Biduum (plural bidua) is the Latin word for any two-day period, and in modern parlance it’s come to be the term used for “weekend.” A SALVI Biduum is a two-day immersion event – just long enough to really enter into a language and start to make real progress in one’s speaking abilities.
SALVI’s founder Nancy Llewellyn began running weekend programs of this sort for her Latin students at Wyoming Catholic College almost ten years ago and found them incredibly useful for improving student grasp of the Latin language – besides being a great deal of fun (more or less like a Latin sleepover). Dawn Mitchell, a former Vice President of SALVI, first designed a SALVI program – Biduum Virginianum – to bring the benefits of a weekend immersion to the Latin speaking community more broadly.
Since the establishment of Biduum Virginianum, SALVI has added many more Bidua: Biduum Angelopolitanum (at the Getty Villa in Malibu), Biduum Oklahomense, Biduum Noveboracense (in New York), Biduum Georgianum, Biduum Minnesotanum, and Biduum Coloratanum. Each offers a chance to hone one’s own Latin skills and build up and become part of regional communities of Latin speakers. Each varies due to different opportunities offered by the different sites, but all offer both traditional classroom activities and ample time for informal interaction and conversation.
SALVI is interested in expanding its Biduum program – do you have a good location for a Biduum, either for college students or for the general public? We may be able to help! Email president@latin.org for more information.
Reading Horace by the fire at Biduum Noveboracense.