Be sure to communicate with your family soon after you arrive to let them know you are safe and sound! A quick phone call or e-mail can make them feel much better. You will most likely have access to Wi-Fi within a few hours of arriving to Greece where you can send an e-mail, text, or make a phone call using Wi-Fi.

While you are abroad it is important to find ways to stay in touch with family and friends. They will all be anxious to hear about your experiences, and you will want to know what is happening at home. Some students have said that it is helpful to set up a communication plan with family and friends so everyone will know when you are available to make a call or receive a call. With time differences, inconsistent internet access, and the many excursions and activities you will be participating in, sometimes it can be difficult for you and your family to connect. Keep in mind that you are only abroad for a short while, so you will want to make the most of it and be present for every experience that you have.

One way some students have stayed in touch and shared their experiences with many friends and family is through keeping a blog. This is an excellent way to communicate as it touches many people and can be flexible with time.

Communication Apps for your Smartphone

Smart phone apps also work very well and allow students to text and call back home with ease. Viber, Whatsapp, and Facetime are all recommended. The most common communication tool, however, is Skype, which allows for free calling from one Skype device to another or very inexpensive calling from Skype to a landline or mobile phone.

 #CISabroadtip – Add $5 or so to your Skype account before going abroad to make calling cellphones or landlines back home easy right from the beginning! Skype calls are only free if they are made to another Skype user, you will need to have credit on your Skype account to call a family or friends phone directly.

Cell Phones

Experienced travelers all agree: it is best to buy a SIM card in-country once you arrive in Athens so that you can make local calls abroad without having to buy a new phone, or an expensive international plan from your US provider. You can use your American phone with a Greek SIM Card inside of it provided that you make sure your US phone is unlocked before you leave the United States!  You are welcome to check in with your US cell phone provider about the cost of an international plan, but this is likely to be quite expensive.

The country code for Greece is 30

To call Greece:

First dial 011, the U.S. exit code. Next dial 30, the country code for Greece. Then, dial the area code (2–5 digits). And finally the phone number (4–8 digits; area code plus phone number equals 10 digits).

Here’s an example:

To dial the US Embassy in Athens while you are in Greece, please dial 210-721-2951 from your local phone.

To dial the US Embassy in Athens while you are still in the United States, please dial 011 30 210-721-2951.  If you are calling from a cell phone, you may use a plus sign at the start of the number when you dial in lieu of the country exit code.