Based on your experience with CYA, what are some of the benefits of spending a semester or summer abroad? How has studying abroad contributed to your personal, academic, and professional development?

Studying abroad with CYA contributed to my development in plenty of different aspects.

Personally, it was a significant challenge for me. While I have traveled before, this was the first time I would travel by myself. It was an experience that helped me develop travel practices and patterns that work for me and allow me to trust my instincts.

Academically, CYA provided me with plenty of opportunities to develop. Firstly, the courses at CYA helped me improve my writing skills and process. With all my courses having long research papers for the end of the course, I had to change my processes when it came to writing as I was working on multiple course papers at the end of the semester. I changed my paper planning and writing processes, allowing me to write quicker and more carefully. Secondly, my ancient Greek course provided me with possibly the most significant academic challenge since entering college. While being my most demanding course, I changed my processes when learning the language, spending more time on aspects such as syntax. Academically, CYA provided me with challenges that changed my approaches to my schooling while providing exciting courses.

Professionally, CYA provides excellent opportunities to engage in the professional world in another Country. While my internship only lasted a month, it gave me a great look into archival work and how archaeological teams run sites and archives. In short, CYA provided me with plenty of opportunities to develop in many different ways through its offerings of challenging academics and professional opportunities.

What advice do you have for prospective students who are interested in or planning to study abroad with CYA?

CYA did an excellent job of providing many different views for the advice that I received. For me, I want to provide advice when it comes to traveling and studying. I did travel quite a bit during my time abroad and want to advise on traveling during the beginning and middle of the semester. While I did not do what the advice I gave says to do, I speak out of experience. In addition to that traveler experience, I have experience of being abroad on a budget. I would advise people to constantly look for deals, especially on the delivery app Wolt, as you can often get two meals for the price of one. The final piece of advice that I would give would be to use apps and websites, including Rome2Rio and Hostel World, to find the cheapest and best options for traveling. For Rome2Rio, you can simply put in two cities or a trip itinerary to find the best options for travel.

Favorite food in Greece?

Gyro.

Favorite class you took at CYA?

Biography an Empire with Dimitra Kotoula