5 Tips for Studying Abroad in Greece
1. Befriend a local baker
This is my number one tip because it will definitely help you get to know the Greek people and culture. Greece is known for their sweets, and I have a very big sweet tooth, so naturally I would go to the bakery often. Kekkos Bakery was right next to my apartment, so my roommate and I went there multiple times a day. The owner, Dimitris, started to notice us and began giving us free little ice cream sandwiches. I was very shocked by his generosity because in LA (where I'm from) not many restaurants/bakeries give out free food. We started introducing our other roommates to Dimitris and he eventually gave us all matching shirts (pictured below). He also gave us suggestions when we went on excursions and he even got us a reservation at a restaurant in Santorini because he knew one of the restaurant owners. Overall, my study abroad experience would not have been as amazing if I didn't meet Dimitris. Kekkos Bakery also had the best spinach pie (10/10 would recommend), and I tried a lot of spinach pies. The employees at Kekkos were so welcoming and made Greece feel like home. So if you're ever in Pangrati, Athens on Eratosthenous, go to Kekkos Bakery; you won't regret it!
2. Plan a Trip to an Island
The Athens Global Seminar Program had 2 free weekends, which allowed us to explore Greece on our own. My apartment didn't go anywhere the first weekend, but the second one we went to Santorini. We bought roundtrip tickets for the SeaJet ferry and stayed in an Airbnb in Fira. Shoutout to my roommate Taylor for organizing this trip! Anyway, going to Santorini was a really nice break from the busy streets of Athens. Make sure to bring extra money and pack lightly for weekend trips! When buying ferry tickets, make sure you buy from a company that gives student discounts. Also, travel in a group to reduce costs of staying there and for safety purposes. Santorini was very relaxing and breathtaking, so if you're looking for a nice vacation spot this is the perfect location!
3. The Metro System is your friend
I'm so thankful that CYA and Professor Gallant provided us with Metro passes that gave us unlimited rides for a month. We would use it often to meet for class, so we became accustomed to the routes. The pass gave us access to the bus, metro, tram, and trolley. Our apartment was a trolley stop that was on the way to the metro, so we hopped on that instead of walking through the National Garden. The transportation system was very helpful, efficient and cheap for getting around Athens. Also, if you're staying at an island use their bus system because it is much cheaper than a taxi. I recommend looking up where you want to go then seeing what bus/metro/tram/trolley routes you can use.
4. Treat Yourself
Going to Athens during their summer sale was a huge convenience. I think it's important to remember that you may never come back to a country you've visited, so you should indulge a little. I purchased gifts for my friends and family and bought myself a couple of items. I wanted to explore Greece's material culture so I bought jewelry, jeans, sandals, pistachios, olive oil soap and some touristy items. However, keep in mind how much you can spend and don't let the street vendors convince you to buy something you'll never use. I didn't do this, but I think it's a good idea to give yourself a weekly budget and try your best not to go over it. I found the best items in Monasteraki (one of the metro stops). Shopping in Greece was a great activity I did with my roommates and other people in the program, so definitely check out those summer sales!
The Athens Global Seminar Program had 2 free weekends, which allowed us to explore Greece on our own. My apartment didn't go anywhere the first weekend, but the second one we went to Santorini. We bought roundtrip tickets for the SeaJet ferry and stayed in an Airbnb in Fira. Shoutout to my roommate Taylor for organizing this trip! Anyway, going to Santorini was a really nice break from the busy streets of Athens. Make sure to bring extra money and pack lightly for weekend trips! When buying ferry tickets, make sure you buy from a company that gives student discounts. Also, travel in a group to reduce costs of staying there and for safety purposes. Santorini was very relaxing and breathtaking, so if you're looking for a nice vacation spot this is the perfect location!
3. The Metro System is your friend
I'm so thankful that CYA and Professor Gallant provided us with Metro passes that gave us unlimited rides for a month. We would use it often to meet for class, so we became accustomed to the routes. The pass gave us access to the bus, metro, tram, and trolley. Our apartment was a trolley stop that was on the way to the metro, so we hopped on that instead of walking through the National Garden. The transportation system was very helpful, efficient and cheap for getting around Athens. Also, if you're staying at an island use their bus system because it is much cheaper than a taxi. I recommend looking up where you want to go then seeing what bus/metro/tram/trolley routes you can use.
4. Treat Yourself
Going to Athens during their summer sale was a huge convenience. I think it's important to remember that you may never come back to a country you've visited, so you should indulge a little. I purchased gifts for my friends and family and bought myself a couple of items. I wanted to explore Greece's material culture so I bought jewelry, jeans, sandals, pistachios, olive oil soap and some touristy items. However, keep in mind how much you can spend and don't let the street vendors convince you to buy something you'll never use. I didn't do this, but I think it's a good idea to give yourself a weekly budget and try your best not to go over it. I found the best items in Monasteraki (one of the metro stops). Shopping in Greece was a great activity I did with my roommates and other people in the program, so definitely check out those summer sales!
5. Learn some Greek
During the program we had a Greek language teacher who gave us 2 Greek lessons. We learned the alphabet, numbers and common sayings. I definitely didn't pick up on everything, but I think it's important to know hello, goodbye, please, thank you, and i'm sorry/excuse me. Challenge yourself and try ordering something at a bakery! Although most people speak English in Greece, using some Greek words show you want to put in effort to get to know the Greek culture.
During the program we had a Greek language teacher who gave us 2 Greek lessons. We learned the alphabet, numbers and common sayings. I definitely didn't pick up on everything, but I think it's important to know hello, goodbye, please, thank you, and i'm sorry/excuse me. Challenge yourself and try ordering something at a bakery! Although most people speak English in Greece, using some Greek words show you want to put in effort to get to know the Greek culture.
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