I left my heart in Athens. Past Review
By A student (College of the Holy Cross) - abroad from 09/02/2012 to 12/22/2012 with
CYA (College Year in Athens) - Semester/Academic Year Program
I left my heart in Athens. In four short months I fell irrevocably in love with Athens, with Greece, and as a result, with CYA. Living in Greece at such a tumultuous time challenged me to think in ways I never would have imagined, and opened my eyes to the world. The academics aren't stringent, but no one wants them to be - because this semester is about learning in a different way. The language barrier I had going in forced me to learn how to communicate even without speech, along with learning a new language. The beauty of the country and even more so the overwhelming kindness and welcome I experienced from almost everyone I met filled me with awe. Greece, as an experience, was humbling, amazing, and incredibly worthwhile. I fell in love with CYA, but like any lover, the program is far from perfect. Being in a totally American institution, we were somewhat isolated from other Greek students our age. In addition, the small facilities and library did not always provide all the resources we needed. And, they served very small lunches, leaving my American stomach very hungry! However, CYA more than made up for its flaws in its dedication to travel. If there's anything CYA does well - and there is a lot CYA does well - it is field trips. Most students, myself included, come abroad with these grand ideas of spending every weekend in a different country, of only staying in Athens for classes, but CYA essentially forced us to see Greece, and my experience was so much better for it. We took two week-long field trips, one to Crete, and one to the Peloponnese, during which we were able to see so much of Greece that I know I never would have made it to on my own - places like Iraklio, Nauplio, Sparta, Pylos.... I could go on and on. Then, on the weekends, CYA offered weekend trips to Andros and to Meteora/Metsovo, or the chance to climb Mt. Olympus, etc, etc, etc. If not for CYA's persistence, I probably would have spent most of my semester jetting off to other countries and would have missed Greece entirely. What a tragedy that would have been! Now, I feel I have truly seen Greece, and it has changed my life. And, of course, there is no place quite like Athens...
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: |
The food at CYA was just okay, but the food in Greece? To die for. Do your grocery shopping at the specialty shops (I had my own butcher, my baker, my vegetable guy) and eat at tavernas as often as you can! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
We were often pretty isolated from other Greek students, but living in an apartment in the community does wonders for integration. As soon as I could have a conversation (in Greek!) with the baker next door, I felt like I was a part of something. Just a tip - check out the rembetiko music scene early on for a very traditional evening of Greek dancing! We discovered it too late in the semester to participate in the dancing, and that's one of my biggest regrets. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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) |
Since we cook for ourselves, we spend a lot of money on food and I know I lost track of my budget pretty quickly. But, there's something to be said for being forced to immediately learn to buy meat from the butcher! I even had my own special bakery by the end of the semester, where they knew me and sometimes slipped me free cookies! |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Budget! Do it early and stick with it! |
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 |
I was taking an introductory modern Greek course (which is heavily encouraged but not required). We spoke Greek often in class, but not very often outside of class... that is, unless we wanted to do anything in the community! Most people in Athens speak English, but they really appreciated it when we attempted Greek. |
| 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 |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Buy a Rosetta Stone and learn a little bit of Greek beforehand... it will certainly make getting around the airport easier. Then, just try to talk to people - talk to the butcher, talk to the baker, go to the farmers' market and talk to the vendors there. Insist upon Greek and explain you're a student when they try to switch to English! |
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? | 0 |
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 had budgeted. But that's about it. I wouldn't change a second of the semester I had! |
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 Avid AdventurerThe wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal. |
