar. No travel plans should be made before getting to Padua and consulting the final Students arriving on the group flight will be met at the academic calendar (including class schedules, exams, class airport by program staff and transported to the program site trips, group dinners, and other mandatory program appoint - by bus. Students on the group return flight will have the ments). The Padua staff is available to help you in the transi - option to sign up for a hired bus to take them to the airport tion as well as to make sure you have the most positive on departure day. experience possible while abroad.

Independent Travelers To receive authorization to travel independently, students travelling to Italy on their own must notify BU Study Abroad Housing in writing of their travel plans. If tickets have not yet been purchased, a credit for the cost of the student’s group airfare will be placed on the student’s account in Boston. HOUSING ASSIGNMENTS

If you make your own travel arrangements, please make sure Placement in your homestay family is based on the informa - to follow the instructions in the welcome e-mail that you will tion you provided on the Housing Questionnaire. Every effort receive a few weeks prior to your departure. Please send is made to place you in an environment commensurate with your itinerary to the Program Director and Student Affairs your interests and preferences. However, given the large Coordinator informing them of your arrival plans. If you have student population, housing can be tight in Padua, and some any specific questions, please do not hesitate to contact flexibility is required of all students. You will learn of your them directly. home assignment at least a week prior to your arrival in Padua. Please make sure you are coming into the main Venice airport (VCE: Venezia -Tessera), and not into the ITALIAN HOUSEHOLDS smaller and much farther Venice (TSF). Living in an Italian household is one of the best ways to fully Early and Late Arrivals immerse yourself into the local culture. Each family, whether Should your flight be delayed, please call either our Padua large or small, young couples with children, single mothers, office or our Boston office, depending on the time of day. If retired couples or widows, will provide you with an excellent you arrive in Padua earlier than the official arrival date opportunity to explore Italy and the Italian lifestyle in depth. The families which host Boston University students vary in

www.bu.edu/abroad 9 size, age, and lifestyle. Housing is located throughout Padua, and most students travel to the BU Padua Academic Center Living with an Italian Family by foot or public transportation. Although you will be a paying guest, it is best not to think of your Italian home as a hotel. In your host family’s home, you will be given your own room Rather, think of yourself as a guest and a and may share the bathroom with the family. In addition, boarder. Keep your room neat, make your bed, you will have three dinners per week at home, as well as a clean up the bathroom after using it. These daily Italian-style breakfast (usually consisting of coffee, may seem like obvious points, but they do milk, and/or cereal, toast, fruit, breakfast cookies). Under special circumstances families allow students to use the mean a great deal to the people with whom kitchen to prepare meals for themselves. You will receive a you will be living. It’s a good idea to present a stipend of 12 euros per day for meals not taken with the modest gift to your host family when you family and other daily expenses such as local transportation. arrive. It helps to break the ice and shows you Please remember that every culture, and every household, are interested in getting to know them. has unwritten rules which you will have to discover for yourself (and this will put your Italian to use!) Attention to these rules, written and unwritten, will make your housing situation easier, and your transition to life in Padua more Keys pleasant. Below you will find the basic family housing The family will provide you with your own set of keys. Once guidelines; please read them carefully. They will be you finish the program, you must return the keys. If you lose discussed more in-depth during on-site orientation. the keys, you are responsible for replacing them. Be very careful to close bedroom windows and lock doors properly FAMILY HOUSING GUIDELINES each time you leave, as theft is not uncommon in Padua. Payment of room and board Going Out and Coming Home Once you have paid your Boston University program fee, you You are free to come and go as you may be used to on your will have to make no additional payments to the family. The home campus, but we ask you to be respectful of your host Boston University office in Padua will make bi-monthly family. It is very important to let the family and program payments to the families to cover breakfast every day and staff know if you are leaving for the weekend or overnight. three evening meals per week. Visitors Shower or bath You are allowed to have visitors during the day only if you You may take a brief shower or bath once per day. have the permission of your hosts. Be aware that the family has the right to say no. This subject should be discussed Linens when you first move in. Please note that in any case, you Your homestay family will provide linens. cannot have guests overnight. Telephone Property Damage Only in an emergency can you use the host family phone for You are directly responsible for the repair or replacement of local calls. No long distance calls will be allowed without a any household item you damage or destroy. Boston calling card. Always ask before using the phone. You may University declines all responsibility. Failure to settle these receive calls when it is convenient for your host family. charges with your host family prior to departure from the Please see the “Cell Phones” section on page 6 for more program site will result in appropriate charges being information on telephone use. assessed to your Boston University student account. It may also result in inability to register for courses; inability to have Internet Phone Option grades assigned; transcript holds; and delays in processing Many program participants use Skype to call home through financial aid awards for future semesters. their computer. It is free to download and free to talk between computers. If you use this program and your host Parties/Social Gatherings family only has Internet access with an Internet key, this Students are not allowed to hold parties in their living space. service may not be available. For more information go to To do so may be cause for disciplinary sanctions up to and www.skype.com . including expulsion from the program without a refund. Laundry Storing Luggage You are entitled to have 2 loads of laundry done once a Storage is available at most train stations at your own risk. week. Some families will add your clothes to their loads, Generally, students cannot store luggage at the BU Padua others will show you how to do your own.

