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Flying Alitalia? At Least You Can Read About the ICBIE!
One of the clearest indications of an excruciatingly boring flight is when you are so desperate that you read the in-flight magazine, where all the stories of exotic travel and adventures only make your trip to the Midwest seem more mundane. For that very reason, you can’t help envying the travelers whose fate landed them…
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ICBIE Memories
Hello World! Coming back from the ICBIE in Salvador de Bahia I can confirm: this place really exists! What a truly amazing experience… Every night it was a never ending smile for what had happened and one couldn’t wait for the next day! Meeting Pietro, his wife Marlene and many of the other ICBIE co-workers…
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Welcome, Celeste!
What a great kickoff for the new year! On January 3rd, the ICBIE team acquired a wonderful new player, and she immediately set off a fresh wave of enthusiasm that has everyone smiling. Celeste Chia (the radiant lady on the left in the photo above) comes to us through the new partnership with Rhythm of…
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A Mestre Pedro Performance for some Special Guests
Between Christmas and New Year’s, Mestre Pedro again brought his whole crew to the ICBIE, to give a show for our new visitors. Gabriele Fabozzi is one of the most active students in the Bridge to Bahia project at the American Overseas School of Rome. A high school senior, he has been interested in the…
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An Official Visit from the Mayor
The previous post bragged about exciting contacts with important people, and among them, the mayor of Salvador João Henrique, who has received us several times in his office at City Hall. Little did I know that, more or less at the same time that I was writing the article, the mayor and several city councilmen…
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2007: Friends in High Places
2007 has been a banner year for the ICBIE: courses are thriving, cultural activities are growing bigger and bigger, many new friends have joined our team of supporters, and fund-raising has increased. We are very grateful for all the time, hard work and yes, money, that people have given to the Institute. In addition, the…
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Reaching out to the Needy
Although the ICBIE faces constant challenges to make ends meet, we know how lucky we are, considering the conditions in our neighborhood. For example, just a few blocks away, on Rua Marques de Santo Amaro, is the Minha Vó Flor orphanage, where fifty small children live in a crowded and decrepit building. Founded in 1997…
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Cosmetics, a Bit of Hype, and Serious Building
As the holiday season approaches and guests arrive, the restoration and building work continue unabated. With the front facade and the entrance way finished, it is time for the smaller details: the ironwork is being repainted, the sign for the Leonardo da Vinci International Library is being completely redone, and in front, facing the main…
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ICBIE Celebrates the Academic Year’s End
Last Friday night, the ICBIE’s third academic year came to an end, with a diploma ceremony and a Christmas party for all the Italian language classes. More than half of the students who attend courses at the Institute are enrolled in Italian, and that subject has always been the centerpiece of our academic program. People…