Absolutely unforgettable and completely worth it, even during COVID. December 08, 2021
By Jackie Elia (Providence College) - abroad from 08/30/2021 to 12/17/2021 with
CYA (College Year in Athens) - Semester/Academic Year Program
Studying abroad through CYA was the best decision I could have made for my Junior Year. At first I was not sure whether I would follow through on studying abroad in light of the pandemic and my course load, but CYA made the move so easy, I felt absolutely secure in my decision. I gained too much from this program to just sum up in a review, but the growth I've had here as both a student and as a person has made this semester unforgettable.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
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? |
The apartments here are all really nice and located very close to each other in the Pangrati neighborhood. Walking to the center and other apartments is so easy thanks to the short distance, and, thanks to the program being spread out amongst many different apartment buildings, I was still able to feel like a local Greek and not like I was living in a college dorm. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
CYA is always wiling to help with any health issues that arise. They are available to provide you with local references on where to go to get medicines, covid tests, and anything in between. |
| * Safety: |
While Athens is a city with its occasional situations, especially if walking through more secluded areas at odd hours, I always felt very safe in Athens as a whole. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
CYA offered exactly what I as a junior needed from an abroad program: fun classes that renewed my interest in my major, freedom to immerse myself in a new country and culture, but also guidance to assimilate into Greece and field trips which brought me to corners of the country I would not have reached otherwise. |
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) |
It is very easy to spend more than what you try to budget for each week. As long as you plan ahead and save, you can do so much on 100/week |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I spent about 150 per week maximum, but when I traveled, I would probably double this amount |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Absolutely start planning and saving ahead |
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 |
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| 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? | I used duo lingo a bit before coming to Greece, but nothing helps you learn quicker than experience here |
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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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? | Time is going to fly by so fast, so don't say no to trying new things and visiting places with people-experience it all. |
