CYA - Study in Greece (Semester Program)

I am so glad that I took the leap and studied abroad with CYA this year! After a great spring semester, I ended up returning for a special summer program through CYA as well. I had the best Modern Greek professor ever and truly enjoyed all of my classes. The location could not have been better, and I truly felt at home in our neighborhood. CYA is so supportive of its students. I felt that I was in amazing hands, and every staff member and professor put a smile on my face! I can't wait to return!

I was a student at CYA during the Spring 2021 semester. Even though covid made some activities and experiences impossible, the staff of CYA did an incredible job in providing us with meaningful abroad experience. All the teachers were amazing, especially Professor Pitt and Professor Kritsotakis. I would definitely recommend taking at least one on-site class. I took Topography and Monuments of Ancient Athens and it provided me with an excellent understanding of the archaeological sites. The marble carving workshop is excellent and the man who runs it is quite a character. The public transit in Athens is easy to use so you can get basically anywhere you want to go around the city and the surrounding areas. The neighborhood of Pangrati where CYA is located has a farmer's market every Friday where you can get fresh produce (and funky used clothes). A block away from the CYA building there is a bakery called Kekkos run by a super kind husband and wife who really make you feel at home in Greece. Because CYA is specifically for studying abroad, they run trips to other parts of Greece as part of their class program. We went to Epidaurus, Mycenae, Sparta, Olympia, Delphi, Thessaloniki and other places with our professors there to help is understand what we were seeing. Overall, I cannot recommend CYA enough. It is a life-changing program.

CYA is an incredible program! I went during COVID lockdown and I was worried about not having a great experience, but the administration was so great with adjusting the program to make sure we had a great experience! Athens was nothing that I expected, but everything I needed in a study abroad experience! It's really easy to make connections within the city and also so easy to travel outside of Athens and Greece. I was not able to travel outside of the country due to COVID, but I got to know Athens and Greece in a way I wouldn't have were I traveling all the time. So I really recommend that if you do go, you spend time traveling to the islands and around mainland Greece- Monemvasia was my favorite location!

College Year in Athens is the ideal study abroad experience. It perfectly balances learning with fun, travel with time in Athens, and cultural immersion with lifestyle appreciation. The professors never fail to engage students and always go out of their way to make classes interactive. Despite visiting Greece during COVID-19, I felt a strong bond with my fellow students, the CYA administrators, and staff. All of the students in our program would take turns hosting dinner parties when we were unable to visit restaurants. Our administration scheduled one-on-one meetings to interact with students in a safe and comfortable environment. I was even able to intern in a hospital during the pandemic! CYA truly goes above and beyond in its efforts to engage students in Greek life. From cooking classes to backgammon competitions, the Acropolis to Thessaloniki, I loved every moment of my time as a CYA student!

Greece is the dream of someone who loves hiking, beaches, photography, history, archeology, and art. Also awesome amazing food! The gyros, the tzatziki sauce, the pizza. even the vegan options are great. the sunsets are gorgeous and the archeological sites are a must-see. The Acropolis is only a 20 minute walk away and the Panatheonic stadium right down the street. the professors are chill and will even invite you over and grab drinks with you. the people are all real nice and caring. and look out for you

This program is unique for the warmth and welcoming atmosphere created not just by the faculty and staff, but the students and strangers in the surrounding neighborhood as well! Even during the difficulties caused by the pandemic, CYA managed to provide us with the full Athens (and Greek in general) experience while keeping within safe, healthy guidelines. I would recommend this to anyone remotely interested in Greece, and especially to Classics students. Be especially ready to take any opportunity for adventure—there's so much to do!

Something that stood out to me in the midst of my studies with CYA is how the professors truly care about the students, and they have an understanding that this semester abroad is not solely meant for academic achievement, but really it is meant to guide you in a direction of personal growth. You learn how to balance on one side the school work, and on the other side, the new life in a city and culture you have just been introduced to. In reality, there is an endless list of benefits to spending a semester abroad in Greece, and these benefits contribute greatly to the personal, academic, and professional developments that undoubtedly you will acquire while there.

My most memorable and culturally eye-opening moment was flying a kite during Καθαρά Δευτέρα (Clean Monday) with my roommates on top of Philopappos Hill. If you are around in the Spring semester, I highly recommend flying a kite on Clean Monday!

I was able to connect with the 29 other students! We had a unique experience living in Athens during restrictions from Covid-19. It was really neat to see the city reopen as it got warmer and as restrictions lessened. The professors at CYA are absolutely terrific. They were very engaging despite teaching via zoom for much of the semester. I enjoyed the classes a lot! The food is also spectacular! There’s something for everyone. I made many great friends and memories during my 4 months in Athens!!