10 Boston University Study Abroad Padua Directions to the BU Padua Academic Center

You can arrive by train from anywhere in Italy. All From trains, including the high-speed and international Look for destination Venice (but get off in Padua). trains, stop in Padua. A train from Milan takes about two hours and is approximately 20.00 euros ($28). If you are From the Venice Airport flying to Malpensa airport you may have to take a There is an airport shuttle service called Air bus that will leave you at Milan’s . Service. This is a door to door service. You must The cost of the bus is about 8.00 euros ($11.30). reserve at least 24 hours in advance, but it is wise Malpensa airport is about 1 hour away from to reserve a week or so before your trip, calling to Milan. confirm a day ahead. The phone number is 01139-049-8704425, during regular business Once at the Train Station in Padua hours. You can also reserve this service by fax If you have luggage, it’s easiest to take a taxi from (049 8705050), by e-mail at airservice@ right outside the train station. Ask the taxi to take taxipadova.it, or through their website: you as close as possible to the BU program site, www.airservicepadova.it . whose address is: Galleria Santa Lucia, 1. The cost will be about 8 euros. Ring the bell and take the They will ask you for the following information: elevator up to the third floor. Name, date, time and number of your flight, address, and phone. The cost is 30.00 euros A word on local taxis: all taxis in Padua are with (about $40.00). one company (Radio Taxi). The taxis are white cars with a red stripe. They are licensed and From Venice metered. There is a slight surcharge for luggage Trains run throughout the day until 11:00pm. It and for evening service. Tips are not expected, takes about half an hour to get to Padua and the but a euro may be added for superior service. cost is about 3.10 euros (about $ 4.40) For More Information From / Follow the instructions in the welcome e-mail (Both cities are on the same line) that you will receive a few weeks prior to your Look for destination Venice (but get off in Padua). departure. If you have any specific questions, There are several trains leaving for Padua every please do not hesitate to contact the Padua staff day. From Rome it takes about five hours and the directly at any time. cost is approximately 40.00 euros ($36). From Florence it takes two and a half to three hours and the cost is around 20.00 euros ($28). Some trains go directly to Padua, on others you might have to switch trains in .

