Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

The Best Semester Ever! February 26, 2025

By (Government, Psychology, Colby College) - abroad from 09/01/2024 to 12/21/2024 with

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

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I made friendships that I know will last a lifetime, including bonds with other Greek-Americans! I was able to strengthen my knowledge of the Greek language, and the program encouraged me to continue my journey of learning and studying the Greek language to better connect myself to my ancestry, and to the lives of my grandparents who lived in Greece!

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

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

CYA provided me with the resources and knowledge to best immerse myself in the Greek culture. Through my Modern Greek language course and knowledgeable professors, I was set up to get the most out of the study abroad experience and was able to strengthen my connection to my Greek heritage!

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)

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 was strongly encouraged to use the Greek language and my work in the Modern Greek language course definitely paid off!

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
How many hours per day did you use the language?

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

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Field studies: the opportunity to travel around Greece with the knowledge of professors.
  • The location: Pangrati is an amazing neighborhood with so many places and new things to see every day!
  • School-provided lunch: Greek dishes provided by amazing CYA staff!
* What could be improved?
  • N/A
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Travel to other neighborhoods around Pangrati! I wish I had explored more outside of Pangrati to get a better persepective of the neighborhoods of Athens!

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.