The Sun Never Sets on the Acropolis Past Review

By (Classics, Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/26/2015 to 05/14/2015 with

CYA (College Year in Athens) - Semester/Academic Year Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I was able to see firsthand the places I've studied and get a greater historical context for Classical Greece. I also learned about the history and turbulence of Athens from its first beginnings until today, and I've experienced the difficulties that a modern country is facing with an economic crisis. I've met amazing people and shared powerful experiences with them. And I've furthered my studies for my major at school. It has definitely been worthwhile.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The rigor is not very high, the resources are fantastic, teachers are wonderful, and they allow you to see so many places in Greece! For Classics majors, especially, this allows you to really have a better understanding of the sites you've studied.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

Authentic Greek cuisine every day for lunch!

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

While it's true you live in an apartment with other Greeks, I hardly ever saw them. It's easy to get caught up with meeting the students who are in CYA and not get out to meet Greeks. You would have to frequent a specific place or join some kind of club to get to know Greeks (other than your teachers, of course). This is not so easy when you're doing schoolwork, forging connections with your classmates, and traveling on the weekends. That being said, my modern Greek teacher told us a lot about Greece so you do get to know the country better.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

While traveling in central Greece I cut my hand and needed a few stitches. It's a good tip to know that public hospitals in Greece are free. They gave me stitches about 20 minutes after I walked through the door, I asked about insurance, and they didn't require it. The following week I went to a private hospital in Athens to get the bandage changed (though it was hardly necessary) and I was in and out for it very quickly there, too! Lastly, I visited a hospital in Crete the next weekend to have the bandages removed and though it was a little confusing, it all got sorted out and was no big deal. The administration at CYA told me where to go and what to do so I felt confident. The public hospitals might have been more haphazard than hospitals at home, but the one in Athens was just like any hospital I visited in the U.S. No vaccines needed and no prevalent health issues in Greece.

* Safety:

I always felt safe, but I always made sure to stay away from the dangerous areas, of which there are a few at night (like any city). CYA informs you of these areas and there's no reason to visit them at night anyway.

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

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)

Living costs are not very expensive in Athens.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? €100
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Cereal for breakfast, CYA cafeteria for lunch, and pasta/veggies/rice (purchased at supermarket) for dinner. Another cheap, delicious, filling, and accessible dinner is a gyro or two. This should be good for the week, and your money can then be saved for fancier meals on the weekends and for traveling.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Beginner
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Intermediate
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? I had not taken any modern Greek, but I had a knowledge of Greek grammar from taking Ancient Greek 201
How many hours per day did you use the language?
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? Just memorize words and try to form a relationship with a Greek citizen who will be patient with your lack of knowledge and can help you grow.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
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?
  • The trips throughout Greece
  • The people (friends and professors)
  • Being surrounded by the ancient history of Athens
* What could be improved?
  • Laundry should cost less with CYA
  • Some parts of orientation could have been a little shorter
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Nothing!

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 Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Greek Philosophy: The Good Life and the Common Good

Course Department: Philosophy
Instructor: Evgenia Mylonaki
Instruction Language: English
Comments: The course was challenging when reading Aristotle and when it came time to write a paper. You come up with your own topics, she reviews them, and you need to really write the paper as if you were in the mind of Plato or Aristotle. Professor Mylonaki definitely made use of the location and held class once in Plato's Academy and once in Aristotle's Lyceum. Professor Mylonaki was very well-prepared for class and I participated about as often as I would at my home institution. We were assessed based on two papers, weekly journals, and class participation. An extra remark I would make is that the pace felt very slow for me. The professor's style was to tackle philosophy sentence by sentence from our readings and have a class discussion about it. I felt like we didn't cover much material some classes, but I'm happy with the course because I have a solid understanding of the main ideas in Plato's Republic and Aristotle's Ethics/Politics.
Credit Transfer Issues: I do not believe there will be any issue transferring credit.
Course Name/Rating:

Greek Architecture from Archaic to Roman Times as Reflected in the Monuments of Athens

Course Department: Architecture
Instructor: Tassos Tanoulas
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This course was not challenging, but I still learned a great deal. The first few weeks we were learning in the classroom, but after that every course was on site and Professor Tanoulas takes you so many places in Athens! He was in charge of the restoration of the Propylaea for many years and so he gives his class access to many off-limits sites on the Acropolis - a history that no tourist gets to see! And he truly conveys the majesty and importance of Classical architecture. Professor Tanoulas is extremely intelligent and well-prepared. I participated as often as I would have at my home institution. Lastly, we were assessed on one paper, two exams, and class participation.
Credit Transfer Issues: I do not expect any issues with credit transferral.
Course Name/Rating:

Modern Greek: Accelerated

Course Department: Modern Languages
Instructor: Leda Triantafillidou
Instruction Language: English and Greek
Comments: This course was not so much challenging as it was time-consuming. If you want to be good at Greek, you have to put in the time. There were no field trips, but we had a small project to explore Athens and use our Greek. The teacher was very knowledgeable and well-prepared, though I felt she may have gone a little fast at some moments. I participated just as much as I would have at my home institution. Finally, we were assessed on two exams, two oral skits, homework completion, class participation, and general comprehension of the language.
Credit Transfer Issues: I do not expect any issues with credit transferral.