Best four months I could ask for December 09, 2023
By Zoe C (Health Administration, Siena College) - abroad from 08/28/2023 to 12/14/2023 with
CYA (College Year in Athens) - Semester/Academic Year Program
I gained more knowledge of the Greek culture and language, learned how to live abroad and in a city, got to travel to other countries with friends, and even learned to travel solo. I got to try new food from Greece and other countries as well.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Great classes, loved the addition of site-visits to see what you are learning in person! |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
So amazing and quick to both respond and act when there is an issue. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Great apartment, bigger than I expected. Great neighborhood as well. |
| * Food: |
The cafeteria food was a lot better than I expected and better than my at-home institution. Greek traditional food was served too which was great. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Some of it is the responsibility of the students to make an effort to learn the language or aspects of the culture, but CYA did a good job teaching us about the culture. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
When sick, the CYA staff will help you and accommodate you with what you need and where to go for remedies. |
| * Safety: |
Very safe city compared to many others. As like most cities, some parts aren't as safe but always be cautious wherever you go in the world. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I wouldn't have chosen any program over CYA. They opened the doors for learning and travel, and my expectations were exceeded. |
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) |
I had saved up for study abroad for many years prior, so for me it gave me an advantage and I could comfortably spend while subconsciously keeping to a budget. I know others though who didn't plan well and spent a majority of their money early on, so avoid splurging right away when you arrive and try to save up prior. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | ~60 euro. It depends how often you eat out and how upscale of places you go to. The Wolt app is really cheap for ordering and good quality so I would use that a lot. And take advantage of CYA's cafeteria for lunch because the food is good and you save money. Breakfast I usually cooked at home with groceries. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Think about if you really need whatever souvenir it is. I refrained a lot from souvenir buying but still got a good amount by the end, and I'm glad I did. Also, use the cafeteria! Food is relatively a lot cheaper in Greece than the U.S. so take advantage of that as well. |
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 took a Modern Greek class and I learned so much from it, even with having a little bit of past exposure to the Greek language. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | AP German, as far as Greek, I did Greek school as a child but didn't keep up with it. |
| 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? | Try with the locals, they appreciate even the effort. |
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? |
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 have always been very organized and a planner, but with study abroad, a lot of the trips you go on with friends won't be able to be planned until you get there so getting used to that and trusting the process was something I learned and wish I knew. |
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 Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
