The semester I wish never ended February 06, 2026

By Lohla Y (History, Grinnell College) - abroad from 08/01/2025 to 12/20/2025 with

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

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

I learned so much about Greek culture and brought some of it back with me in my daily life and my outlook on the world. There were so many travel opportunities with the program so that also amazing.

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.	The professors know everyone is studying abroad, but the classes are packed full of information. I learned so much in my history and modern greek courses that I was actually using on a daily basis in Athens. All resources were provided, except for my modern greek text books that i had to buy.
* 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?	CYA did a great job getting us involved in the community with different workshops and opportunities.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:	I felt very safe walking around Athens during the day and the neighborhood of Pangrati 24/7.
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes CYA was easily the best experience of my life. I got to meet new friends from all over the country and travel around Europe with them.

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)	It would have been easy to live on a student's budget if I hadn't been buying christmas gifts. CYA has some good estimates how what students spend each semester.
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	roughly $250
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Eat in the cafeteria and use Wolt for cheaper gyros in the area.

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?	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?	Do the hw and practice speaking with the locals.

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?	All the travel opportunities Greek culture The professors
* What could be improved?	Food choices in cafeteria More info on ICOMOS cards
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	ICOMOS will get you into a lot of places!

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 Adventurer The 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.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Adorned!
Course Department:
Instructor:	Professor Hadji
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	Professor Hadji is a wonderful women! The fieldtrips and workshops she set up to help us understand and even physically partake in what we were learning about were some of the coolest things I did during my semester.
Credit Transfer Issues: