Great way to experience Greece! September 18, 2023

By (Business Administration, Willamette University) - abroad from 01/23/2023 to 05/20/2023 with

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

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
CYA is an amazing way to experience a new culture, society, and way of living. The program is extremely well designed, with numerous field trips allowing for a truly immersive, educational experience. The professors were helpful and all the other students were eager to be there. The

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Classes were interesting and workload was manageable.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Very well ran.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Apartment had several issues.

* Food:

Food was excellent and affordable.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Easy to interact with locals and learn about the culture.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

n/a

* Safety:

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $70-100

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

Taught us basics of Greek at the start and encouraged us to interact with locals.

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? n/a
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? Practice in advance with Duolingo or some sort of app.

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?
  • Field trips
  • Professors
  • Programming
* What could be improved?
  • Living accommodations
  • Access to fitness center/gym
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? This program truly enables you to experience Greek life like a local. You also get to do it with other American students and thus have nothing to worry about as everyone will be experiencing similar culture shock. Don't be afraid to talk to your study abroad peers!

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 Urbanite
A 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.