A wonderful time in a wonderful place! June 28, 2021
By Samantha Hines (University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill) - abroad from 02/08/2021 to 06/04/2021 with
CYA (College Year in Athens) - Semester/Academic Year Program
Incredibly worthwhile. Made friends, gained independence, and will go back to the US more confident in my language learning skills and my ability to adapt.
Review Photos
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. |
Classes were very engaging and professors are there to help you through everything, class-related or not. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Incredibly helpful and attentive |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
All the apartments are slightly different, but they are all pretty great! |
| * Food: |
lunches are good and introduce you to Greek food you may not try on your own! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
You are with all Americans, so cultural integration isn't wonderful, but if you put yourself out there, you can definitely meet Greeks in Athens and all around! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Be careful with pickpocketing, but otherwise its a super safe city! |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I had limited options due to COVID, but I'm incredibly grateful this was one of them. Wish I had considered it sooner |
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) |
2.5 some weeks 5 other weeks and every once and a while maybe closer to a 1 week if I'm traveling. Depends on how you like to spend your money. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | There's a kitchen! Cook! |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
You can get by with only knowing hello, but you're encouraged to learn more Greek and if you take a class you'll probably be able to have some light simple conversation in Greek. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | I had taken some intermediate spanish and beginners italian, but no Greek. |
| 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? | Try to use words as soon as you learn them, use them in conversations. |
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? | You can handle being in a place where English isn't the primary language! It may be intimidating, but you will adjust quickly. |
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 Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Gender & Sexuality in Modern Greece |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | Aimee Placas |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | Take it if you can!! Taught me so much about modern Greece and Aimee was a constant resource my entire time in Greece! |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
