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Participants will be housed two to a room in central Arezzo within easy walking distance of class rooms, practice rooms and other students’ housing.
Students are responsible for their own meals. To give you an idea of how much to plan to spend, use the following rules of thumb:
Breakfast
An Italian breakfast consists of a cappuccino, spremuta (orange or blood orange juice with soda water) and a croissant. Have your breakfast in a “Bar” (the same thing as a cafeteria in Italy) and expect to pay around 4 Euros.
Lunch and dinner
Meals in Arezzo restaurants typically start at around 15-20 Euros for a two-course meal with a salad and non-alcoholic beverage (water is not served free in Italy as it is in the U.S.). High-end restaurants will cost upwards of 50 Euros for the same number of dishes. Be aware that potatoes and vegetables are not included in most dishes as you would expect to find in the U.S., but are featured separately as “contorni” and cost extra. A less expensive alternative to sitting down in a restaurant for lunch is to go to a deli or bar and having a “panino” (sandwich). These typically cost around 4-5 Euros. Likewise, pizzerias will be less expensive than a regular restaurant.
Cooking your own meals
If you live in an apartment that has a kitchen, cooking some meals there may be an alternative to eating all your meals out. There are many small delis in Arezzo, many of them on the Corso Italia (the main street in the historic city centre), where you can buy cheese, coldcuts, pasta and bread. These stores tend to be more expensive than the Eurospar supermarket, which is located on the Via Guido Monaco between Guido Monaco square and the train station. Though this is a small supermarket by American standards, you should be able to meet most of your shopping needs there at grocery store prices.
There are ample practice room facilities in Arezzo, both without pianos for instrumentalists and approx. 10 rooms with pianos for singers. You will be able to sign up for practice time on a schedule and you will also be able to practice in your residence rooms during the day until 8 pm.
When traveling to and from Arezzo, you should pay close attention in any public place--especially in crowds. Petty crimes such as pick pocketing and purse snatching are serious problems, especially in large cities. Pickpockets sometimes dress like businessmen so tourists should not be lulled into a false sense of security by believing that well-dressed individuals are not potential pickpockets or thieves. Most reported thefts occur at crowded tourist sites, on public buses or trains, or at the major railway stations: Rome's Termini; Milan's Centrale; Florence's Santa Maria Novella; and Naples' Centrale and Piazza Garibaldi. Beggars and con artists are also frequently encountered in airports and train stations, so if anyone asks you for money in Italian or English you should say “no” politely but firmly and walk away. Pairs of accomplices or groups of street urchins are known to divert tourists' attention so that another can pickpocket them. In one particular routine, one thief throws trash, waste or ketchup at the victim; a second thief assists the victim in cleaning up the mess; and the third discreetly takes the victim's belongings. Criminals on crowded public transportation slit the bottoms of purses or bags with a razor blade or sharp knife, then remove the contents.
Arezzo is a smaller city of about 100.000 inhabitants and does not seem to suffer from pickpockets, con artists or other types of crime to a noticeable extent. This does, however, not mean that crime is nonexistent. Students are advised to go out in pairs after dark and to pay attention to common sense safety rules. Italians are generally very hospitable and helpful, but exercise caution if invited for drinks, car rides or to visit the home of a person you have not been introduced to by someone you know. Women should also dress in an appropriate way to avoid any unnecessary attention. Students are asked to sign the check-out/check-in list with the director if they are planning to take a trip away from Arezzo without school supervision. This is in case of a family emergency and the need to contact a student.
If you should lose your passport or otherwise require the assistance of the U.S. Mission, the consulate nearest to Arezzo is in Florence. The U.S. Embassy is, of course, situated in Rome. For locations, travel tips and advisories, please go to the U.S. Diplomatic Mission to Italy homepage.
Students coming from the US or Canada should inquire from their own local health authorities how they can be covered by health insurance while they are in Italy. In some cases it may be necessary to take out a private supplemental insurance policy. In Arezzo the local hospital with emergency room is San Donato Hospital.
Mail
Mail reaches Arezzo from the U.S. in about l0 days, although it has been known to be slower! There is a post office in Arezzo on Via Guido Monaco 34, open from 8:15 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Saturday, where you may purchase stamps, but these are also available at Tabbacherias.
Computer and Internet
Access to Email is available at:The program administrative offices (more information will be published soon).The library, Istituzione Biblioteca Citta’ di Arezzo, Palazzo Pretorio Via dei Pileati n. 8, open from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday-Friday and 8:30-1:30 p.m. on Saturdays. Bar “Coffee O’clock” on Corso Italia offers wifi connectivity for 3 Euros an hour or 4 Euros for two hours. Coffee O’clock is open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Phones
If you wish to have your own phone in Italy (and this is highly recommended in case of emergencies), and already own an unlocked GSM phone and do not wish to buy or rent a phone for your travels, you can buy a SIM card and have it inserted in your U.S. mobile phone. Mobile phone chips are available at TIM stores www.tim.it located in Piazza Guido Monaco and two doors down from Coffee O’Clock on Corso Italia. The chip will give you a local phone number and is rechargeable. A photo ID is needed for chip purchase (e.g., your passport). If you wish to order a SIM card in the U.S., one service provider catering to study abroad programs is PicCell Wireless where you can order a SIM card and have it delivered by mail if ordering 14 days or more in advance of your departure.
There are phones in town that will take phone cards (purchased at any Tabaccheria). You must remember to tear off the corner to validate the card.
You may also use your international calling card number and call directly to the operators in New York (avoiding the intimidating process of making yourself understood in Italian!). Make certain you have your phone card with the international number. In the large cities, it is possible to go to the Telecommunications Office in the train stations and have the phone connections made for you.
For help in an emergency , call one of the following national emergency telephone numbers.
tel 112 for the police (Carabinieri).
tel 113 for any emergency service, including ambulance (Soccorso Pubblico di Emergenza).
tel 115 for the fire brigade (Vigili del Fuoco).
tel 116 for road assistance (Soccorso Stradale).
tel 118 for an ambulance (Ambulanza)
Taxi Service
If you need a taxi to and from the train station, call Taxi Arezzo 0575 382 626, or for more information, visit www.taxiarezzo.net. Taxis are difficult to hail on the street, so it’s best to call and order one. Also, taxis do not accept advance reservations, so if you need to go somewhere in one wait until about 5 minutes before your desired departure time.
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