GENERAL
PREPARATIONS
LIFE IN GENOA
STUDENT HOUSING
updated: 19 June 2024
Housing Agency: Columbus Village Accommodation Snc - cell: +39 338 134 2075
Students are housed in apartments around the city center in buildings that are not student residential facilities. As we are trying to help you live in the local context but accept the fact that most Americans expect a more comfortable standard of living, all of them are above average compared to student apartments in the area. However, do not expect them to be comfortable in the same manner to which you may be accustomed. For instance, the apartments are not air-conditioned, but then few homes here are. And there are no clothes dryers. Some apartments may have lots of stairs and no elevator, but they are all very good apartments.
We have agreements with the apartment owners that we want to maintain for the future needs of FIU students, and apartments with a lease shorter than one year are difficult to find in Genoa. Please protect our rapport with them by respecting their property, and the vast majority of our students do very well in this regard.
You are expected to keep the apartments clean during the semester/session and tidy them before your departure at program conclusion. For semester programs the housing agency will do a monthly cleaning of the bathrooms and change bed linens.
contact person
One occupant of each apartment will be the contact person for the housing agency. The student can contact the housing agency directly for problems with the apartment, but at a reasonable hour and not during the weekends unless it is a serious problem. The housing agency will contact this student to arrange visits by repair people or by the owners. A 24-hour or 'day before' notice to the students is expected of the housing agency before anyone enters the apartment. If a repair person needs to come by an apartment, they will be accompanied by someone from Columbus Village.
kitchens
Kitchens have stoves (usually gas) and refrigerators. Some may not have an oven but have a microwave. There are glasses, plates, flatware, cookware and utensils. If you want to fill in certain items on your own, you may go to IKEA or a house goods store in town to buy things at your own expense.
Turn off gas when stove is not in use, and definitely when you leave the apartment for independent travel or group academic travel.
Trash is to be taken out every day and put in the proper receptacles on the street. You are encouraged to recycle glass and plastic.
bed linens
All apartments have bed linens and towels. For semester programs the housing agency will arrange a monthly change of bed linens. Otherwise you are responsible for washing them during the semester. The housing agency will wash them after you leave.
washing clothes / washing machines
Each apartment has a washing machine. There are no clothes dryers, and very few people have them in their houses. After the wash cycle has finished, don’t try to open the door for several minutes. It is locked and will unlock automatically in a few minutes. Don’t force the lock or you may break it. To dry clothes you hang them on metal racks (provided) near the window, or on a line outside a window if your apartment has one. Laundry services (wash and fold) are available at your expense if you so choose, and it can be a good idea after a trip with everyone wanting to wash clothes.
energy
Energy and water are more expensive in Italy, and people in Europe tend to be thriftier in their use. Please turn off lights and appliances when you leave the study center and apartments.