Amazing Abroad Experience May 22, 2024
By A student (Anthropology, Political Science, Wellesley College) - abroad from 01/22/2024 to 05/17/2024 with
CYA (College Year in Athens) - Semester/Academic Year Program
Getting outside of the US and learning about subjects from a different perspective was incredibly valuable to my education. It was very worthwhile and I would encourage every student to study abroad.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
|
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The program perfectly balanced academic rigor with out-of-class experience. |
|
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
|
|
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The apartments had a great location and were generally nice but did have some recurring issues, such as hot water not working. |
| * Food: |
The food served at CYA was high quality but we were served only one meal a day on weekdays, and we only had a single meal option. Because of this, I mostly ate off-campus, and food was one of my largest expenses. |
|
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Integration with the local culture generally relied on your own efforts and interaction with locals; because CYA is exclusively for students studying abroad, it doesn't necessarily facilitate cultural integration within the program itself. |
|
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Though I didn't have any major health issues during the program, I did find that the pharmacies in Athens had everything that I needed for an affordable price. |
| * Safety: |
I felt very safe in the city, and experienced no issues. Athens was much safer than any American city, but one should use common sense to avoid potential problems. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
|
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) |
Athens is one of the more inexpensive study abroad destinations in Europe. However, as a low-income student on a strict budget, I had to carefully track my spending and miss out on certain experiences due to the costs associated with them. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $115 |
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 |
I took a Modern Greek course during the program, and also used the language on a daily basis. |
| 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? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | n/a |
| 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? | Start using Duolingo or other language-learning apps several months prior to departure. Take a language class during the program, even if not required by your home institution. |
Other Program Information
|
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
|
| 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? |
|
| * What could be improved? |
|
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I wish I would have thought more about what kind of living style I preferred. CYA houses students in apartments with other American study-abroad students, but there are other programs in Athens which have more university-style housing and facilitate more interaction with Greek students. Both living styles have their pros and cons, so it is something to consider before choosing a program. |
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! |
