College Year in Athens Study Abroad

Core Literacy:

• Information

Learning Goals:

• Develop multi- and cross-cultural perspectives and apply them to gender, ethnic, and social issues
• Read and analyze historical documents within their social contexts and evaluate the role of the individual in ancient cultures

In the spring of my Junior year, I went to College Year in Athens (CYA), studying abroad for the semester. I chose to study with CYA because of the breadth of archaeology and Classics courses offered every semester and the unique Field Studies that are incorporated into the semester. During my time at CYA I took four courses, Archaeological Drawing, Aegean and Ancient Greek Art and Archaeology, Ancient Greek Mythology and Religion, and Intermediate Latin. Even though I primarily chose these courses due to the fact that they fulfilled requirements for the Classics Major at Skidmore, I felt that with the combination of the extremely knowledgeable professors, immersion within Athens, and content within the course, I gained invaluable knowledge that will help me as I further my studies within Classics and archaeology.

For the three supplementary field studies CYA requires students to attend, I went to Delphi and Olympia, sites around the Peloponnese, and Northern Greece. For the two latter trips, I was able to choose a themed group, which dictated the types of sites and activities we did. For the Peloponnese trip, I chose the theme “The Discovery of Ancient Greece,” which focused on the archaeological importance of sites around the Peloponnese. Switching it up from this theme for the Northern Greece field study, I chose the option “Post-Classical Greece,” which highlighted the achievements and events during the Byzantine, Crusader, Venetian, Ottoman, and early modern periods.

Living in the middle of a culturally-vibrant city for four months is an unforgettable experience, especially since Athens is centered in an immense amount of history. This history was at our disposal through programs offered through CYA such as the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) card, which allowed us access to sites and museums throughout Greece, and the rest of the world. My time with CYA truly changed my perception of the ancient world, and improved my knowledge of an incredible number of subjects. One of the primary reasons I chose CYA, other than the access to Classical Archaeology courses, was for the focus on hands-on and site-based learning throughout all of their courses. Having the ability to have class at the site we were learning about, and not just from a textbook, was an experience that greatly improved my understanding of the Classical world.