Ethniko Kai Kapodistrioako Panepistimio Athinon

Find the MENSA, or student restaurant, off Benaki Street in Exharia -- an enormous amount of Greek faves for less than 3Euros (and if you save your ticket, you can go back for a free dinner). Find the Otta-Athens-Non-Tourist things to do: there's a monastary not too far from the airport that teaches Byzantine sacred music -- you can go in and watch/listen to the nuns singing. Evia island is an easy getaway with amazing mountain villages and nice beaches. Anyone intersted in Karagiozi (Greek Shadow Puppet Theatre) should check out the shop at 20 Apollonos Street and talk to Stavros.

There is no housing provided by the university for THYESPA students and many are left out in the cold (or in hotels). There is a list of room renters available from the unviersity, but actually securing a room is one of the most difficult aspects of the program. You're on your own.

Cafe prices have skyrocketed since the introduction of the Euro -- which is perfectly fine if you plan to sip a Frappe for two hours (as most Greeks do). But if you just need a fast drink, head to the low-priced periptera -- or kiosks.

The THYESPA Program is great but requires a fully independant student. At times, the University treats you like royalty -- especially on the weekend excursions -- but it fails in basic administration. Stay strong and fight for what you need, and don't be afraid to pick up the phone and call up strangers in broken Greek (it's the only way you'll find a place to live).

The opportunity for speaking in class is not what I would wish it to be. Again, students need to push themselves to use Greek at every opportunity. The grammar and reading/writing portions of the course were the highest emphasis. After completing the course, I spent a week on a Greek farm with relatives who do not speak any English. This was far more valuable (as far as speaking in everyday situations) than the six-week grammar-focused course at the National University.