CYA (College Year in Athens)

I had an incredible time in Greece. To start with, the country itself is so beautiful, Athens is the most colorful city I've ever seen, with a vibrant street art community, as well as the incredible ancient sites scattered around. My studies were a surprise to me, as they were challenging, and encouraged me to work hard, but they still left enough time for my friends and I to explore and expand our horizons. My professors especially rose above and beyond my expectations through their thoughtfulness, understanding, and enthusiasm and knowledge of their respective fields! As someone who has wanted to study archaeology ever since I can remember, this experience has only revitalized that passion, and I can't wait to use what I learned while abroad in my studies, and one day, my career!

Studying with CYA had a lot of great perks. The most awesome thing about the programs is the program trips which are completely planned by CYA and which take you all around Greece. I was able to travel around Europe while also gaining a very deep knowledge of Greece. The course material is also very centered around Greece which helped to further my knowledge about the country. While the apartments that are provided are not in the best condition, they are clean and also help you be more independent. Greece is in a fairly central location so it's really easy to travel from as well. Also, Greeks are really friendly so it was very easy to learn about the culture and about life in Athens. Overall, I had a great time at CYA and would definitely recommend the program to anyone who is interested in it!

The opportunity to study abroad in Greece has been a life-changing one. I was able to tour through the country of my dreams, view ancient ruins up close and personal, and make friends who I’ll have for the rest of my life. As someone who is notoriously skeptical about leaving my home and my family, I’ve come to release that I still am because writing this at the end of my
semester abroad, I can’t even imagine leaving CYA and my new family. I feel that the program itself is designed to bring all the CYA students together through one common goal, nurturing a love for the new country that we can now call home. Whether it’s traveling to an island on the weekend or sitting at Kekkos after class, there isn’t one thing about this program that I’m
not going to miss dearly.

I spent the full academic year studying with CYA, and it was the greatest experience! Every staff member in the program truly cares about each student, which was new to me coming from a large university. We were housed in apartments around the neighborhood that CYA is located in, Pangrati, and CYA's housing coordinator is always willing to help with any problems that arise. They provided us with a delicious lunch every weekday, so it was very easy to grab a quick bite to eat between classes. One of my favorite parts of the program were the 3 field trips per semester that CYA took everyone on (included in the program!) to different regions of Greece. They were a great way to get to know other students and professors better, as well as see in person a lot of what we were learning in class. I couldn't recommend CYA enough!

My time with CYA was the best academic and personally formative experience of my life. I took two summer courses, and both the professors were outstanding. Between engaging lectures and meaningful site visits, I felt like I was growing academically without missing any of the social opportunities of study abroad. As a student from the University of Virginia, I was pleased that my CYA professors lectured at a level that still interested and challenged me, even in a different country than my home institution. The work-play balance was perfect, and I was able to explore the entire country (and seven islands!) all while making deep friendships with classmates. CYA gave us the cultural tools and skills to thrive in Greece, and I ended up staying for a few weeks after my program ended. I felt perfectly equipped to explore and enjoy the country with the information I got from the administration, professors, and the experiences of being a student with CYA. Overall, this was the best decision I made in college.