Transformative February 09, 2024
By Amira H (Sociology, DePaul University) - abroad from 01/16/2023 to 05/19/2023 with
CYA (College Year in Athens) - Semester/Academic Year Program
My name is Amira and I was in the CYA program for the winter semester in 2023 and it was an unforgettable experience. Oftentimes individuals travel because they believe they may ‘find themselves’ and I believe that as a person you do not find yourself, you make yourself. Being part of the CYA program helped give me the tools to understand who I wanted to build and what would that person do in various circumstances. I thoroughly enjoyed my time on field studies in Delphi, the Peloponnese, and Thessaloniki/Northern Greece. I was given every chance possible to be culturally immersed and to learn more about Greece and Greeks alike. I found Greek culture to be relatable in terms of values for myself and because the culture is so hospitable and welcoming I was able to befriend locals without having to live with a host family. This program was largely made for anthropology and classics students however the program is evolving to include a wider range of topics and courses available to students. Greece has a rich social resistance history that I found fascinating to study as someone with a sociology background and I found that my peers had mixed studies between UX Design, Pre-med, economics, etc. If you are looking for an internship or to volunteer to add to your resume CYA is splendid at connecting students including myself to career-relevant internships and volunteer opportunities.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I believe that CYA professors do a great job of balancing academic work with academic rewards. I do believe you have to find the right course for you as each professor has their own style of teaching a course. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Being part of the CYA program helped give me the tools to understand who I wanted to build and what would that person do in various circumstances. I thoroughly enjoyed my time on field studies in Delphi, the Peloponnese, and Thessaloniki/Northern Greece. I was given every chance possible to be culturally immersed and to learn more about Greece and Greeks alike. This program was largely made for anthropology and classics students however the program is evolving to include a wider range of topics and courses available to students. Greece has a rich social resistance history that I found fascinating to study as someone with a sociology background and I found that my peers had mixed studies between UX Design, Pre-med, economics, etc. If you are looking for an internship or to volunteer to add to your resume CYA is splendid at connecting students including myself to career-relevant internships and volunteer opportunities. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Housing units are clean and of great quality and the housing department is also very understanding and eager to help when needed. |
| * Food: |
The food provided by CYA is standard Greek lunch food. I thought the food did great considering how many different groups of students they serve each day. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I was given every chance possible to be culturally immersed and to learn more about Greece and Greeks alike. I found Greek culture to be relatable in terms of values for myself and because the culture is so hospitable and welcoming I was able to befriend locals without having to live with a host family. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I was sick for a month and I contacted CYA and they helped connect me to a doctor and assisted me with obtaining my prescriptions. |
| * Safety: |
Athens as a city is safer than any major American city but robbery and theft are no joke and it is always best to practice caution. CYA is not liable for much so they are not obligated to help in some circumstances but they are very effective and caring when it comes to handling situations and involving the students they impact. |
| 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) |
It is entirely dependent on how much you decide to cook in your apartment. I found that having easy meals to make (yogurt bowls) would help alleviate costs. But if you wish to live and go out comfortably you will need $200 for each week just about. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I tried to budget for $250 every two weeks but I found that II ended up needing to go over budget about half of the time. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Have a couple of cheap spots and meals that you can make at home easily to help save the rest of your money for activities/travel. |
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 |
It was not actively enforced that we use our Greek but it was greatly encouraged especially considering how friendly and hospitable the culture is that there was no need to worry about speaking to those eager to chat. |
| 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? | Keep using it! |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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? | I wish I knew to save more money or prepare my budget better |
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. |
