Chicken Souvlaki for the Soul January 29, 2026
By Nicholas B (History, Boston College) - abroad from 09/01/2025 to 12/20/2025 with
CYA (College Year in Athens) - Semester/Academic Year Program
While it might seem obvious, I learned that there is a world beyond the United States and where I have lived my whole life. I gained so much cultural, social, and spiritual awareness with my time there as I fell in love with this seemingly other world that I briefly got to live in. I explored history that I knew so much about but now got to be face to face with it and at the time learn all new history. The experience was as worthwhile as anything can be.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Incredible professors and other staff/faculty, classes were engaging and always balanced with workload. Never had any serious trouble with the academics and happily learned so much there. |
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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? |
While apartments sometimes had maintenance issues, I attribute that less to CYA and more just the state of the buildings. I loved my apartment and was so happy with how close it was to my friends' apartment as well as classes and other places in Pangrati. I truly felt like I was a part of where I was living. |
| * Food: |
Amazing food all around, I would say sometimes the options that CYA provided were unfamiliar to me but again I understand that what they served was Greek dishes. Above all, I gladly went out of my comfort zone with the 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: |
A very safe city, I never had any fear that my safety was threatened. All I could say is to be smart and to keep a tighter hold on your valuables. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
There is no doubt in my mind that CYA is the best study abroad program there is! While it was not my initial choice, I am so glad that my abroad advisor recommended it based on my interests. I would not change anything about my choice. |
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? | If I had to estimate, I would say maybe around 75/80 euro a week so at the max maybe just shy of 100 dollars. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | How much money you spend boils down to me on how much you want to travel or where you want to go. I stayed in Athens more than a lot of other students I know did and can attribute more of my spending to food, gifts, and miscellaneous items. There are always cheap and delicious food options, but if you also want to travel a bunch then I recommend planning ahead and going in groups as to minimize cost and responsibility. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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? | The only thing I wish I knew before was to plan ahead trips and to take time exploring different places. While I enjoyed every minute I had free in Athens, I do wish I traveled more with friends and that means coordinating trips and interests. I know now that traveling means being responsible and take initiative, it is much easier said than done. |
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 Avid AdventurerThe wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal. |
