Athens: Sparkling Water and Deep Thought Past Review
By Maggie W (Art Hisotry, University of Oregon) for
GEO: Athens - Study Abroad Programs Athens
This study abroad experience was not only a wonderful educational adventure, it was a true reminder to me of what I want to pursue in my life. My time in Greece showed me what a life devoted to the arts can lead to, and seeing that kind of a future first-hand has motivated me more to pursue my personal goals.
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. |
I felt that the Athens Centre was a welcoming, cheerful, and extremely relaxed educational environment. The staff were helpful and very friendly, and they really made an effort to help me make the most of my time in Greece. My classes were interesting and well-suited to my major, and I felt that the class excursions we went on were both informative and a great way to see more of Greece! I would absolutely recommend the program to anyone interested in Greece, Archaeology, or Art!! |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The program was very supportive if anything went wrong, and seemed to be able to fix all of the very rare problems. All my expectations were met, and many of them were exceeded. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My housing was wonderful. I had a great view of the city from my apartment, I could walk to school in about 2 minutes, and I was pretty close to downtown. The apartment itself was lovely. |
| * Food: |
Greek food is amazing, but there are fewer vegetarian options than some people would like. Not being vegetarian, I LOVED the food. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The week we spent traveling around Crete is something I will never forget. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I always felt safe in Athens--even during the protests and riots, I felt well taken care of and safe. Health-wise, I was never sick, but when anyone in our program was the staff was extremely helpful. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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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Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
I found a little coffee shop near my apartment where I got to practice my Greek, but also there are the staff at the Athens Centre, and the Greek language students. Athens is full of Greek speakers, so it's just a matter of going out and finding the friendly ones. Most people could speak at least some English. |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Go out and meet the people in your neighborhood--baristas at your favorite coffee place, the fruit stand where you buy groceries, the regular taxi drivers in the area, anyone! Athenians are very welcoming, and meeting the people of the area makes everything better! Go to every museum you can, even the ones off the beaten path. Most importantly, visit the islands, but don't just lounge on the beach--the cities on the islands have some incredible sights to see, don't miss them for a tan! |
