Frequently Asked Questions

Applying to Rusticatio

1. What is Rusticatio? Rusti-WHAT-io?
2. Who comes to Rusticatio?
3. How many students attend Rusticatio?
4. What is the program structure? What is a typical day like?
5. Will food be provided?
6. What are accommodations like at Rusticatio?
7. What are the prerequisites for attending Rusticatio?
8. What is the application process?
9. When should I submit my application? When is the application deadline?
10. How much does it cost to attend Rusticatio?
11. What makes Rusticatio different from other active Latin workshops?
12. Are scholarships available for Rusticatio?
13. When is payment in full due?
14. Can I leave Rusticatio early?
15. If I cannot attend, will SALVI issue a refund?

1. What is Rusticatio? Rusti-WHAT-io?

   Rusticatio, -onis f. a living in the country, country life

   Rusticatio is a week-long, full-immersion Latin workshop offering high-energy conversation exercises and readings from Latin literature. In addition, we live in Latin, performing all of our tasks and holding all of our conversations latine tantum (in Latin only).

2. Who comes to Rusticatio?

   Past participants of Rusticatio have included university faculty, high-school Latin teachers, graduate and undergraduate college students, and Latin enthusiasts. Participants under 18 years of age are not normally admitted.

   Minors and their parents should consider the Latin Immersion Summer Program at nearby Christendom College, Front Royal, Virginia.

3. How many students attend Rusticatio?

   Enrollment in each Rusticatio ranges from 20-28 participants.

4. What is the program structure? What is a typical day like?

   Each day will be structured around five to six hours of group class work including two hours of intensive oral drills carefully designed to facilitate speaking Latin in a positive, team-spirited environment. There will be three meals per day, prepared and served in turns by participants under staff direction, sometimes using the outdoor barbecues.

   Appropriate daytime breaks will provide time for refreshments, reading, independent hiking or communing with nature. Our evening hours will be spent in general relaxation, reading, singing, storytelling, skits, and board games. Throughout all these activities our shared goal will be a positive and productive experience of total immersion in the Latin language.

5. Will food be provided?

   Yes, Rusticatio tuition covers all meals, drinks and snacks. SALVI subscribes to Napoleon's dictum that "an army marches on its stomach." Food and wine are thus excellent and abundant at Claymont, featuring produce from the Claymont community's organic gardens. All participants take turns assisting our Latin-speaking kitchen manager to prepare, serve, and clean up after meals. This not only helps us to keep costs down, but is an important part of the overall immersion-learning experience, since it provides abundant opportunities for learning new vocabulary and acting on concrete instructions given in the target language. Each participant should expect to do some form of kitchen duty at least every other day.

6. What are accommodations like at Rusticatio?

   Participants will sleep dormitory-style in the Claymont Mansion's large bedrooms, which are equipped with up to 5 beds apiece. Bathrooms will be shared, though segregated by sex. The Mansion house offers many spacious common areas, and is situated on large, walkable grounds.

7. What are the prerequisites for attending Rusticatio?

   You are eligible to attend this workshop if you have already learned Latin on paper and are interested in developing active command of the spoken language. Rusticatio is not an introductory Latin course; it is not for people who have no knowledge of the language. Typically, participants have completed, at a minimum, the equivalent of two years of traditional college-level or four years of a high school Latin program. It is not necessary to have had previous experience speaking Latin. Indeed, participants who will be conversing in Latin for the first time have always been an important part of Rusticatio.

8. What is the application process?

   The Rusticatio 2010 Application is now available. Visit the Application page for more information and to download an application.

   Submitting an application does not guarantee admission to Rusticatio. Students will be notified of acceptance after a review of their application. The admissions committee will give special consideration to people at the beginning of their professional careers or who represent under-served communities.

9. When should I submit my application? What is the application deadline?

   The admissions committee makes its first round of admissions decisions four months before the start of Rusticatio. After this the committee will review applications as they are received.

   Invariably there are more qualified applicants than there are spaces, so the earlier you submit your application the better.

10. How much does it cost to attend Rusticatio?

    Tuition for Rusticatio is $895. Rusticatio tuition covers 7 days of instruction, room and all meals in a 24/7 full-immersion Latin environment. The only thing not included in Rusticatio tuition is transportation to and from Claymont, but once you arrive all meals, drinks and snacks are provided. Because SALVI subscribes to Napoleon's dictum that "an army marches on its stomach," food, wine and other beverages are both excellent and abundant, featuring produce from the Claymont community's organic gardens.

11. What makes Rusticatio different from other active Latin workshops?

    The Rusticatio workshop experience is unique in large part because of the secluded nature of the location in which it takes place. Claymont Mansion is a beautiful country estate, far away from any urban centers, which allows participants to spend a full week without any contact at all with non-Latin-speakers. In an intimidation-free environment crucial for progress in a second language, Rusticatio participants live together for seven days while they speak, read, write, cook, and relax–all while communicating entirely in Latin. Through a variety of exchanges, including instructional sessions, a common kitchen, daily shared tasks, down-time, and excellent food and wine (which are abundant and included in the price), Rusticatio participants enjoy unparalleled camaraderie while they experience first-hand various teaching methods that are directly applicable to what Latin teachers need and want to do with students in their own classrooms.

12. Are scholarships available for Rusticatio?

    Each year a limited number of scholarships may be available, depending on funding sources. If you would like to make a donation to help make scholarships available for future participants, click here.

    There are quite a few grants and scholarships available for people interested in studying Latin. We encourage you to research and apply for these funding opportunities. Some are specifically available for the professional development of Latin teachers; some are available to undergraduate and graduate students of Classics; some may be open to all applicants. Please be sure and read the eligibility requirements for each scholarship or grant to see if you qualify.

13. Do you offer continuing education credit for attending Rusticatio?

    SALVI itself does not offer formal credit for attending Rusticatio; however, all participants will receive a certification of completion.

14. When is payment in full due?

    Admission notification will include instructions for payment. There is no application fee, however a non-refundable deposit of $100 will be required within a month of your confirmation to hold your space in the workshop. Balance will be due one month before the start of Rusticatio. If you are admitted within a month of the workshop, payment in full will be due immediately.

15. Can I leave Rusticatio early?

    No. SALVI offers a full time, week long immersion experience. Students make a full-time commitment to the course, from the time they arrive and settle in on Monday, to the time they leave after clean up on Sunday.

16. If I cannot attend, will SALVI issue a refund?

    Your $100 deposit is non-refundable. The remaining part of your tuition is refundable so long as you let us know at least one month before the start date of the workshop.