www.bu.edu/abroad 11 Academic Center before the program begins or after the program ends. However, in unusual circumstances, permis - Dietary Restrictions sion may be given by the Resident Director on a case-by- Lifestyles that impose dietary restrictions or case basis. special needs can mean different things to different people. If you are a vegetarian does that mean that you do not eat any red meat, chicken, or fish? Do you eat dairy products and Life in Padua eggs? If you are Jewish, do you eat pork and/or shellfish? If you keep kosher, does this imply restrictions on food preparation? Since you will You will receive updated info in the welcome e-mail a few be eating most of your principle meals in your weeks prior to your arrival in Padua. If you have any specific household, you will want to be as specific as questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Padua staff possible in defining your dietary restrictions directly. and needs on your housing questionnaire. You should also learn to express your needs in FOOD/DINING Italian before you arrive in Padua and be After family life, food and dining are among the most valued prepared to explain them to your host. The things in Italy. Food and cooking styles in Italy vary widely Housing Coordinator does her best to place from region to region. students with special dietary restrictions or needs in homes that can accommodate those Mense needs or with hosts who can be flexible with a There are mense (cafeterias) throughout the city. The student preparing his or her own meals. Do be program will provide you with a mense ID card which patient as your particular dietary needs or entitles you to a student discount. Some mense are more restrictions may be completely new to your popular than others, so be prepared to find long lines at the host family. popular ones. The food is very healthy and tasty. You can usually get two plates of food [il primo (pasta) e il secondo (meat) piatto] and beer, wine, and other beverages for only 4,00 euros. Most students opt to spend less and have and caffé have various kinds of ingredients to choose from instead a plate of pasta and a salad or fruit or yogurt. You for having a quick panino. Most Italians drink their coffee in should be aware that mozzarella is often a substitute for half-a-minute, while standing, so some caffè will not allow meat or fish. you to sit and drink your coffee without paying extra. Bars usually also have snacks and panini . Restaurants There are various kinds of “eating places” in Italy. Most authentic Italian restaurants are expensive, but they Tipping definitely are something you should experience at least once Bars and restaurants include a service charge on the bill if with a group of friends or family. The “full Italian meal” you sit down and are served. Porters at train stations get a consists of five to six courses, from appetizers, to il primo specified amount; rates are posted at each station. piatto , to il secondo piatto with contorni , to salad, to fruit, to Hairdressers and barbers also expect a small tip. dessert, to coffee. A full lunch or dinner takes two to three hours. In many restaurants, trattorie, and pizzerie, you may order a pizza and mineral water and get away with it (a ERASMUS STUDENT NETWORK common food order for a group of students). Paninoteche The Erasmus Student Network (ESN, www.esn.it ) is a student-run group that organizes activities for international “The Erasmus Student Network has given me the students in Padua. These activities range from photography opportunity to encounter an interesting and diverse courses to weekly dance parties to salsa lessons to Venetian pub crawls. To take part in most of ESN’s activities, it is group of people from all over Europe. This has necessary to sign up for a nominal fee, and this membership been a defining positive attribute of my Padua lasts an entire year. Though the majority of the group’s membership is European, Americans are welcome to partici - experience.” pate.

