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Greek isles: Views, beaches, sunsets and crowds

By WTOP Staff

KRISTI EATON
Associated Press

SANTORINI, Greece (AP) — Whitewashed houses stacked like sugar cubes on the cliffs. Colorful sunsets and black-sand beaches. Donkeys, windmills and a local winemaking tradition that goes back to ancient times.

These are some of the things that stood out on a visit to the Cyclades, a Greek island chain in the Aegean Sea.

Little wonder the place draws gaggles of visitors — enough to make even crowd-loving extroverts long for a peaceful island paradise.

Oh, wait — that’s why we were there. And that’s why, whenever we could, we avoided busy town centers in favor of lying in the sun with a lazy glass of wine.

First stop was the island of Mykonos. My boyfriend and I arrived by ferry from Athens, then took a bus to the island’s center of activity, the town of Mykonos, also known as Chora. It’s a busy place: long lines, picture-taking galore and overpriced trinkets bulging from store shelves. I was glad we’d opted to stay in another village, Ornos, about 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) away, in a hotel five minutes from the beach and a handful of restaurants. There we soaked up the sun by the sea and by the pool, drank wine and met some British travelers who also treasured the calm and quiet.

Early morning turned out to be a relatively tranquil time to see Chora — even if the walk there from Ornos meant dodging cars on the sometimes-minuscule shoulder of the road. We spotted a donkey on the way, and in town, with the few other tourists there that early, we admired large windmills on hilltops that are among the island’s most photographed and visited features. Windmill construction on the island dates to the 16th century.

Then it was off to the winding roads of the Little Venice neighborhood to get lost amid the whitewashed buildings with their colorful balconies. Going early also offered a chance to see a bit of local life behind-the-scenes: shopkeepers mopping up concrete slabs outside their storefronts and arranging their merchandise before the busy day began. We also stopped by to see the ancient urns and memorial statues at the Archaeological Museum.

Mykonos is known for its nightlife, and we had every intention of experiencing it at least once. But staying in laidback Ornos with a glass of wine at a restaurant each night proved too appealing.

Next we visited the island of Santorini. Our hotel was in the village of Perissa, known for its black-sand beach but far less crowded than we expected. One morning, we got a cliff-top view of the island after a hike up Mesa Vouno mountain to Ancient Thira, the site of an excavated city dating to the ninth century B.C.

Later on, we decided for once to brave the crowds and visit the town of Oia, known for its dramatic sunsets. The town is located on steep cliffs offering a panoramic view of the Santorini’s caldera, a volcanic crater that’s partly under the sea. We headed to find a good vantage point with thousands of other visitors eager to watch the sun dip down to the horizon. A sliver of rail space at a parking lot was as good as we could get.

But it didn’t matter. The sunset was so glorious, I didn’t mind the crowds.

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If You Go…

CYCLADES: Greek island chain in the Aegean Sea, http://www.visitgreece.gr/en/greek_islands/cyclades.

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Follow Kristi Eaton on Twitter at http://twitter.com/KristiEaton .

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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