Program Reviews

I came to CYA as a freshman. I had never even been to college, and I was sad to leave my family, and I was nervous to see what my time in Greece would hold. I was praying that the four months I would spend in Greece would fly by. Now I wish they had never ended. CYA and Greece are places that I will forever call home. The people I met, the experiences I had, the food that I ate, and the love that I shared will forever leave an imprint on my heart. Thank you, CYA staff and administration, for giving me the chance to live life in a new and exciting way.

As a Junior, choosing to go abroad through CYA during a pandemic was the best choice I could have made. Instead of sitting in zoom classes on campus, I was able to safely explore Greece and reignite my passion for my major through this program. The classes got me directly on-site to learn about all of the famous ancient locations located throughout Greece firsthand. Not only did I get to walk through Delphi, Olympia, and Athens itself learning about the discoveries made at these historically important places, but I also had the opportunity to independently travel throughout the semester to islands like Mykonos and Paros purely to enjoy the culture and scenery. The program allowed me the freedom to explore Greece and Europe on my own, but they also offered information and support whenever I needed. Absolutely go abroad through CYA if you get the chance because I would not trade the experiences I had here for the world!

CYA was super fun! It provided a great program that allowed me to immerse myself in being both a student and an individual living abroad in a foreign country. Classes are interesting and engaging with many professors that enjoyed teaching. Professors were also a great source of advice on things to eat and places to explore. CYA Administration stayed communicative and on top of updating students about their safety and health. I would definitely recommend CYA for those who are open to explore, try new things, take risks and engage with a culture that wants to engage with you!

I had an amazing experience with CYA. I was given immense opportunities to travel (on a budget!) and learned a great deal about Greek culture. You are immersed into the day to day activities of the Greeks since you're living in a neighborhood with the locals. CYA administration was very helpful in getting you in contact with any person/activity you would like to get involved with. The workload is not overwhelming which leaves much time to explore Greece as well as the surrounding countries. I would highly recommend this program to anyone desiring to have a free-spirited study abroad experience.

This was such a fantastic experience! I had an amazing time and learned so much! Throughout the semester you get a great balance of class time and time to explore on your own. Especially within the field study programs, I would highly suggest going on as many optional ones as you can. I have always wanted to travel and CYA makes it so easy to experience the culture and at the same time you get a full course load of classes that are helpful and interesting. For example my classes brought us to soccer games, markets, theater, the National Archaeological Museum, and the Acropolis. Though you may feel tentative about going or signing up I'm here to tell you that this is an experience you will never regret.

College year in Athens has been such a great experience not only are we able to meet with out class at parks and around the city, the program also takes us on field study trips to various different islands and new cities that I would have never gone otherwise. We only had classes from Mon-thurs so it gives student a good amount of time to explore on the weekends. The food was amazing and so where the apartments and the space we had. Living in the city center has been a great experience, its a must!

Studying abroad in Greece has been an amazing opportunity! I have been able to experience a whole new culture and academic experience while meeting people from all over the world. The classes have been truly unique and the professors are very invested in their students. CYA provides in class learning and outside experiences to connect what is being taught. Some of my classes go to soccer games, theatre performances, and markets! The CYA trips are busy, but very educational and fun. I will never forget this experience!

While I've always wanted to travel to Greece, CYA created such a unique experience for me that I don't think I would've otherwise had. The faculty and staff were all so caring and understanding, attempting to get to know us as individuals first, and they made every attempt to ensure we had the fullest experience possible. I was able to complete a full semester's load of courses both within and majors and outside of them, and I never felt like I was missing out on anything. From archaeology classes at the Parthenon to anthropology classes on walks through the various neighborhoods of Athens, CYA's emphasis on on-site learning really added an essential component to my stay in Greece. Nowhere was this more evident than our field study trip throughout Greece. Within a week, we traveled to dozens of notable sites and towns including Sparta, Olympia, Delphi, and Thessaloniki. Each place had something new to offer, with our helpful instructors giving us deeper insights to every site, whether they were historical or cultural. Even outside of school, CYA encouraged us to explore the country, giving us recommendations on places to eat around the neighborhood, sites to travel to on our days off, and common Greek phrases we could use with the locals. Pangrati, the neighborhood we lived in, began to feel like home, and the people I met both within the program and outside of it began to feel like family. Despite the pandemic, I had a full experience of Greece, and I can't wait to go back for more!

I grew up in a relatively sheltered environment surrounded by people who thought and looked a lot like me. The first 18 years of my life were spent in the comfort of my own likeness. However, spending the summer at CYA allowed me to broaden my understanding of the world through the people I have met and the stories I have heard. This has been an incredibly important experience for me and has allowed me to adjust much of my perception of how we all fit into the places we inhabit. From this powerful experience abroad, I have learned the importance of exploration, as well as the ability to understand other points of view. I allowed myself to explore and say yes to things you wouldn't typically consider doing. This is how I ended up finding the best views or the coolest museums or the most fascinating islands to visit. It was truly an incredible summer.

I learned so much through this program and was able to have such unique experiences. Each weekend I traveled somewhere different amongst the islands or neighboring cities. It was easy to navigate and very affordable. The staff also was incredible and super resourceful. They were willing to go above and beyond to supper me. I loved being in Greece and this program set me up really well for an excellent time. The adventure mixed with history makes Athens the perfect launching point for understanding and experiencing Greek culture.