— Doug Anderson, Former Program Participant

12 Boston University Study Abroad Padua TANDEM LEARNING “Making friends with Italians was very easy. They The BU site staff organizes a Tandem Learning exchange with the Centro Linguistico di Ateneo (CLA) of the were always eager to get to know Americans. At the Università degli studi di Padova ( http://claweb.cla.unipd.it mensa, at BU get-togethers, on trains, people were /cetest-firstpage/ ). This is a fantastic opportunity for all students to improve their Italian through Tandem Learning, a always willing to exchange opinions and stories. face-to-face conversational exchange with a local Italian Sometimes all it took was eye contact or a smile to student from the Università degli studi di Padova. It’s a great way to improve your skills, meet new initiate conversation.” friends, and it’s fun! For further information about Tandem Learning: http://claweb.unipd.it /home/cwigham /tandem. It is especially encouraged that you sign up for the “E- Hairdressers/Barbers (Parrucchieri/Barbieri) Tandem” program that begins even before you depart for There are many hair-shops in Padua. However, if you are on Padua. a tight budget, you should ask what it costs before you sit in the chair. You will be charged for each service: shampoo, rinse, cut, blow dry, etc. The average price for a shampoo, SHOPPING rinse, cut and dry with a student discount is 27 euros (14 Markets euros for a cut only). There are a variety of markets in Padua. The open markets are the most common place for the Paduani to shop. There ENTERTAINMENT is a big fruit and vegetable market every morning and all day Saturday at Piazza delle Erbe and Piazza della Frutta. This is Padua offers a great variety of activities and facilities for you a great opportunity to grab some fresh produce, but don’t be to enjoy, including art galleries, museums, cinemas, theater, surprised to get pushed around and “yelled at” if you are not and sports events. Many of these events are sponsored by quick and aggressive. During the weekend there is a big, local music and cultural societies. You can always pick up a open market in della Valle where you can find shoes, copy of the newspaper il Mattino for concert and film clothes, plants, and other goods. During the week, listings. weekends, and through the holiday season, there are smaller markets in Piazza dei Signori, and Capitanato, where you can Social life/night life is quite lively in Padua. Depending on find almost anything from clothes to kitchenware to little your interests, there are a variety of social events going on in gifts. For groceries, PAM is very conveniently located in the the evening and night time and many choices for entertain - center of town. Bigger supermarkets include Eurospar and ment including cinema, theater, wine bars, and discos. Centro Giotto, Centro Commerciale Le Brentelle, Ipercity (to which you may want to take a bus). Paduani support local Sports Clubs vendors. They often shop at the “meat and cheese” market Arrangements can be made to join local gyms and various which is between Piazza delle Erbe and Piazza della Frutta, sports clubs. In the past, students have joined numerous "Sottosalone" in the town’s center. The markets are not only sports clubs to take part in , hiking, soccer, rugby, places to shop, but also a way to come together as a sailing, and . The Università degli studi di Padova community and socialize between weekly errands and work. CUS also offers some sports facilities. View this link for more information: www.cuspadova.com . Plan to check out Shops other cultural societies for additional clubs and events. There are various types of shops in Padua. The first and most common places where Italians shop are the little shops TRANSPORTATION: owned privately by locals. They have a variety of goods and generally are priced fairly reasonably, but some can also be GETTING AROUND PADUA very expensive. There are also malls, like Centro Giotto, a Local Transportation and Travel huge mall with over fifty shops and an Auchan to top it off While abroad, you should remember that public transporta - (see other malls above). The tabacchi shops are convenient tion is the way the great majority of local residents get shops on every block where you can buy phone cards, around their town and country, and so it should be a part of stamps, and other things you need for everyday life. There your experience as well. For that reason, and for reasons of are also numerous newsstands on corners with daily papers economy and safety, we strongly discourage students from and magazines. Remember that shops and markets in riding bicycles and renting automobiles or other motorized Padua, and Italy in general, have different hours than those vehicles while abroad. in the US. For example, expect to find them closed during siesta times (12:30–3:30 p.m.) and on Sundays.

www.bu.edu/abroad 13 The city of Padua is well-connected to major cities in the region. Trains and buses to and from Venice run continu - “My experience in Italy forced me to learn a lot about ously, eighteen hours a day. Trains to Milan, Florence, and the culture, such as simple things—banking, Rome are available throughout the day. shopping, having fun—and more delicate matters— The households where Boston University students live are in politics, art, history, economics, the university Padua. Both the Università degli studi di Padova and the BU Padua Academic Center are in the heart of the center of system, unemployment, etc…” Padua. You should expect to use public transportation, which is quite good during the day and early evening. Some and food from the US cannot be brought or imported into bus lines run with less frequency on the weekends and European Union territory. In any case some packages will holidays. Tickets should be purchased from the tabacchi require a local delivery fee of approximately 2 euros. stores and cost €1,20. Sometimes tickets may be purchased on the bus but they cost more. At the beginning of each To ensure fast delivery to Italy use a reputable courier semester, you can also apply for and buy a monthly student service. One of the most reliable service to Padua is Federal bus pass. Each bus has a box where you insert your ticket to Express. be punched with the date and the time; you should do this immediately when you get on the bus because a moving inspector may appear at any time and ask to see it. Information on obtaining a bus pass is given out during Faxes Faxes may be sent to the BU program site. The number orientation. (from the US) is 011-39-049-654-555.

