Program Reviews

I can't say enough good things about my time studying abroad through CYA. I had great communication with the program administration and felt safe the whole time. My class was a political science course, and getting to explore that while standing on ancient ruins where philosophers and citizens first implemented democracy in society was surreal. The apartments we got to stay in with our classmates were units in buildings that locals lived in--I loved the integration that provided. My professor was so warm and kind and she took us all over the city, incorporating immersion as part of the program content. I learned so much and loved the excursions to other islands and towns we got to explore, as well. I also had the best food of my entire life during the trip. I made friends with people in the program and everyone there was so welcoming. Athens is such a friendly, cool city and having the chance to study there with CYA is a memory I will look back on forever! I hope to make it back soon!

Studying abroad this past summer in Greece was the chance of a lifetime for me. Prior to this program, I had never traveled outside of the United States before, aside from Canada, and certainly never overseas. But I suddenly found myself immersed in a completely new world, so unlike my own, and this culturally enriching experience has forever changed my perspective. Throughout my time in Greece, I traveled across the entire country, from Athens in the southeast, to the southern Peloponnese, to the northeastern coast and back again, learning about and exploring places along the way I never even knew existed. I traveled by bus across the rocky mountains of the countryside, and by boat and plane over the cerulean waters of the Ionian and Aegean seas. I visited every archaeological site and museum housing the actual artifacts we discussed in class. To be able to see thousands of years of history with my own eyes was a truly humbling and surreal experience, one that cannot be accurately described. Never again will I have the opportunity to study abroad and live in a different country, to travel and explore new places for one simple reason: the desire to know and truly understand the world in which we live.

As a half-greek American with familial roots in Greece, this was my first time visiting the country and I was not disappointed. Greece is the most beautiful place I have ever visited with fresh food, rich culture, and beautiful mountains and beaches. While CYA prepares you to adapt to Greek culture and life, they also give you a fair amount of independence to explore on your own. With classes only Monday through Thursday, you are given three day weekends to roam around Athens or travel elsewhere. You also live in apartments among Greek locals which truly gives you an authentic Greek experience. These apartments are in an ideal location, only about a 15 minute walk from the Acropolis and great restaurants. In terms of the academic side of things, the courses were a bit of a lighter load than my home college and were much more hands-on. A lot of my classes took trips to museums or did field study in surrounding neighborhoods. We also went on three field study trips: one to Delphi, one to Southern Greece, and one to Northern Greece. These trips were by far my favorite experience because I got to learn more about Greece's history while getting to see different villages and cities all around the country. Overall, I could talk about my experience in Athens for hours (which makes writing a short review difficult!) Studying abroad through CYA taught me how to be more independent, mature, confident, and to take authority when needed. As a first-generation student, this was my first time traveling out of the country and I feel much more comfortable and assured after traveling to Greece through CYA. Leaving this program, I have lasting connections with professors, faculty, and even locals from my time spent in Athens.

To say my time with CYA this past summer was a formative experience would be an understatement. Spending a month traveling through Greece for the Bronze Age Archaeology class gave me a new perspective on my major that I know will be invaluable going forward, and I quickly fell in love with the country and the culture. It was also incredibly fun! Athens is now one of my favorite places in the world, and I would 100% tell anyone and everyone to take the chance to study there with CYA if possible.

Absolutely loved my experience through CYA. My program had 120 students total, so it made adjusting to a new country and customs that much easier. Lunch is served 5 days a week too which was really handy. Overall, the food, the people, and the city's rich culture provided an unforgettable experience for me. I found some of my lifelong friends while studying abroad through CYA, and during our time together we were able to travel all over Greece and Europe. Highly recommend studying abroad through CYA's program.

I cannot recommend this course enough! The people were amazing and I learned so much. I did not know anything about excavating before this class and the professors were so great about helping and making it very manageable. I learned a lot about Greece and ancient Greek temples and on the weekends we could explore different islands and really do whatever we wanted. We would dig during the day and then go to the beach the rest of the day so if that sounds fun to you sign up! You will not regret it!

I took the Diversity, Difference in Regionality Among Greek States and Interconnections in Bronze Age Aegean classes during the summer of 2022. I learned a lot about classical Greece and Bronze Age Aegean. My professors were funny, approachable, and caring. I enjoyed the 2 week long road/ferry trips. I would recommend this program and would encourage students to apply for scholarships from their school. Greece is pretty cheap compared to other European countries. Most people speak English, so it is pretty easy to get around.

I participated in CYA's summer session 1 of 2022 and enrolled in a travel writing course that was a month long. We spent half that time in Athens and the other half in Poros, with a stop in Nafplio along the way. This course was absolutely fantastic, my writing improved so much and I was able to pick up a decent amount of modern Greek. Katerina was a lovely professor, extremely kind and passionate about the subject and Greece in general. I made great friends and got to know Greece on a much deeper level. I highly recommend CYA's study abroad programs, it was a great mix of independent travel and professional support.

Athens is the perfect place for studying; everywhere you go there are different museums and historical sites, but also lots of food, shops, and other activities to do. Greece is a beautiful place full of friendly and welcoming people- I was lucky to make friends with some of the locals and found them all to be quite open-minded and helpful. I think that there is something about learning on-site (or at least within the same country/city), that you cannot re-create back home in the classroom. Overall, CYA did a great job of providing support and guidance for us students, yet at the same time gave us the room to be independent and explore on our own. If you choose to do this program I really recommend taking the time to go to one of the smaller islands on your breaks, but also don't forget to take in all that Athens has to offer itself!

Studying abroad with CYA was the perfect decision. I was able to explore so many places in Athens and Greece, both in an academic context and for fun. All of my classes were very interesting, especially as a Classics major, but there are a wide variety of courses offered. I loved living in the neighbourhood of Pangrati and it was so easy to get other places in Athens. I made some really good friends, especially my roommates. The country is very affordable, I loved the food and I will miss it a lot!