FACS 2800/3800 (6.0): Studies Abroad: the Arts in Culture I/II

Travel Documents
Please ensure that you have the following documents with you:

valid travel documents (passport and, if required, visa)
valid International Student Identity Card/ISIC (available at Travel Cuts)
overseas health insurance covering the duration of the course (available at travel agencies and banks)

Note: Even if you are a Canadian citizen or holder of an Italian passport, it is your responsibility to ensure that you have all the documents required to enter Italy. A travel agent or the Italian consulate can assist you with this.

All travel and other documents (including health and credit cards) should be xeroxed twice; keep one copy in your belongings (but separate from the originals), and leave one copy at home with someone you can reach if you require quick access to this information. This will facilitate the replacement of your documents if they are lost or stolen.

Chronic Medical Conditions and Prescription Drugs

If you have a chronic medical condition that requires prescription drugs to control, please ensure that you bring enough of these drugs to cover the duration of the course. Filling prescriptions abroad can be difficult and is often costly. In addition, please document your condition(s) and the drugs you take (generic as well as brand name), and keep on your person in case of emergency. I will also ask you for a copy once you reach Rome. Finally, please advise your doctor that you are making this trip so that you are aware of the repercussions, if any, on your condition.

Emergency Contact Program

Please advise your parents or other next of kin of York University’s Emergency Contact Program, described below and again on the website under LIVING IN ROME. This is a free service and I encourage you to register for it so that you have access to this additional means of assistance on the off chance that you encounter difficulty abroad.

The Emergency Contact Program is available for students enrolled in any international educational program through York International. The York University Security Office is available as the first point of contact to assist students 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, anywhere in the world. Should you call the hotline, York Security will then contact York International staff on your behalf if assistance is required. Students who register with York International are issued a card which includes contact information for York Security and may call collect.

What To Bring

Beyond the items you would normally pack for a month-long stay abroad, please give special consideration to the following items:

walking shoes/sandals/runners (bring shoes that have already been broken in)
day pack/knapsack (for day trips)
camera (and film if you are not using a digital camera)
binoculars/opera glasses
sunglasses
sun screen
hat (for protection from the sun)
water bottle (you’ll need to keep hydrated in the hot weather)
220ac adaptor (for any electrical item you might want to plug in)
Swiss army knife (handy for picnics, small repairs etc.)
cell phone (for locals calls)
iPod (if you can’t live without your music)
earplugs (if you are sensitive to noise)
face cloth
travel-size alarm clock
lightweight, collapsible umbrella

Note: This list, which will be updated from time to time, does not include material that you will need to undertake assignments.

The Weather in Rome
The average daytime temperature in June is typically 22-23 degrees C. This is realistic during the early part of the month but by mid June it will typically be hotter than this. Some years, the temperature in late June has sat fairly consistently in the high 20s or even the low 30s.

For charts summarizing average weather conditions in Rome for the month of June, I like the BBC Weather site at www.bbc.co.uk/weather/world/city_guides/results.shtml?tt=TT004000.

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