MAIL, PACKAGES AND FAXES E-MAIL Please note that you should receive all mail and packages at E-mail is available at the BU program site. There are some the BU Padua Academic Center address where you will have Internet Cafés around town for an inexpensive hourly fee. a mailbox. Please note that BU Study Abroad Padua will not take responsibility for mail which arrives before the start of the program or after the program ends. Mail cannot be NEWSPAPERS AND OTHER PUBLICATIONS forwarded after the end of the program. If you apply to receive an absentee ballot please remember to change this Padua has two daily newspapers, Il Mattino and Il Gazzetino . once you return to the US. Il Mattino has a daily listing of all Padua events: cinema, theater, music, and even television films. Reading the Receiving Packages from Home newspaper is very common in the Italian life-style. Please ask the sender to use a padded envelope when mailing more than a card or letter as the BU Padua TELEVISION AND RADIO Academic Center has had problems with mail being opened There are eight local television stations in Padua, which offer and items being missing. Please remind your family NOT TO news, current affairs, sports, etc., plus the usual assortment SEND CASH! of sitcoms, soap operas, and dramas. There are also many more national stations since Italy’s television industry was All packages, regardless of method sent, should be marked privatized ten years ago, so the number of stations has as containing USED ITEMS FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY, and increased from three to over 100 nationally. Many insured at a minimal rate if insured at all. Otherwise they households have satellite and cable stations. will get snarled in European customs and incur lofty fees that you will have to pay before the package will be released There are also a number of radio stations offering everything to you. For the same reason, it is important to find out about from classical to contemporary pop/rock, American music, import and export restrictions. Many toiletries, medicines as well as Italian.

Address Mail To: PADUA-AREA HOTELS AND HOSTELS Your name No overnight guests are allowed in program housing. If c/o Boston University Study Abroad Padua friends or family members plan to visit you, please consult Galleria Santa Lucia, 1 the following list and/or links below. Please note that any 35139 Padua, Italy friends or family who wish to visit should do so at the end of the program. Accommodations in Padua range from four- star hotels to small pensions.

14 Boston University Study Abroad Padua Up-to-date hotel information can be found at: www.turistopadova.it or www.padovando.com . Getting to Know Padua Padua is both an ancient and modern city. Some area accommodations include (information subject to You’ll be surrounded by the beauty of the past, change): but you’ll also encounter the advantages and disadvantages found in all contemporary cities. [$$$ – expensive; $$ – moderate; $ – budget] Getting to know Padua means getting to know $ Buenos Aires - Via L. Belludi, 37. its people and how they live. Some suggestions Phone: 39-049-665633; Fax: 39-049-858685. from past participants: $ Igea - Via Ospedale, 87. Phone: 39-049-8750577; • “When you arrive in Padua, forget all the Fax: 39-049-660865. stereotypes you have of Italy. Welcome Italy $ Mignon - Via Luca Belludi, 22. and its culture with a fresh, brand new state Phone/Fax: 39-049-661722. of mind.” $ S. Antonio - Via S. Fermo, 118. • “Be ready to throw yourself into a new Phone: 39-049-8751393 experience. Be prepared to learn a lot.” $ Verdi - Via D. del’Orologio, 7. • “Be curious. This is not your culture—take an Phone: 39-049-8755744. open approach, and you will gain the most.” $$ Plaza Hotel - Corso Milano, 40. Located in the center of Padua. Phone: 39-049-656822; Fax: 39-049-661117. $$$ Grand’Italia - Corso del Popolo, 81. Located near the train station. Phone: 39-049-8761111; Fax: 39-049-875-0850. $$$ Majestic Toscanelli - Via del’Arco, 2. Located in the historical center. Phone: 39-049-663244; Fax: 39-049-876-0025. $$$ Methis Hotel - Rivera Paleocapa, 70 Phone: 39-049-8725555; Fax: 39-049-8725135.

www.bu.edu/abroad 15 Names and Numbers Emergency Telephone Numbers Students experiencing any kind of emergency while overseas should contact the Director, Dr. BOSTON UNIVERSITY Elisabetta Convento. STUDY ABROAD PADUA Galleria Santa Lucia, 1 During weekday office hours: 35139 Padua 011-39-049-650-303 ITALY (Program Office)

Phone: 011-39-049-650-303 Weekend and Evening Emergencies: Fax: 011-39-049-654-555 011-39-348-835-3243 (Elisabetta Convento Dr. Elisabetta Convento, Director mobile) E-mail: [email protected] 011-39-345-566-8950 (Bonnie Lee Ponthier)

Bonnie Lee Ponthier, Student Affairs Coordinator If parents need to contact their children in an E-mail: [email protected] emergency, they should call the homestay. If they can’t be reached there, the parent should Mara Levorato, Financial and Office Operations contact the program staff directly. E-mail: [email protected] There is a six hour time difference between Padua and Eastern daylight time, i.e. when it is 8 a.m. in Boston, it is 2 p.m. in Padua.

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All of the foregoing information is subject to change without notice.