Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Amazing Program that Offered Me a Well-Rounded Experience January 02, 2024

By (Neurobiology, Neurosciences, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill) - abroad from 08/28/2023 to 12/15/2023 with

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

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
It was definitely worthwhile. I gained much more independence and confidence in myself and my ability to travel. I also gained another perspective and learned a lot from the Greek people I interacted with.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

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

I really enjoyed my experience with CYA. The program is very organized and I felt very supported by staff throughout every step of my experience, from first submitting my application until the day I left Athens. I also really enjoyed the planned excursions and felt that I really got a deep and well-rounded view of Greece, getting to see places and enjoy experiencing that I would not have had access to if I took myself to Greece. I also appreciated that the course offerings were varied, meaning that there were courses for everyone, including me, a STEM major. Classes were taught by experienced and overqualified professors and were an appropriate workload that allowed me to learn a lot while still having time to enjoy living in Athens. The location of the program is great, allowing me to live in a less touristy area of the city while still being a 15-20 minute walk from amazing sites like the Acropolis and cute neighborhoods like Plaka. Overall, I felt that CYA was very organized and are very good at what they do. From amazing extracurricular offerings, like the marble carving class I took, to great optional trips, like my trip to hike Mt Olympus, CYA offers a lot of amazing experiences that help you create the perfect and most well-rounded semester abroad experience for you.

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)

Food was not very expensive in Athens, so living in Greece was pretty accessible. Traveling was not always cheap, however, and food in other countries was usually more expensive.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

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

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

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? 0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Living in a city
  • The Program's planned excursions
  • Plenty of extracurricular options
* What could be improved?
  • More interaction with Greek students
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew more about the history of Greece. I would recommend doing some research before going into your host country because it offers you more context and I think only amplifies your experience.

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 Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.