Athens: The Examined LIfe Worth Living Past Review
By Erin S (Greek & Latin, German, Tufts University) for
CYA (College Year in Athens) - Semester/Academic Year Program
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.
Personal Information
| 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. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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. |
| 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? | 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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| * 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. |
