Odyssey in Athens: The Best Studying Abroad Experience You Could Want! Past Review
By Lauren K (English, SUNY - College at Fredonia) for
Webster University: Athens - Odyssey in Athens
Going to Athens changed my life completly. I never thought about living anywhere else besides the United States or even traveling a whole lot, but now I can't wait to get back to Europe. You never think that other countries are real places, but there is so much to see and experience, and so many people never even leave the Western Hemisphere. It will change the way you look at yourself, the way you look at the world, poverty, people from different countries. Just everything.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I wasn't as impressing with the quality of the professors here, a lot of them were older and classes were pretty dry and tedious. But then there were a few that were fresh and passionate about their jobs, so it was hit or miss. Grading was fair as long as you did the work. For me it was more about the experience in Greece outside of the school, like the people you met and the traveling you could do. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Dina was in charge of the program and she was great. She was very concerned with our needs, was always available for questions or problems and she made every effort to help us when we needed it. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Housing was very expensive, but I was in one of the biggest apartments so I lucked out. Some of my friends got stuck in TINY apartments, but ours was nice. The showers don't stay hot very long anywhere in Greece, that was probably the biggest adjustment. But our building was very safe, centrally located, took only a minute to get to school or to stores/grocery. |
| * Food: |
We went out to eat a lot which was fine with me! getting street food is super cheap and really good, but there were also outdoor markets and conveniance stores close by. Be careful of "tourist trap" restaurants that jack up prices and charge for water, bread... |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
We went on excursions to Meteora, Olympia, Delphi. All were extremly educational with tour guides, we got a bus and stayed in hotels. It was a lot of fun and a great time to really get to know the other students in the program. Probably one of my favorite parts about my experience. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Greece is totally safe. Everyone is so worried about the protests and riots, and I was there in October of 2011 when they were "bad". All of the problems happened in the main "squares" of the city, and as long as you didn't go there you were completly unaffected by them. No one ever tried to bother us and we never got mixed up in any of it. The school and the housing is located on a quiet street and we were safe at all times. Just be careful going to the bars or clubs at night, its always a good idea to go with friends. Its like any city, don't go alone to bad areas. Simply common sense. But as far as the problems in Greece with the violence/protests is didn't affect our safety. |
| 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
| 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?
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* Who did you live 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? | If you don't want a "run of the mill" or European experience abroad, then Athens is for you. The culture is so different than Europe or America, and it will be an experience you will wish you could go back to. The people I met there, the friends I made at the school (Greek, German, Egyptian, Russian, Polish, English) are just unforgettable. |
