Workshops In Tuscany - Divorce, Italian Style, Writing Retreat

Divorce, Italian Style, Writing Retreat Divorce, Italian Style, Writing Retreat Seize this time of reflection and tumult after a life changing event such as divorce (divorcing a spouse, a job, a place, or a way of life) for a creative adventure in a landscape of classical beauty and an atmosphere rich in all the luxuries that matter. Rediscover your talent for self-expression while staying in an elegant and comfortable 17th century Tuscan villa (surrounded by 56 acres of olive groves and gardens, with views across the Chiana Valley). Creativity thrives on change. There’s nothing like stepping into a foreign country and nowhere like Italy to revive the spirits and put a spin on loss, change, and new beginnings. Discover and learn about yourself in a time of transition, when all things seem possible. Take that long-shelved memoir or novel or essay collection out of the drawer, or start fresh on whatever strikes your fancy. It’s your turn, now. (The emphasis of this workshop will be on change and new beginnings.) Enjoy an invigorating and supportive program of writing (and reading) with plenty of opportunities to visit museums, galleries, market towns, hill towns, Etruscan ruins, cafes, artisan’s workshops, shops, etc., as well as leisure, solitude, and camaraderie. Set the tone for the rest of your life: infuse it with energy and purpose: Divorce, Italian Style Writing Retreat includes daily craft discussions, individual tutorials (writing prompts, readings, and serial projects suggested), stimulating discussions, and a library to support your habit. Led by award-winning Boston area writer, Kathryn Liebowitz, MFA. Limited to eight. All ground transportation, meals, board, and instruction included. Il Rifugio (www.sojourn-in-italy.com) sits on 56 acres of olive and chestnut groves, fields, woodland, and gardens. While secluded and quiet, Il Rifugio is only ten minutes from the cafes, art galleries, and beautiful winding streets of Cortona, an hour from Arezzo, Montepulciano, Pienza, Assisi or Siena, about an hour-and-a-half to Firenze, Orvieto or Todi and, two hours by train to Rome. Il Rifugio is beautifully (and most comfortably) furnished with an artistic eye for the antique and contemporary. It offers places to linger including generous hearths, luxurious reading chairs and divans, a library, and patios with gorgeous views of the cultivated valley below and the hills beyond. Not to mention the beautiful woodland trail above Il Rifugio that ends with a spectacular view of Lake Trasimeno in Umbria. Divorce, Italian Style Writing Retreat: Workshops and discussions with award-winning writer devoted to helping you nurture your talents and predilections or literary turn of mind. Extensive reading list and Xeroxes of all excerpts provided A thoughtful sampling of the pleasures of Tuscany Seven nights in an exquisite (updated and restored) 17th-century villa, with plenty of opportunities for solitude and sociability (The villa has 5 single or double-occupancy rooms, 4 bathrooms, gourmet kitchen, 3 fireplaces, several common rooms, and a library.) Optional day trips to Cortona and other outings including visits to local museums, hill towns, Etruscan ruins, and art galleries. From cappuccino to vino, from your arrival to your departure, all meals and ground transportation are included Cost and Conditions Back to Workshops page For more information please Email us or call: U.S.A. 805 682 2386 or Italy (011 39) 339 199 3070

Instructor Kathryn Liebowitz, MFA	Find the time and focus on your writing you’ve always longed for in a setting and ambience that will measure up to your dreams. Week-long retreats offered in 2008. open to 8 writers (non-writing partners welcome at a discount) To learn more aboutDivorce, Italian Style, Writing Retreat in Italy, call Kathryn Liebowitz at 978-772-0421, or email: snakehill@net1plus.com

Itinerary	Opportunities to write will abound. Our days will include optional jaunts to Cortona, visits to museums and ruins, trips to outdoor markets and neighboring hill towns, as well as time to write, read, walk, and partake of the pleasures of daily life in Italy. Every day begins with breakfast Italian- (or American-) style with coffee and tea, juice, fresh baked pastries and bread, eggs, hot and cold cereals, yogurt, fruit, etc. Coffee and tea, fruit, and other snacks will be available all day; lunch and dinner will include meals at Il Rifugio and at various local restaurants; wine, too, will flow, after a civilized hour…. Most of our writing workshops and discussions will take place after lunch, while Italy takes a siesta. Please note the itinerary is subject to change.

Arrival Day We will meet you at the train station in Terontola or Camucia, and bring you to Il Rifugio, about ten minutes’ drive from Cortona. After a snack and settling in, enjoy wine and hors d’oeuvres by the fire or on the patio, followed by traditional Tuscan dinner, time to get acquainted, and catch up on sleep	We welcome you to Il Rifugio!

Day One	Who are we, where do we come from, and where are we going? Projects, prompts, and suggested readings provided. - Late afternoon visit to Cortona, gallery wine tasting, and dinner at one of Cortona’s best restaurants.

Day two	Opportunity to visit Etruscan ruins and museum, lunch and writing discussion: turning points and change. Evening of Renaissance art and food at Il Rifugio, fireside discussions.

Day Three	Café discussion and lunch in Etruscan hill town: food / art / travel as metaphors and vehicles for memoir or nonfiction writing; cooking class, and dinner at Il Rifugio.

Day Four	Free day to travel or stay close to home. We provide ground transportation to trains and buses (Arezzo, Rome, Florence, Perugia, Orvieto, and Siena, all possible day trips). Or, take the time at Il Rifugio for writing, reading, sketching, and hiking.

Day Five	Writing discussion – Looking out / looking in; exploring the personal on the page through humor or gravity; lunch; Tuscan textiles and the domestic arts, dinner at one of the area’s best restaurants.

Day Six	Morning visit to St. Francis’s cell; writing discussion: sacred spaces: within and without. Lunch and leisurely afternoon leading up to a sumptuous banquet on the patio or by the hearth. Let’s celebrate this gift of time and new perspective.

Departure Day	Breakfast and departure at 10:00 AM - We bid you a reluctant "arrivederci". Transfer from IL Rifugio to Cortona or the train station will be provided. Individual arrangements to stay an extra night or two can be made; ground transportation provided to trains and busses.

Workshop Dates	2008 Workshop Dates: October 11 - 18

Cost & Conditions	The cost of the week-long program is $2400. $200 participant discount for double-occupancy. $1750 non participant sharing a room. Enrollment is $1,000 with the remainder due 90 days prior to the event. Includes all meals, accommodations, local transportation, and classes. Airfare is not included. There is no refund for workshop hours missed by students. Cancellation and change policy: If you cancel 90 days or more prior to the arrival date there is an administration charge of $250. For cancellation less than 90 days prior to arrival date there is no refund. You can change your workshop date and notify us of this change 90 days or more prior to the arrival date without any charge assuming we have availability. We reserve the right to alter the program. We reserve the right to cancel a workshop up to 90 days prior to the arrival date for under enrollment (minimum four students) or circumstances beyond our control in which case a full refund will be made. We recommend that you purchase travel insurance in case of illnesses or any other unanticipated circumstances etc.