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Athens: The Examined LIfe Worth Living
College Year in Athens: Athens - CYA
Program Information
College Year in Athens (CYA) is a study abroad program focused upon the history and civilization of Greece and the East Mediterranean region.
Its mission is to offer each student an academically rigorous program of studies combined with the vibrant experience of day-to-day contact with the pe... More
| Provider: | College Year in Athens |
| Location(s): | Athens, Greece |
| Year Founded: | |
| Website | Take me there! |
Review By:
Erin S. (Greek & Latin, German, Tufts University) on January 16, 2012
Overall Rating
Personal Information
| * Start Date: | 2010-09-01 |
| * End Date: | 2010-12-17 |
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
It was very similar to the American educational system. The workload was manageable and the grading was very fair. I enjoyed most of my classes. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
It was no better or worse than the administration of an American university, and considering the stereotype of Greek bureaucracy, probably much better than expected. |
| * Housing: |
I lived in Kolonaki, which was much farther from the school and from most of the other students. I definitely would have moved to the other neighborhood, Pangrati, given a chance. However, my apartment was in the posh neighborhood, and was pretty nice. CYA gave us blankets and pillows (no sheets) and basic cookware. The apartments were all air-conditioned and had WiFi. |
| * Food: |
I wish CYA still made me lunch! Best food ever, even as a vegetarian the options were great. Buy fruits and vegetables from the weekly street markets - they're better quality than in the grocery store and most things are 1 euro for 1 kilogram (2ish pounds). |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The week-long field trips to Crete and the Peloponnese were the best part. CYA provided tons of other activities, such as pilates and a hiking trip to Mt. Olympus. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
As long as you avoided the demonstrations and bad neighborhoods, there are few safety concerns. Athens has a low violent crime rate, and I never felt threatened, even as a woman who sometimes had to walk alone at night. |
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* Home Institution Advising:
How well did Tufts University prepare and support you for your time abroad? |
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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? | 30-50 euro? Food isn't as expensive as the rest of Europe. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | If you budget carefully, you can have plenty of money to travel with, especially around Greece. Ferries and trains aren't that expensive. |
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? |
The Greek professors and staff encouraged us to learn Greek and they often used basic Greek words with us. Many Greeks speak a little English, and language only sometimes became a barrier. If you try to speak Greek, most Greeks will really open up to you. I went to Greece knowing nothing of the language and left four months later being able to get by in most necessary situations. |
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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| * If you could do it all over again, would you choose the same program? | Yes |
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | This program is for a student who is interested in Greece and its history. There are certainly party opportunities, but I think Classics nerds get the most out of this program. |
| * What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile? | I would do this again in a heartbeat. It was eye-opening to move to such a different culture, and I grew a lot from this experience. All the financial and political turmoil Greece is currently going through gave me a new perspective on my own culture and how the US fits into global politics. |