We <3 CYA

I highly recommend this program! I studied abroad with CYA during Spring 2020-and yes, that means I was only abroad from January through the middle of March. But the time that I spent in Greece was a blast, and I'm thankful for every second. Athens is very unique, being a connector between Europe and Eastern countries, meaning that while you can also travel places that everyone studying abroad in Europe travels to- Paris, London, Venice, etc., you can also go really amazing places like Istanbul and Tel Aviv during your free time abroad. CYA is a really well done program, and my favorite part was the one (ideally of two, but cut due to coronavirus) week long trip we took with the entire program around the Peloponnese region of Greece. While CYA, like almost all study abroad programs, has a few optional trips on weekends scheduled that you can sign up and pay extra money for, they also schedule week long field trips around Greece, like this, whose costs are already configured into your tuition. They're lead by professors and, in complete honesty, are very educational, but they're also a blast, as you get to travel with your friends on the program and go places in Greece that would be difficult to access on your own without a car, like Olympia, Sparta, and Nafplio. From someone who has studied abroad on another program, these 2 week-long trips really set CYA apart from any other study abroad company that I know. Additionally, they handled the coronavirus situation very well. They kept us in Greece as long as they could, but were also accommodating of students who chose to leave earlier. The communication on their end was clear: We're a family, and we want you to stay in Athens just as much as you do, but your safety is first and even when you go home, you'll still be part of the family. Being in Greece, a place that has handled the situation incredibly well so far, I was able to stay abroad as long as was physically possible, and all of the professors were kind and understanding upon my return home. I've said it many times, and I'll say it again: CYA was the program to be abroad with during the crisis. Overall, my experience with CYA was wonderful, and I'd encourage anyone else thinking about studying abroad with them to go for it.