Hellenic International Studies in the Arts

During my time abroad, I was able to fully immerse myself in the culture of Greece and see many different islands with the help of Academic Programs International (API) and Hellenic American University. My program through API made the process enjoyable and easy to navigate. With excursions in the program, traveling was made easy. In addition, the program lead showed students around the city and even some favorite local spots. She became a mentor to me while abroad and made Greece feel like a home away from home. Overall, my experience with API and Hellenic American University was nothing short of amazing and I would go again in a heartbeat!

HISA is a beautiful small program. The academics are engaging and flexible enough that you can really find yourself in the work, while not being so rigorous that you don't have time to focus on what's important: life in Paros. Every morning we would walk along the beach and through the town square to get to class, and it doesn't take long to stop feeling like a tourist. Pretty soon, returning from weekend trips to the other islands felt like returning home; to the streets and restaurants and bartenders and stray cats that I know and love. By the end of my semester with HISA, all of the students were very close friends and most of us were writing novels. All of the faculty members are very kind and insightful and I was able to really get to know all of them, even those whose classes I wasn't taking. It's like a three-month artist retreat on a Greek island, what more could you ask for? The sky is blue, the water is wet. Once you arrive you'll never want to go home. If you're just looking for a fun getaway you'll have some of the best months of your life, and if you're looking for a life-changing experience you'll find that too.

This trip was amazing. Everyday the weather was absolutely beautiful and the views were amazing. I learned so much about the culture of Greece and got to experience it first hand by all the field trips we went on and all the historical landmarks we saw. Our guides, professors, and administrators were so greatly organized and made Greece feel like another home. I would recommend this to anyone who is looking to study abroad.