Rusticatio Omnibus 2026

Rusticatio Omnibus is a full-immersion Latin workshop offering high-energy conversation exercises and readings from Latin literature in a supportive, intimidation-free environment.

Participants live together for seven days (six nights) while they speak, read, cook and relax—all while communicating entirely in Latin. Through a variety of exchanges, including instructional sessions, assisting in the kitchen, daily shared tasks, and downtime, participants in Rusticatio Omnibus enjoy a feeling of camaraderie while they experience first-hand various teaching methods that can be applied to teaching Latin in the classroom.

Rusticatio Omnibus is appropriate for speakers of all levels. First-time Latin speakers who already know the language will find the activities both enjoyable and appropriately challenging. For more experienced, intermediate or advanced speakers the environment offers the opportunity to improve their speaking ability through activities guided by our expert staff. Offering a welcoming environment where various Latin speaking abilities are present, Rusticatio Omnibus allows participants to find their own level of Latin conversation.

Participant Reviews:

• “Rusticatio is the best way to learn spoken Latin.”
• “Everyone who has even the smallest interest in learning to speak the Latin language should experience a week of Rusticatio. The amount one learns in a single week here is immeasurable.”
• “There is no professional development more useful to teachers of Latin. The experience is profound and superlatively useful and applicable.”

Program Dates: July 12 – July 18, 2026

• ARRIVAL: Sunday, July 12, 12:00–3:00 p.m.
  • Nota Bene: Lunch on arrival day is not provided. Please eat before you arrive.
• DEPARTURE: Saturday, July 18, 12:00–3:00 p.m.

Instructional Staff:

• Tim (Timotheus) Smith: Tim studied Classics at the College of the Holy Cross, the Centro in Rome, and the University of Chicago. He taught Latin in the traditional grammar method for over a decade before he finally, very reluctantly, and nōn sine magnō dubiō, attended his first Rusticatio in 2014.  Once in an immersion setting, he quickly became a convert to the enjoyment and utility of speaking Latin.  He has served as a Rusticatio coquus since 2016, directed Bidua Coloratana since 2018, has a Youtube cooking show in Latin called Coquamus and co-hosts the Latin Podcast Secunda Mensa. He has taught Latin, Ancient Greek, Classical History, Literature, Philosophy and Art in grades 2-12 since 1997.  Tim teaches at Loveland Classical Schools in Colorado and serves as the President of SALVI.
• Catherine (Catherina) Reed: Catherine was born and raised in Maryland, and loves all the culture that the Baltimore area has to offer.  She has hosted scavenger hunts for her students at the Walters Art Museum there, amongst the mummies and Greek pottery. She also enjoys indulging her interest in botany and scientific Latin during her frequent walks at Baltimore’s Cylburn Arboretum. Catherine is the co-creator and co-host of the Latin cooking podcast Secunda Mensa, and she has also co-hosted the Latin podcast Quomodo Dicitur?. Catherine loves singing, playing, and talking in Latin with her middle school students at Loyola Blakefield in Baltimore County. She has a Masters in the Art of Teaching, is a SALVI Board Member, and is a frequent instructor and organizer of SALVI Bidua and Rusticationes.
• Joshua (Iosue) Higginbotham
• Evan (Faber) Smith
• Jason (Iason) Slanga: Jason studied Computer Science at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, before applying all of his Latin credits to a degree in Ancient Studies. While teaching for 12 years in the Baltimore County Public School system, he helped develop a district-wide Latin curriculum based on comprehensible input and target language instruction. He has served on the boards of SALVI and the Maryland Foreign Language Association. Jason attended his first Rusticatio in 2007, and has filled a wide variety of roles at SALVI events, including head chef, facilities manager, adjunct staff, and lead instructor. These days he lives in Albuquerque, NM, where he is a cook and manager in a vegan restaurant, offering New Mexican cuisine.
• Joshua (Iosue) Thomas: Josh teaches Latin to grades 6-12 at The Ellis School in Pittsburgh, PA. Six years ago he made the switch to comprehensible input based teaching and hasn’t looked back. He especially enjoys the barely-controlled chaos of speaking Latin with his middle schoolers. He earned a BA in History and Classics from Ohio State and an MA in Latin and Greek from Villanova University, but counts Biduua and Rusticationes among his most valuable Latin learning experiences. Away from Latin, Josh enjoys cooking with his wife, making pasta, watching baseball, and rowing Pittsburgh’s beautiful rivers. In the spring and summer, you can find him in the cheap seats at PNC Park, cheering on his beloved Pirates. No matter what he gets into, however, he never can seem to turn off the voice in his head that constantly asks, “how could I turn this into a Latin lesson?”
• Natalie (Natalia) Tsottles: Taught by SALVI alumni, Natalie has been using conversational Latin since day 1 of her journey. Natalie attended her first SALVI immersion event in 2013 and has been coming back for more ever since. In 2016, she graduated from Loyola University Maryland with a BA in Classical Languages and went on to teach middle and high school Latin for 6 years. Natalie is currently the Director of After School and Enrichment Programs at the Gilman School in Baltimore. In her free time, she enjoys walking her dog around Baltimore’s waterfront, kettlebell workouts, and of course, speaking Latin!

Eligibility:

You are eligible to attend this workshop if you have already learned Latin on paper and are interested in developing or furthering active command of the spoken language. Please note that Rusticatio is not an introductory Latin course and thus 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 Latin or four years of a high school Latin program. It is not necessary to have previous experience speaking Latin.

Age Eligibility:

Participants must be at least 18 years old and have graduated from high school by the start date of the program.

Participant Behavior Contract:

By registering for Rusticatio Omnibus, participants promise to abide by the SALVI Participant Behavior Contract.

Click here for SALVI’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion statement.

Cost:

The program cost is $1290 when paid in full by 11:59 PM on April 10, 2026.  After April 10, full payment is $1390.

This program is all-inclusive, covering housing, food, and beverages (including wine and beer for those over 21), tuition, and instructional materials. Transportation to and from the Claymont Mansion is not included (though SALVI will help arrange carpooling).

Amy High Scholarship

SALVI offers scholarship opportunities for Rusticatio.  Click here for more information.

How to Register:

Complete the Google form below to register. We will send you a confirmation email as soon as possible after your registration has been received.

How to Pay:

**This event is filling very quickly. Please do not send a deposit until you receive a confirmation email that we have space for you.**

Once you have received your registration confirmation email, pay the $100 deposit to complete your registration and reserve your spot. Your balance is due by June 1, 2026.   To make a payment, choose the appropriate amount from the dropdown below and then click the Pay with Paypal or Debit or Credit Card button.

Alternatively, you may send a check payable to “SALVI” to the following address:

Edie Barry
SALVI Treasurer
3445 Hicks Road
Sebastopol, CA  95472

For any questions regarding payment, please email our Treasurer, Edie Barry at treasurer@latin.org.

Refunds and Cancellations

You may cancel before June 1, 2026 for a full refund. After this date, we cannot refund your payment.