You Will Never Want to Leave Greece! Past Review
By Katarina Lage (Hawaii Pacific University) - abroad from 01/14/2015 to 05/15/2015 with
AIFS: Athens - American College of Greece
I learned so much while studying in Greece. I learned about their history and current political climate that gives me a greater appreciation of their situation that they face today. I was able to meet refugees and learn about their experiences that have pushed me towards wanting to work with NGO's that assist refugees. Going to Greece gave me a deeper appreciation of the world and was absolutely worthwhile!
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The courses offered at DEREE were intense, but the professors offered a lot of help to the study abroad students. There were also a lot of options to choose from! |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
AIFS made sure to allow their students to have the best access to classes they may be interested in attending. In addition to the courses Alice is the local in country contact that guarantees that all the students have a contact point should anything happen while in Greece. There were also a lot of trips planned to locations that would have been difficult to get to without being setup by Alice and AIFS. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The rooms that I stayed in were apartment style with two bedrooms both accommodating two students each. The only down side was the ventilators over the kitchen stoves that went off constantly because they are so sensitive. The housing is within walking distance to campus which makes it really easy to commute back and forth. |
| * Food: |
HOW CAN YOU NOT LOVE GREEK FOOD? Souvlaki is 2 euros and fills you up with fresh pita, roasted meat, and vegetables. The produce is all fresh and delicious and one can eat the olives by the kilo if you aren't careful. If you don't life Greek food there is honestly something wrong with you, have you had FETA CHEESE? |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The only downside to not the courses that I took were that they lacked a large amount of Greek students. However, there are opportunities to join clubs on campus to integrate into the culture more completely. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I did not have to get any shots before going to Greece. AIFS also provides health care to the students that participate. I had to go to the dentist due to an injury and Alice accompanied me making everything really easy and completely relaxed. There is no reason to worry about your health because there are a lot of people looking out for you. |
| * Safety: |
I never once felt unsafe while in Greece. The people are friendly and as long as you don't act like a tourist the gypsy's in Syntagma Square will leave you alone. Do not take the rose! |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I love Greece. I would do anything to go back! |
Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
This really depends on how much traveling you plan on doing. There is a farmers market where you can get your food for the week for a minimal cost and eating out is very reasonable as well. Taxis are slightly expensive from the center of Athens to Aghia Paraskevi, but if you take the metro and don't go to discos every night you are able to stay on budget very easily. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Make sure your debit card does not have foreign transaction fees and take paper Euros with you to Greece. When I was there the ATMs were shut down for an extended amount of time. While this isn't common it is better to be safe than sorry. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
The program encouraged taking Greek Language and Alice helped me learn more of language by going out and interacting with the locals. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Beginner |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | The best way to practice is to try. Try telling the taxi driver directions in Greek, they are a lot nicer if you try! |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I wish I would have known more about Greece so I could have traveled to more places while living in the country. |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The NetworkerAn active student leader, it was important for you to network abroad as well. Once overseas, you sought out student clubs, volunteered with local organizations, or attended community events. You encouraged your friends join you, and often considered how you could reflect your international experiences in a resume. |
