Come With Me to Sardegna!

Forget the tours. 

Ignore the guide with the raised umbrella. 

Travel Independently With

Nonna’s Mulberry Tree.  

 

Come to Sardegna.

Jack and I like to travel and we are particularly partial to Italy.  Friends enjoy our tales of traveling sans a big bus and a tour guide.  Yes, we find our own hotels – sometimes we can’t fit in the shower.  Yes, we figure out how to get fed – once Jack stared at what he ordered and gulped .  Yes, I make language snafus and am often surrounded by lots of laughing folks who haven’t a clue as to what I am saying.  Those experiences are stories to share and learning adventures to build on.  Join us as we improve our Italian language skills at Centro Mediterraneo Pintadera.  I wrote about the school a few months back – http://wp.me/p3rc2m-oW – and readers have asked me if they could study with us next time.

This October 3rd – October 17th 2015 is the “next time” and we are inviting you along.  The trip is restricted to only 15 adventurous people.  People who want to learn or improve their Italian Language Skills, immerse themselves in Italian Culture, live like a local, shop the market and stroll Alghero’s sea wall.

We’re partnering with Centro Mediterraneo Pintadera, a world class Italian Language school, to facilitate our adventure. Check out their web site. (http://www.pintadera.info/home)

Here’s the deal – You make the Decisions!

Language and Culture      €550  (Time to learn how to convert $ to €)

First night Welcoming Gathering at a local bar.  First glass of wine is on us.

Jack is waiting for you!

Sunday – October 4 – Un Pasto e Conversazione at a local restaurant.  We’ll share a meal and plan the week.

Monday – October 5 – You start your 2 weeks of Italian Language Classes with a native speaker. These are full immersion classes and I think the best way to learn.  The first day you will be given a placement test at 8:30 AM.  This insures everyone is grouped appropriately.  Classes run from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM Monday thru Friday with a midmorning coffee break.

Included Cultural Courses:

Alghero – Walled-City walking tour with a local. Discover the ancient city, through the history and architecture of the old town center. (OK, this is the one time you might follow an umbrella – but it’ll be a whimsical one.)

Finding your Family – I’ll tell you my tales of researching my family,  visiting the village my family is from and reconnecting with relatives that I didn’t know I had.  Genealogical short cuts, services and hints will be shared by all.

The Dark Side of Sardinia – Banditry   The origin of banditry in Sardinia from the Spanish colonial period up to the end of ‘classical’ banditry. The link between the isolation of the island and criminality, and the culture of vendetta and kidnapping.

Dolce Vita or Is It?   Ex-pats share their stories of what works for them and what drives them insane.  I will be joined by other ex-pats who spend all or a great deal of the year in Italy.  We will hit topics like health care, daily life, taxes and of course money.

If you want to take even more classes – for an extra fee – you may.  Here is the list: http://www.pintadera.info/course.html#cultural

Travel to Sardegna – You Decide How and How Much

Use your air miles.  Look for the greatest deals.  You book your own transportation to Algerho planning on arriving on Saturday, October 3, 2015.   At the airport you can take a taxi to your apartment  .

Housing and Sustenance 

Pintadera will provide assistance choosing the right housing arrangement for you.  Want to live with a local family? Want your own apartment?  Want to meet new folks and share an apartment. Depending on what you want, the cost will range from about €400 to €600 for two weeks . Check out this link to the service Pintadera offers us. http://www.pintadera.info/accommodation.html#costs

Fresh Tuna Tonight?

This is a chance to explore the restaurants and markets of Alghero.  Shop the markets and cook in your apartment!  Or grab another student and hit the local eateries.  You decide where to eat, when and how much to spend or whether you want to stay in and cook your own meal with fresh ingredients purchased at the market.

Registration and Payments

This trip will only happen if a minimum of 10 people register to go.  Send me an e-mail, call me or leave a comment telling me that you are definitely in.

To summarize the cost –  A €550 language classes and cultural actives fee. €400 – €600 housing for two weeks.  Pretty Cheap!

After I am sure we have the minimum of 10 people joining Jack and I, I will then send you the information needed to send a €200 deposit to Pintadera using the easy and inexpensive wire service: https://www.xoom.com/how-to-transfer-money-using-xoom  This deposit is for the Language Classes and Cultural Activities.  On the first day of class you will pay the remaining €350.

Then you coordinate with Pintadera on your housing.  Upon your arrival, the housing cost will be paid in euros.

You will need to have your debit card handy and bring euros with you.  We use our debit cards in every country and have never had a problem.

Any Questions?

Send me an e-mail with your phone number and I’ll give you a call.  As we get our group organized I will be sending additional hints and information.

Buon Viaggio!