Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

A place to check off a long list of new experiences well spent/enjoyed Past Review

By (Berea College) - abroad from 05/15/2018 to 06/21/2018 with

KIIS: Greece - Experience Greece, Summer Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned how to spend my money. But it was worth all the hastle because back in the states now, I don't regret anything.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The courses were interactive and required us to be an active member of the class when it was just us sitting down in a classroom setting or exploring the country.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

All those who came as adminstation/professor drew a clear line between being professional and personal. And considering we were traveling with each other during the entire trip, it could be difficult. But the professors did it flawlessly.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

Most of the time, I went out to eat and tried new foods during dinner time. When it came towards the end of the trip, I had to rely on sandwiches to hold me over in order to keep a good amount of money, but I was fine with that.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Being the only African American in my cohort, I stuck out. When we did go out as a group we got stopped multiple times because we looked like tourists and thus was bothered to buy things.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

The professors gave us a heads up on some cold/flu relief which a lot of us needed toward the middle of the trip, including myself. I went to a pharmacy, which was around every corner on both the islands and Athens and found majority of what I needed.

* Safety:

Just like any other unknown place I was just getting familiar with I sent majority of my time in a group which deter anyone from bothering us in a harmful way. I would say stay with a group and if you would like to go off and explore by yourself, make sure you know your landmarks to get back safely to the group.

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

Though I had trouble with the financial part of the trip, I had so much fun meeting those in the same program of different colleges experiencing Greece for the first time together. I loved the place I was in with the people I was with!

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)

I found it had to budget. It was my first time out of the country and I didn't know what to expect with prices and how much activities we were doing. At the end I did come back with extra money but that was after I had to stop spending foolishly.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $200
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Give yourself a week to understand the pricing of general things such as food, souvenirs and such and then budget accordingly for the rest of your time there.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Hotel
  • Hostel
* 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? 0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Constant travel to different islands
  • The cohort
  • The professors
* What could be improved?
  • Less time in Athens
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I don't have any knowledge I wish I had had before going on the trip.

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 Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.