| PHYSICAL CONDITIONS OF VILLA |
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1. Most of the house which will be referred to as the "VILLA" was built a few hundred years ago. It was clearly designed and built lavishly for a wealthy family. It is very charming and SPACIOUS.
2. When entering the house from the street entrance, there is a WIDE LONG HALLWAY or parlor floor. It has a table, chairs and side room with a coat rack. At the end of the hallway are French doors leading to the backyard or estate.
3. Years ago the LAND on the ESTATE was once a large orchard or garden. Huge stone walls surround the estate and bars were inserted on every street level window. This is reflective of a well made villa in the era of medieval warfare.
4. MARBLE and TERRAZZO FLOORS are in every room throughout the villa, downstairs and upstairs.
5. Most of the FURNITURE in the villa is very OLD. Each piece dates back to a different era and country. They tell the history of the villa and add to it's stately charm. Please be extremely careful with any antiques.
6. A right from the street level doors is the STUDY. This room has a large bed/couch, a wooden desk and bookcase.
7. Another right further down the hallway, is the LIVINGROOM. Two large windows look out onto the estate. The room has a coach, coffee table, chairs, cupboard and old portraits. It also features a large wooden music box. A wide selection of early twentieth century hits are available for your listening pleasure. It is delicate and must be played only with the consent and in the presence of owner.
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8. The CLASSROOM has two entrances; one from the hallway and one from the dining room. The windows look out onto the cobblestone street. This room contains a large table that seats six. This room contains text books and course supplements. It also contains a bookcase with a selection of language books. Maps and diplomas are on the walls.
9. Off from the classroom and hallway is the DINING ROOM. This room looks out onto the estate and has another famous furnishing- a traditional fireplace/ stove which can be seen in the Program's Brochure. This is a typical focal point in every well- to- do home or restaurant in Northern Italy. In Friuli, the region of the villa, it is called a Fogolar Furlan. It is a traditional Friulian centerpiece. This fireplace is functional and is characteristic of the Friuli and Alpine region of Italy. A heavy marble and mosaic table in this room seats eight people tightly and will be used for most meals. Big wooden cupboards containing plenty of flatware and dishes for dining can be used at all times.
10. Off from the dining room is a WASH ROOM. It has a large sink that can be used as an extra wash room in addition to the upstairs full bathroom. There are no washing machines or dryers in the house so this room was originally intended to be used to wash clothes, dishes or faces and hands before eating. This room also has a window that looks out onto a small patio.
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| 11. The KITCHEN has two entrances; one from the wash room and one from the back yard leading to the estate. The appliances in the kitchen are fifty year old relics. It contains a gas stove, refrigerator and large sink. All appliances although old are very functional. There are also cabinets, cupboards and a large table for preparing food. The cabinet above the sink is also a handy invention for drying wet plates after hand washing them. In the unlikely event, that any of the above mentioned appliances should break and can not be fixed quickly, meals will be brought in daily Mondays to Thursdays. Weekend kitchen use is an "extra" and is not required to be given during the weekends. So if a problem arises, instructor is not responsible over the weekend. There is no dishwasher or garbage disposal. Dishes should be done by hand after meals. |
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12. A LARGE WINDING STAIRCASE leads to the upstairs of the villa.
13. The UPSTAIRS BATHROOM has two entrances. One from a long hallway off from the large upstairs hallway and the other from a winding stone staircase that leads to the outside estate. A lovely balcony leads off the bathroom so you can actually bathe with fresh open air and a view of the patio and trees. That is, if you wish to leave the balcony doors open. Inside the bathroom is a toilet, sink and mirror, and a comfortable tub with hot water tank with a meter displaying it's quantity. This is convenient for shower plans. The tank also has a fireplace addition which can be used instead of electricity to heat water.
14. There are FOUR BEDROOMS UPSTAIRS. One bedroom has a double bed, armoir and dresser. The other three bedrooms each have two single beds in them. All mattresses on the upstairs beds are on the soft side, not hard. All lights can be turned off from the beds by handy bedside switches. Most bedrooms have pictures on the walls.
15. The LARGEST BEDROOM has two single beds, a night table between them, and a large armoir dresser and chairs. This bedroom has the newest furniture. The mattresses on these beds are also the newest. This very spacious room has two windows with shutters that look out onto the backyard estate.
16. The OTHER LARGE BEDROOM has two wooden framed twin beds. The mattresses are futon-like but are situated on springs. This room has an armoir with drawers and night table. It also has two large windows with shutters that look out onto the neighborhood street. |
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17. The MEDIUM SIZE BEDROOM has two antique wooden framed twin beds. These mattresses are thicker and older. This room has a large wooden dresser and small night table. Two large windows with shutters look out onto the neighborhood street.
