Past Review
By S (International Relations and Comparative Religion, Tufts University) for
CYA (College Year in Athens) - Semester/Academic Year Program
Studying abroad was scary, frustrating, exhausting, and totally worth it. I feel like I can travel anywhere now!
Personal Information
| The term and year this program took place: | Fall 2008 |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Enjoyed the field trip component, uninspiring classes. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Poorly organized, unreliable. One of my friends was violently ill from food poisoning, but none of the area pharcmacies were open because of a strike. I ran to the CYA academic building, where someone was supposed to be on duty, and found no one there. After frantically gesturing to a cleaning woman that I needed to get in touch with someone, I called a CYA administrator who brusquely told me that she wasn't on duty and that I needed to call the person who was. Upon reaching this person, she said that she would not be in until two hours later, but that my friend could pay over 70 euros out of pocket for a doctor to make a house call. I was put off by the sense of unconcern and nonchalance about a student who couldn't even keep down water. During an anti-American protests, administrators refused to cancel classes, forcing some students to walk through protestors bashing in cars with baseball bats. During the riots, the administration insisted that the situation was calming down, despite the smashed school window that they refused to explain. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Pangratti neighborhood. Residential. Great housemates, 6 girls total. Roommate, very cramped. <br /><br /> Very safe, lived with all Americans in immediate apartment, but complex was all Greeks. Less than 10 minute walk to class. |
| * Food: |
The school was good about a vegetarian option, but on field trips, when we had to fend for ourselves, it was difficult to find a cheap and healthy alternative to the customary chicken or beef gyros. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Many weekend field trips, which was very valuable for me as someone on a budget. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Please see above comments on program administration. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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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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| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | We had a fall break, and I chose to go to Italy. I bought a eurorail pass because it included ferry passage between Greece and Italy and I thought it was a more budget-friendly option than a flight. DO NOT DO THIS. Buy the plane ticket. 28 straight hours of bus/train/ferry/train is NOT WORTH IT. |
Language
| Language acquisition improvement? |
I could get by in day-to-day interactions, which was great, as I'd never even heard Greek spoken before. But it has been rough comng back to Tufts' language requirement after having been on hiatus from French since last May. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Athens is rough- but I think that's part of the reason I gained so much independance. So embrace it, have fun, and be prepared to figure everything out on your own. |
