Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Seeing Healthcare Through a New Culture September 30, 2026

By (Biological and Physical Sciences, San Diego State University) - abroad from 06/02/2024 to 06/15/2024 with

Cerca Abroad: Physical Therapy Internships in Greece

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained a much clearer sense of how my field works in real clinical settings, along with the confidence that comes from navigating a new country and adapting to a different professional culture.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

It felt like the whole experience quietly reshaped the way I understand patient care across cultures.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The host country program administration was consistently smooth, supportive and impressively well-organized.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Housing was very comfortable and made settling into daily life feel effortless.

* Food:

The food was consistently delicious and felt like a genuine part of the cultural experience.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Social and cultural integration felt natural and welcoming.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Health issues were handled promptly and reassuringly with support that always felt organized and dependable.

* Safety:

Safety was consistently well-managed, with clear structure and a secure environment throughout the program.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Hi, I am Jenny, I am from California, I go to San Diego State University. I chose this internship because I really wanted to immerse myself in another culture and get that new experience especially in the healthcare and medical field. It was very interesting to get a new perspective on how other countries work with patients and their techniques in medicine. I chose Greece specifically because I love the culture and the food. My first job was at a Greek restaurant and they’ve always made me feel like family and I really liked that. So I think coming here I wanted to experience more of that. Everyone here is so friendly. And the food, of course. And Cerca has been very helpful. They’ve been very good at communicating. If I’ve had a problem they would answer very quickly, so they’re responsive. I think everything was planned out very well. I didn’t have any issues with getting to work or anything like that. Everything was super smooth, especially picking me up from the airport was very helpful too. I think everything was really good.

Finances

* 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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 110$
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? A simple way to save money is to cook most of your meals, use public transport and stick to free or low cost cultural activities.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? 10+

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Very smooth organization and communication
  • Warm,friendly cultural environment
  • Easy, stress-free daily logistics
* What could be improved?
  • N/A
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I don't have anything further to add. The program was fantastic!

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 Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.