Arcadia in Greece

Living in the heart of Athens was a once in a lifetime experience and Arcadia managed to find the perfect balance of academics and excitement. All of the classes were interactive, regularly taking place throughout the city, with one weekend trip included for each. The faculty and staff are amazing and really made us all feel right at home, while still pushing us outside of our comfort zone. The semester I spent with Arcadia in Athens helped me grow as a person, travel through Europe and allowed me to make some of my best friends. Αγαπώ Ελλάδα!

Coffee is a HUGE part of Greek culture. However, coffee is a social even among the Greeks who will sit in a cafe for several hours and only drink one cup. I, being the typical American, am addicted to coffee and drink several cups a day. Not only am I a frequent drinker, but I drink my cappuccinos very sweet. During my time living in the Athens neighborhood of Pagrati, I became friendly with the baristas of several of the local coffee shops. They recognized me when I came up to order and knew what I wanted every time (or at least thought they did). One of the barista's at a shop I frequented always would greet me, and say with confidence what he thought was my order. He would get it wrong every single time but after a while it became a game. Even though it was a small interaction that would happen once or twice a week, it was one of the many little things that made my time in Greece so special to me.

At a different coffee shop, I would order three scoops of sugar in my cappuccino (like I always did) but at this particular shop outside the Acropoli Metro exit, the barista would always double check that I really meant three scoops, and, once confirming that I did mean three, he would smile, turn around, and chuckle to himself.

I chose to go to Athens because I thought I would be able to immerse myself in the culture. Arcadia, however, does very little to get you involved in the community. The Staff were not very helpful. In fact, I remember seeking help and support of one staff member, and I left her office feeling completely rejected. The director of the program did not like me, and she did nothing to mask her dislike, acting in a rather unprofessional manner.
The teachers, on the other hand, are wonderful. Some of the best teachers I have ever had.
Honestly, without the support of the staff, and with incompatible classmates, I spend a lot of time on my own. Traveling is amazing, and it was a wonderful experience to be in Athens.
However, and I cannot stress this enough: DO NOT choose Arcadia University for your study abroad experience.

I spent the spring of 2015 in Athens, Greece with the Arcadia in Greece program. While there I had the most enriching semester experience through out my entire college career. I would not have traded it for anything and would do anything to be back in Athens.