I Wish it Never Ended! Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Classes at CYA are immersive and eye opening, and they are often taught at various on site locations around the city. Professors are engaging and expect meaningful participation, but also acknowledge that students should have free time to be able to explore the city. CYA faculty genuinely care about their students, and CYA makes it easy for students to form meaningful relationships with their professors through many planned events and trips with students, staff, as well as faculty throughout the semester.

On-site administration of your program

The program is run very smoothly. Students always have their academic, health, and personal needs attended to by CYA administration. CYA staff are very accessible, and I was always able to get the help I needed just by walking into the office.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I found student housing at CYA to be very ideal. Students are spread out over the neighborhood of Pangrati in apartment buildings with Greek families. However, all CYA apartments are no more than a 10 minute walk from the CYA Academic Building (mine was just 2 minutes away), and about 20 minutes from the Acropolis. The location of student housing is very central in the city, and just about anything you could want to do or see is a walking distance away. Pangrati is a fun and exciting neighborhood to live in with its many restaurants, cafes, and bars. I found that my apartment itself came to feel like home very quickly, and my apartment mates and I could not have been any better matched. I have no complaints with CYA living arrangements.

Athens is definitely a city for foodies. Greek food is incredible, and NOTHING like Greek food in the US! I completely fell in love with the food culture in Greece, with its taverna dinners that last for hours and many times end in Greek dancing. Food is a huge part of Greek culture, and you will not be disappointed. It is also incredibly easy to eat for cheap in Athens, as you can usually find gyro or souvlaki on just about any street for around 2 euros.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I felt very integrated in Greek culture. CYA does a good job of introducing students to Greek culture when they first arrive with group taverna dinners and "Survival Greek" language sessions, and it is easy to immerse yourself from there on out. Greek culture is incredibly welcoming to foreigners.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Greek pharmacies are amazing. They are on just about every corner in Athens, and with no appointment you can walk in and talk to a doctor who will sell you just about any medicinal remedy you could possibly need at an extremely reasonable price. I found getting the treatment I needed for minor infections and colds to be much easier, faster, and cheaper than what I am used to in the US.

I never felt unsafe in Athens. It is one of the safest capital cities in Europe, and violent crime is extremely rare. You do need to watch out for petty crime though, as pickpocketing is very common. As long as you keep a watchful eye on your belongings and are aware of local pickpocketing tricks (CYA makes you aware of these at orientation), there is no need to worry. I felt much safer walking around Athens than I do in similar cities in the US.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Athens is a very affordable city. It is very easy to eat for less than 3 euros, and there are many cheap options in the neighborhood around CYA housing.

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

Select all that apply

• Apartment

Select all that apply

• Americans

Select all that apply

• Americans

• The sense of community between students, faculty, and staff
• The fieldwork and field trip component of classes that were often taught on-site in the city
• The endless opportunities that were provided to students, including extracurriculars, volunteer opportunities, and both the optional and mandatory trips organized by CYA

• I don't think anything in particular needed to be improved, except that I wish the Covid-19 crisis hadn't cut our time in Greece short!

The Outright Urbanite