Wikimecum:Helpful Hints for Life in Arco I
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Here is some information that might help those living in Arco I handle things more smoothly in the event of any residential issues that one might encounter.
Laundry
The five studios in Arco I share the same laundry facilities. The laundry facilities at Arco I consist of one washer located on the first level of Arco I, through a lockable door just beyond the common open area of the historical palace. During B'08, two laundry keys were provided to the students living in Arco I. One key was shared among Studios 4, 5, and 6, and one key was shared among Studios 7 and 8. If you schedule laundry times wisely, there shouldn't be any major issues sharing the washer.
Compared to the US, washing machines in Italy take considerably longer to do a load, taking up to around 3 hours.
Unfortunately, automated driers are not a big part of the the Italian culture. Because of this, you must air-dry your clothes. While you have the option of hanging things on the racks available in some of the studios' bathrooms, or on a clothing line outside, the weather is not always optimal for drying in B Term. Be wary of rain, and monitor weather forecasts (conditions in Venice are unique, and the forecasts don't seem as accurate as one would be accustomed to or prefer). For indoor drying, be sure to make use of the heaters in your apartment. Hang sweatshirts or pants over them and stuff them with socks. It really speeds up the drying process and simultaneously provides you with warm clothing if you take them off the heater at the right time.
During B'08, a large sink, an iron, and an ironing board was also available as part of the laundry facilities in Arco I.
Power Outages
Occasional power outages may be experienced in the apartments of Arco I, typically arising from a circuit overload that blows the circuit breaker for the apartment. In most cases, this can be easily solved by following some simple two- or three-step instructions (available in multiple languages including English) located in the miniature pamphlets attached to the fuse boxes in each Studio. It's usually a matter of flipping two switches to their upright positions (the black ones, followed by the blue handle-like switch, possibly).
In the event that multiple Studios have lost power, and the problem is not solved by addressing single apartment circuit breakers, go into the laundry room. The master fuse box is located in the indoor hall after the door and study area (but before you reach the actual laundry room). The fuse box has a cover and may look like it is locked, but it probably won't be. Open this fuse box and follow a similar procedure to the one used with the individual apartment fuse boxes. Make sure you only flip switches for the appropriate Studio, lest you cut power to another apartment, where it could cause data loss or other problems.
If this fails, try contacting the landlord or Alberto Gallo. The landlord's phone number should be written on a note in the study that you enter after the first locked door leading to the laundry facilities.
Potential Problems with Heat
During B'08, the heat in Arco I was controlled by the landlord and was turned on only during two designated periods during the day (usually at lunchtime and in the evening until about midnight). If you experience problems with the heat and it is not on during the indicated times, try contacting the landlord or Alberto Gallo.
Remember that open windows, partitions, and doors have a large impact on the ambient temperature of each studio. While IQP groups might be in and out as they travel between apartments, remember to be courteous and to close the doors to at least keep some of the heat inside the rooms.
Kitchen Facilities
Each of the apartments in Arco I has a mini-fridge and an electric two-burner stove. Facilities also include a fan/light over the stove area, and a kitchen sink.
High water
During B'08, waters reached an exceptional high of 156 cm above average sea level. At this level, water reached ankle height within the open courtyard common area, and higher in the streets. While "watered-in," no Arco residents actually had to worry about water reaching their apartments because the Arco apartments are all on the second floor.