I loved my time at CYA! July 24, 2024
By A student (International Affairs, George Washington University) - abroad from 08/21/2023 to 12/15/2023 with
CYA (College Year in Athens) - Semester/Academic Year Program
I learned a variety of skills while studying abroad, including time management, budgeting, the importance of self-card, and cultural interaction. As I had little travel experience outside of the US, I felt this program was very worthwhile as it provided me with the support and resources to live own my own in a foreign country, in addition to planning trips around Greece and other parts of Europe. Coming off of my semester at CYA, I felt empowered to travel on my own without fear, and I appreciate all of the knowledge I was able to gain while in a supportive environment.
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? |
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| * Food: |
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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? |
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| * Safety: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
Although this program was made up solely of students from American universities, which naturally made it less culturally immersive, I had a wonderful experience studying abroad through CYA due to the student support services, travel experiences, and cultural excursions we were provided. Having the opportunity to travel to both Crete and the Peloponnese region in the country of my heritage was once and a life time, and I am so grateful that these experiences were included in the program costs, as they would have been an undertaking to plan on my own. Additionally, the provision of daily lunches during the week was greatly appreciated. While we did not have the opportunity to immerse ourselves with local Greek students, I did feel that my classes offered field trips that gave us a greater sense of the local culture - especially my Sustainable Social Housing Course with Dr. Evgenia Tousi, where we took weekly field visits to social housing neighborhoods around Athens. These field visits were both informative and eye-opening and allowed for the course to be very engaging as a study abroad student. For a student hoping to meet more international students or fully immerse themselves in an international language and culture in an unsupported environment, this would not be the program. I would instead recommend this program for a student that does not have much travel experience and desires more support from the program they take part in, as the supportive faculty as well as the presence of American peers make the adjustment to a foreign country with an unfamiliar language much smoother. |
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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I spent around $50-75 a week on food. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I highly recommend buying groceries and utilizing the apartment kitchen in order to save money on eating out. |
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 chose to enroll in Beginner Greek, so I was encouraged to use the language outside of the classroom, i.e. ordering at restaurants, cafes. |
| 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 |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | French 2006 (Advanced French II) |
| 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? | It is important to try to use the language whenever you are in a local Greek setting, which is most likely when shopping or eating out. |
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? | 0 |
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 know now that it can be challenging to balance all of the opportunities that study abroad offers, and I wish I had made it a greater priority earlier on to spend the first few weeks exploring the local area and learning my way around rather than jumping into travel. |
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 UrbaniteA 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. |
