Eye-opening, interesting, and a learning experience. Past Review
By A student (University of Hartford) - abroad from 01/11/2018 to 05/04/2018 with
AIFS: Athens - American College of Greece
I learned a lot about myself and what I need in order to get the most from an experience. From traveling around Greece and Europe as a whole, I got a taste from each country and learned about the history of the various cultures, which I loved. I think I would have been more suited for either a shorter time abroad, as it was my first time out of the USA, or a country where I could have been more integrated into the culture itself, such as a Spanish speaking one since my Spanish is fairly proficient. I was surrounded by Americans and could not speak enough Greek to truly feel like part of Greek society. However, these were necessary lessons for me to learn and I feel very grateful that I had the opportunity to be abroad and see different ways of life. I realized that Europe is not very different from the US on a large scale. Regardless of which town, island, or country, people were willing to connect with and learn about others. I formed close bonds with people of many different nationalities and walks of life. The main differences I observed were the small ones such as mannerisms, priorities, and politics. It was interesting to compare my life experiences with theirs.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
I had some amazing moments. I was fortunate enough to travel to some amazing places and meet amazing people but, overall, I don't think the program fulfilled my hopes and I would have enjoyed either being in a different location or going for a shorter time period. I definitely learned a lot while I was there, but I did not meet my own expectations for myself. I do not feel that I was as prepared to adapt to the changes as I thought or was in an environment that was right for me. |
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) |
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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 |
There was some encouragement from Greek students and program staff. I picked up a few words and phrases that helped me get around the city and islands and communicate with the locals. However, almost all of Athens and the surrounding area speak fluent English and the students at my school all spoke fluently. |
| 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 |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | I had completed no Greek language course. I have only taken Spanish and Latin. |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 0 |
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 knew more about Greece in general so I could have a better appreciation. |
