Appreciation of architecture, cuisine, history, culture, and magnificent sights Past Review

By (Goucher College) - abroad from 01/12/2020 to 03/22/2020 with

Webster University: Athens - Odyssey in Athens

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I am incredibly thankful for my experience studying abroad in Athens. There are endless reasons to appreciate life in the breath-takingly beautiful, unconditionally welcoming, and fundamentally friendly country of Greece. Between my 6 apartment-mates and other Odyssey students who loved exploring as much as I do and all of the incredible monuments, historical sights, and niches of Greek culture within walking distance, every day was a new adventure. While abroad, I made life-lasting friendships with Webster students (other Odyssey students and refugees/immigrants/Greek students), the ever-loving and sensational study abroad coordinator, and Greek people who I met who lived in the area. I also learned an incredible amount about Ancient Greece, Greek culture, traditional Greek cuisine, and so much more about life in Greece over the thousands of years that it has existed due to the positions that I put myself in, from auditing classes and visiting museums to becoming regulars at a bar and forming close friendships with Greek people. I am eternally grateful for this experience and will always take a little bit of Greece with me wherever I go.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* 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)

Average, so long as you shop at the local fruit and vegetable market, as everything is impossibly cheap there.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 35-55 Euros?
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Shop at the local fruit and vegetable market! It's impossibly cheap and is not too far past the normal grocery store.

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

No requirement, but access to the best Greek language education!

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? Intermediate
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? Use it in public as much as you can because Greek people also know English and will assume that you want to speak in English.

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

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
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?
  • Food
  • Culture
  • Friends
* What could be improved?
  • Academics
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Don't waste time not exploring everything and taking every opportunity. Also only buy fruits and vegetables from the fruits and vegetable market because it's so much cheaper.

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.