An Unbelievable Time in Greece. June 29, 2026
By Andrew M (History, Brandeis University) - abroad from 01/26/2026 to 05/15/2026 with
CYA (College Year in Athens) - Semester/Academic Year Program
I gained experience living on my own
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The educational program was very enjoyable, it met my expectations in terms of vigor, and all of the teachers were extremely supportive, and clearly want all students they have to succeed. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The Administration was very helpful whenever we needed anything. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My apartment in Greece was very nice. It was a little small, and the delay on boiling water was a little annoying, but it was more than made up for with the excellent choice in neighborhoods. |
| * Food: |
Greek food was unbelievable, I have never had anything like it, and I highly recommend it for all future visitors. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The culture was taught to us as part of one of my classes, and the local people made me feel very welcome and integrated. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Didn't have very many experiecnces with healthcare, other than one visit to a pharmacy, which was an easily resolvable matter. |
| * Safety: |
Overall, I felt safe whenever I was in Athens, especially in the Pangrati neighborhood I stayed in. Be sure to be aware of your surroundings, and you will be fine. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I met many great friends on this program, and I had professors that I am still probably going to be learning lessons from many years into the future. I had learning experiences and adventures that I will never forget. Knowing what would happen during this trip, I would do it again in a heartbeat. |
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 about 120 dollars a week on food. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I would just say to watch your expenses, and be sure to cook at home for at least part of the week. Also, this program provides lunches, take advantage of that. |
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 |
There were classes in Greek I had to take, they were fairly |
| 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? | Modern Greek Language and Culture. |
| 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? | Be sure to participate in any languagee classes you take with them. Use the flashcards that teachers will provide you, they were a massive help to me. |
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? | I know now that travel in Europe is much easier than I thought, and I would have planned to do it more had I known. |
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! |
