Brighid and Nora Brady spent six weeks this summer far from their Willow Grove home, studying in Athens, Greece, the birthplace of Western civilization.
The sisters took advantage of a Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) Education Abroad program, which they discovered through Neumann’s Center for Global Engagement.
The experience gave the young women the opportunity to enroll in two courses taught by local CIEE instructors: “Culture and Cuisine in Greece” and “Greece: Past and Present.” The courses explored the country’s rich history and traditions while co-curricular experiences immersed the sisters in modern cultural activities and the contemporary Mediterranean lifestyle.
"When we are not busy with school, we love to explore Athens with our classmates,” the twin sisters wrote in July. “We do dinners together, shopping, and seeing all the cool historic sites. On the weekends, we like to travel to other islands and countries. We have tried a lot of amazing food and learned so much about Greek culture! The coolest thing we have seen so far is definitely the Acropolis.”
Brighid appreciates the friendships she has made: “The best part of my experience was definitely meeting my study abroad group and becoming so close with all of them.”
Nora wishes that America would adopt the Greek tradition of long, shared meals. “It has been very interesting to go out to restaurants and be there for hours,” she explains. “I also like how in Greek culture it is very common to share your food. I think it makes the meals you eat feel more special and allows you to constantly feel like you are surrounded by a family.”
Victor Betancourt, the associate provost for global engagement, believes that cultural immersion plays a key role in contemporary education.
“Beyond the classroom, the sisters are actively developing intercultural competencies,” he explains, “learning how to navigate daily life in a new cultural environment, communicate across differences, and engage respectfully with local communities. These experiences help them build confidence, adaptability, and global awareness, all of which are essential skills in today’s interconnected world.”
Because both Brady sisters play women’s lacrosse, they were attracted to international study in the summer. Practices and games often make it difficult for student athletes to study abroad in the fall or spring semesters.
CIEE offers international study programs in 45 locations during the fall, spring, and summer semesters as well as brief trips in January. The Summer in Athens program can last 6 or 12 weeks and may be accompanied by a full- or part-time internship.