18. This is a farm village and COUNTRY VILLA so it is susceptible to everything to which that may entail. There may be noises of animals, such as a rooster or two from surrounding farms. There are some bugs so it may be wise to close shutters and doors when you leave your rooms or at night. There are no screens on windows. Please close all windows and shutters when leaving room in case of thunderstorms.
19. A HUGE LONG HALLWAY is in the center of all the bedrooms up stairs. This room has pictures on the walls, a vanity table and chairs, a long coat rack and two large chests containing linens, towels and bedspreads. A window on one end of the hallway looks out onto a mini balcony and onto the street. At the other end of the hallway are lovely French doors leading out onto a Romeo and Juliet type balcony that overlooks the estate. A view of the Dolmonites can be enjoyed from this balcony on a clear day.
20. The house is BUILT out of HEAVY STONE. It is extremely sturdy and has been around for hundreds of years. The villa is so well constructed that it could be considered a work of art. |
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21. Some of the rooms in the villa have been repainted but others remain in need of new paint. So the condition of the WALLS is OLD. Some of the rooms have antique stenciling on the walls in need of restoration. There is some peeling and chipping of paint throughout the house. So do not expect a 4 star hotel for such an incredible deal. The villa is truly a diamond in the rough. If the villa were fully restored, it could be a castle fit for royalty!
*The villa is well known in the town and considered almost a historical sight. It walks through like a museum. Historians, photographers and book writers interested in old Friulan villas have been known to stop by for photographs. |
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22. A MAID will clean the entire house at the beginning of each new session. Only one person will be doing the heavy housework between sessions. It is not possible for the villa to be completely dirt or dust free since it is very large, old and difficult to keep clean. If the group does not feel that the house is clean enough, it may opt to either pitch in for more maid service or help out with the house work. A maid should cost about $15 an hour, so split several ways should cost very little. Also the maid will do your laundry for about $15 a load. She has a washing machine at her house and will dry the clothes on an outside line, like the rest of the Italians.
23. There is NO HEATING OR AIRCONDITIONING unit in the house but it is virtually unnecessary. The heavy stone walls make the house cool during the summer and temperatures are mild during the spring and fall. There are many blankets for unusually cold nights. During summer heat waves, fans are available as well.
24. The ELECTRICITY is delicate. Do not tamper with light fixtures or electrical outlets. Tell instructor, if there is an electrical problem or if light bulbs need to be changed. Please conserve electricity and turn lights off in rooms not being used, at all times. If a fuse is blown, the fuse box is located in the downstairs hall closet, near door entrance. A flip of the switch is all that is needed. If this does not work, and lights do not return, call instructor immediately. Instructor is soley responsible for electrical handling outside of everyday normal use. These are precautionary rules to ensure student's safety.
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25. HOT WATER will be SHUT OFF from 12 A.M. to 6 A.M. Students should alternate showers between mornings, afternoons and evenings. The hot water tank is electrical and takes about an hour to refill. On the weekends the hot water will be shut off if showers are not scheduled. If it is unpugged, just plug it back in an hour before you want to take a shower.
26. There is NO DISHWASHER OR GARBAGE DISPOSAL. Students should clean the dishes by hand after all meals except dinner parties on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Please do not put food down the sink since there is no garbage disposal.
27. There is a RESTRICTED USE OF GAS STOVE. Students may use the upper burners of the stove for heating coffee and tea, etc. at any time except midnight to dawn. However he or she may not use the lower oven unless instructor approves and is present in the kitchen at that time. Student should be careful at all times when cooking or using stove. These are safety rules to prevent accidents.
28. An old fashioned OUTDOOR TOILET in a stone room attached to a large stone shed outside in the backyard can be utilized. There is only one bathroom/toilet inside the house. So this toilet does come in very handy!
29. A garage or BARN door entrance to the house can be used in addition to the main street entrance.
A large ATTIC can be shown to you with a lovely view of the ALPINE MOUNTAINS.
Please do not enter barn or attic without consent and presence of instructor.
30. Most bedrooms will be shared with another student. However, a PRIVATE BEDROOM may be bought for an additional fee. This must be agreed upon in writing and paid with final balance.
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*Instructor is not required to immediately fix any household problem that may occur from Thursday to Monday. So in the very very unlikely event that something breaks over the weekend, like the stove, refrigerator or hot water heater, instructor has until Monday to fix the problem.
INDEMNIFICATION:
Instructor shall not be held responsible for any loss or damage to student's property or personal or bodily injury to student resulting from participation in the Live & Learn Italian Program. Student shall be responsible for all negligent acts. Student shall replace or compensate instructor for any damage to or loss of property where accomodations are provided, the Italian villa in Arba.
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