Greece: From Where You'd Rather Be. Past Review
By Sarah C (English, Marist College) for
Webster University: Athens - Odyssey in Athens
The experience abroad taught me just how much one can learn from being surrounded in the history they've been taught. To smell and feel the lessons, not simply study them, gives a greater understanding of the past therefore the future as well.
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | Lorenzo de Medici, University of the Sunshine Coast |
| 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 workload was very challenging but the enthusiastic professors made learning easy and interesting. Teaching was far more personal and interactive. There was plenty of time and classroom space to develop personal relationships with the faculty. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Knowledge about the host country was plentiful and accessible. There was plenty of support for academics but little support for difficult living circumstances. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The apartment was too small for the amount of people placed inside. The proximity to university and transport was very helpful but it would have benefitted from only two housemates rather than a cramped and less-than-ideal four. |
| * Food: |
Try to avoid the touristy places as they rip you off and do not put as much effort into their products. If you can find small neighborhood hang outs, preferably where locals would go, it's easier to create a relationship with the owners and find a better atmosphere. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The university took us on planned weekend trips to Meteora and Delphi (in addition to other places). Those were extremely well-planned and informative. It was helpful to gain perspective on the country from a traveling standpoint. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
The only safety-related incidents encountered were ones brought upon the students themselves. Walking around alone at night, being under the influence alone, etc, is never a good idea regardless and what city or country you're living in. I did not need any new vaccines and thankfully I did not require any medical care during my stay. |
| 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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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I budgeted about 50 euros per week, this encompassed groceries as well as social life. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Basic groceries cost more than I had anticipated but it is easy to adjust. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | None. |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
Most people spoke English but you gain far more respect by at least attempting to use it with the natives. I definitely found it easy to practice once I made indigenous friends and it was very useful. |
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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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? | This program was the greatest semester in my entire degree. Not only did the academics have a profound impact on me but also the people and the places I got to experience. To travel to Greece and immerse oneself in their culture thrusts one into a deeper maturity and understanding of themselves and the world. |
