Greece is an amazing choice for study abroad Past Review

By Nicki (PSYCHOLOGY., Tulane University) for

CYA (College Year in Athens) - Semester/Academic Year Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

I learned a lot about myself -I feel like I've matured and now look a life differently. It is very rewarding to know that you can live independently in a foreign country successfully. I learned to not stress about things. I feel very cultured now and loved the traveling experience.

Personal Information

The term and year this program took place:	Spring 2009

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	the stress on academics hindered the adjustment of living in a foreign country and made it harder to enjoy the study abroad experience.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	administration was not very helpful or understanding. for any question you had they gave you a map, not very helpful when you dont speak the language. not very understanding about not knowing your way around or not knowing how to handle certain situations.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	although the apartment was a 20 minute walk from campus, the area was beautiful and safe. close to restaurants, coffee shops, stores, nightlife, and a metro. apartment is decent - 3 shared rooms. one full bathroom and one half bathroom. they are cleaned once a week which is nice. could definitely use internet access.
* Food:	lunch is given at the school on weekdays. it isn't amazing but it is good. but they are very stingy about getting seconds. they always have a vegetarian option. dinner is best in the form of a cheap gyro and something prepared with groceries at home. also recommend everest!
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	greece has amazing culture and people there are very sociable. nightlife is great. the program did not aid my social or cultural experience - i did it on my own. field trip were mandatory. it was nice to see places around greece but most meals are not supplied and field trip days were long and tiring. I think they take up too much weekend time
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:	felt safe for the most part in the city. near my apartment was also very safe. other neighborhood was not as safe and some students experienced violence/robberies. the program should have their own health center. if you are sick all they do is send a doctor to your apartment for 70 euros.
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	No

Finances

* 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)
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	70 dollars a week. groceries - 25 dollars every other week. dining out- 15 a week. gyros are essentially 3 dollars, other fast food places such as everest and coffee right have sandwiches for under 5 dollars. eating a greek taverna should cost out 10-12 euros. toiletries are expensive. drinks are rather pricey but wine 3 euros. subway fare isn't too bad when split between people.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	be conscience of the euro/US dollar conversion. when you first get there you have to pay for house products, a visa extension, and a few student fees which add us right away. dining out is affordable if you go to the right places!

Language

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program?	None
Language acquisition improvement?	learned the basics from the course but learned more outside of the classroom on my own.

Other Program Information

* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Americans

A Look Back

* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	immerse yourself in the greek culture. Don't just hang out with the american students!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Modern Greek
Course Department:
Instructor:
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	course was helpful, especially at beginning. tests were fair
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Gender and Sexuality in Greek society
Course Department:
Instructor:	Placas
Instruction Language:	english
Comments:	very interesting and applicable to living in greece for the first time. Professor was helpful with our every day questions.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Contemporary Greek politics
Course Department:
Instructor:	Gandolfo
Instruction Language:	english
Comments:	material was dry. field trip during class time were relevant but others were unnecessary and took up free weekend time.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Natural Environment of Greece
Course Department:
Instructor:
Instruction Language:	english
Comments:	course material was dry and there were a lot of pointless readings. with a midterm, a final, and a final project the class take a lot of work. some field trips were relevant while others were unnecessarily long and occurred on weekends. also field trips were outdoors even in the cold weather.
Credit Transfer Issues: