USAC Istanbul Past Review
By A student (International Relations and Affairs., University of the Pacific) - abroad from 01/29/2013 to 06/10/2013 with
Bahcesehir University (BAU): Istanbul - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
It was worthwhile, but probably not in the way it was supposed to be. I had to learn to deal with culture shock on top of my program being a mess. I love, love, love Istanbul and I cannot recommend coming here enough, but please go on a different program.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
BAU is not an academically rigorous school. People are more interested in partying and going vacation than going to class most of the time. With the exception of a few classes, most students are passed on the bare minimum. However, because of the schools resources, you have access to professors who are extremely well known in their fields and are fairly prestigious, as well as conferences with excellent presenters. I personally had a former ambassador to the United States as a professor. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Our student coordinator was the best and went above and beyond. BAU administration, on the other hand, can be incredibly frustrating. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Although we were promised housing when we arrived, we ended up having to stay with last minute emergency host families until alternative housing could be arranged. |
| * Food: |
Food is cheap and readily available in all areas. Both international and Turkish food is available, and well-known American chains are plentiful should you get homesick. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Because of my issues with housing, I was fairly isolated from Turkish people and culture. However, I did make a lot of Turkish friends outside my school and program. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I did not have any health issues, but I did accompany my roommate when she did. Bahcesehir has a on-campus doctor who is readily accessible and speaks very good English. If you need medicine, there are usually tons of pharmacies that can help and are very inexpensive. |
| * Safety: |
Istanbul is very safe, though there are harassment issues if you are a woman. However, I haven't had anyone cross the line in Istanbul. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Less than $200 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | A muze kart (museum card) and an istanbulkart (public transportation card) will help, especially if you get the student cards. Food is really cheap, but things like makeup, sunscreen, razors, etc., can be really expensive. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
The Turkish language department is awful and you should be careful if you take a class. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | If you're talking about departure from Turkey, the Turkish for Beginners |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | I learned next to nothing from my Turkish class. Any improvement I made was by talking to people. Turkish people are so kind and hospitable and they will gladly practice with you. They're usually very patient. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? | 10+ |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | That the program is brand new and the problems (while being worked out) are significant. |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
