It's All About the Sights Past Review
By Joe F (Philosophy., Western Washington University) for
Western Washington University: Athens - Classical studies in Greece
I developed a deep appreciation for ancient Greek history and culture, especially its art. Of course, getting to explore a new culture on your own feet, at your own leisure, is a pretty invaluable experience in itself. I also went to Greece a week earlier than the rest of the group so that I could do a little personal exploration of places that weren't planned for the group and that made a big difference.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The workload was very light, we rarely had work to do outside of the scheduled classroom periods. The teaching was dominated by group discussion and lecture by the professor: about half each. In all, the educational system seemed very similar to that employed in America. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The Athens Centre was extremely professional and helpful. They had much advice on where anything of interest could be found and what in particular we should be paying attention to. The resources were extensive and they went out of their way to make our experience well-rounded, educational and fun. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The neighborhood seemed extremely safe, easy to navigate and nearby all of the cities best sights. Class was only a block away and everything necessary was provided. |
| * Food: |
It was hard to tell how much food variety was actually available, but good food could always be had for cheap with proper planning and trips to the local grocery store a few blocks away. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
It wasn't arranged by our program, but I made sure that my classmates and I saw a live performance of "Medea" at the Theatre of Dionysus just under the Acropolis and it was the most memorable experience of the trip. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
It always seemed very safe, but we were all very careful to stay in groups and take precautions against theft, which we were told in advance was common. Watch out for urchins in the ocean! |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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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) |
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Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
Our language teachings were fairly brief. We studied the alphabet and grammar prior to our leaving for Greece, and while there we took several days of conversational Greek. It was very rudimentary. The best people to practice with were the shop owners and tenants in the immediate vicinity of our apartments. It was nice to have some consistency that way. Almost everyone spoke some English (at least enough to work it out), and most people spoke English well. Speaking Greek was rarely required, but the locals appreciated the effort and were generally happy to practice. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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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? | There are two ways in which you can expect to be educated on this trip. The first is to get out into the community and spend time talking to locals. The second is by making as much as possible out of trips to museums and archeological sites. Not much happens in the classroom besides a synthesis of your trips. There are a LOT of museums. Many of us felt pretty exhausted by the thought of them by the end. |
