Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

I Enjoyed My Experience! August 01, 2025

By (Classics and Education, Wellesley College) - abroad from 06/23/2025 to 07/19/2025 with

CYA (College Year in Athens) - Summer Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned how to travel by myself and be up to date with important deadlines, assignments, and responsibilities. I also learned how to advocate for myself and keep myself disciplined. This program taught me to be more aware of the world around me and to not be afraid to leave my comfort zone. I think my experience going abroad was worthwhile, because it makes me want to travel the world again sometime soon.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I think that this course was great! It felt like most humanities courses I have previously taken in a college setting. The only aspect that was difficult to navigate were the new concepts covered in class

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

The food was wonderful! I think that CYA providing one meal per day was a great idea. I think that a simple breakfast like coffee being covered by the program would be great, but I was able to manage without it.

* 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

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $77
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? I prepared meals at home on the weekends

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Hotel
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students
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?
  • The Excavation Experience
  • The Meal Plan
  • The Beaches and Weather
* What could be improved?
  • Student Onboarding
  • Room Assignments
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Many people go solo traveling after the program ends! Now that I am aware of how traveling internationally works, I would certainly travel around Europe if it meant limited difficulty.

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 Linguist
You 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!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

ARCX321: Excavating in the Aegean
Course Department: Archaeology/Classics
Instructor: Alexandra Alexandridou
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This course challenged my ways of thinking in a way that was perfect for my first archaeology course. The course made use of it's location with the daily archaeological excavations and lectures at nearby cafes. Additionally, the professor was well-prepared and very informative about all the topics covered in class. I don't think there were many changes in the way I participated in the course. I was graded by few things, including my participation at the excavation, participation at lectures, and my final exam.
Credit Transfer Issues: It wasn't until after the program that I realized my grade would not be factored into my GPA. This doesn't affect if I would've taken the course, but I wish I could've known about this earlier.