Learning history and archaeology on-site at amazing places Past Review
By Emily R (Classics and History, Wellesley College) - abroad from 06/23/2014 to 07/18/2014 with
CYA (College Year in Athens) - Semester/Academic Year Program
I learned a lot about Greek culture and archaeology during my time abroad, I was able to gain a better sense of local life in Greece because of our apartment location and because we had plenty of free time to explore the city and visit additional sites.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The resources provided to students are great! There is a library with all the books that you need for assignments as well as computer lab with printers. The course provided an excellent overview of ancient Athenian history as well as a basic study of classical archaeology. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The administration was always helpful and friendly. They made sure we were comfortable and enjoying our program. If we ever had any issues with housing or technology, they were quick in sending someone to resolve our issues. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The housing provided by the program was very good. I lived with 5 others and there was plenty of room for us all, and we were situated in a good neighborhood that was close to the main academic building. We were also about 15 minutes away from Plaka and Monastiraki which allowed us to shop and visit tourist attractions in our free time. However, we often had internet issues that left us without internet for an entire weekend at one point. |
| * Food: |
The program offered lunch every weekday, and the food was excellent. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Because we lived in such a residential area, I was able to feel very integrated with the local culture. I was able to pick up some modern Greek words and phrases during the month long program, and communicate with locals at the grocery store and nearby shops and restaurants. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
The program was very helpful when there was a healthcare issue. There were pharmacies at every corner, and if anyone needed to go to the hospital, the program assisted with that, |
| * Safety: |
I felt extremely safe in Athens, and in our neighborhood. My best safety advice: don't jaywalk because traffic is crazy. |
| 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) |
It gets kind of pricey if you're going out to eat often, and ATM fees can add up. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | A little less than $100 a week, |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | My best advice is to try and eat at home as often as possible, and try to take advantage of the free stuff around the city (like the beaches). |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
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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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? |
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? | Sunblock is expensive, make sure to take some with you because you will need it. |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
MS317 |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | Robert Sutton |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | In this course we studied the archaeology of Ancient Athens and Attica in relation to the modern city. The professor had us analyze archaeological evidence during our every day outings in order to analyze daily life in the ancient world. The professor was extremely knowledgeable, and he did an excellent job of covering a wide range of topics from temple archaeology to ancient military history. This course took full advantage of its location in Athens through on site learning at locations such as the Acropolis, Delphi, Eleusis, and Marathon, as well as through visits to dig sites and meetings with the head archaeologists of the sites. We were assessed in this course through two papers (both based on archaeology and artwork that we studied on site) and a final exam. I would definitely recommend this course to others because it provides an excellent background in ancient Athenian history, but provides a more hands on and detailed learning opportunity than the classroom because the lectures are on site. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | I did not have any credit transfer issues. |
