A Fantastic Study-Abroad Program

Many students worry about remaining foreigners while abroad, which was the case for some of my friends studying abroad in other countries. However, CYA does everything it can to foster a strong community and help students immerse themselves in Greek culture. They recommend various internships and volunteer positions, organize a greek cooking class, bring in local marble artists, send emails about a lot of fun events in Athens, and the staff gives great recommendations on places to see and things to do. Everyone is very approachable and genuinely cares about helping the students have amazing experiences abroad.

In order to further help students gain an understanding of Greece's rich history and culture, there are three mandatory field trips to various parts of Greece. These trips provide wonderful opportunities to see more of the beautiful country, try local delicacies and see regional customs. It is also a great experiences for students to get to know each other and some of their professors better as they spend the trip mainly with one assigned group and professor. I got to see so many famous archaeological sites and museums, like Delphi and the Palace of Knossos, while learning about them from very knowledgable professors.

Many classes in Athens are taught on site or take field trips. I loved spending so much time at the Acropolis, going to museums like the Jewish Museum, going to a Monastery, and walking around parts of the city, all for class. I learned more about and how to navigate more of Athens than I ever thought I would through these classes, and I am very grateful that.

It was an all around amazing semester, and I loved the free and delicious lunch that was served every week day, which was a great time to meet up with friends. I know some of the friendships I formed with other students and a couple of Athenians will last a lifetime.