Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Best decision I've ever made Past Review

By (University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill) - abroad from 05/27/2019 to 07/20/2019 with

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

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned so much about the Bible, early Christianity, and ancient Greece. Also, being abroad without my parents gave me so much self-confidence for traveling in the future!

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

CYA was the perfect combination of learning/academics, cultural exposure, and opportunities for international independence.

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)

Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Hit up the souvlaki/gyro stands or shops! Cheapest meal you'll get and so yummy!

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
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?
  • GREEK CULTURE!!!
  • Opportunities for travel/learning
  • How low-stress & enjoyable my class was! I learned SO much but was never stressing
* What could be improved?
  • More updated apartments. It was awesome being able to live in an apartment and living simply, but that is the only thing I could think of to change!
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? When you go out to eat at a traditional taverna, dinners are usually served family style and paid for in cash. We ate a lot of big group dinners so it was always helpful to have a variety of bills to pay your part of the meal! It can be kind of hard trying to exchange and add up all the money when everyone only has 20 euro bills and everyone owes like 8 euros.

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 Nearly Native or Trail Blazer
Craving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.'