Turkey was magical! Past Review
By Bessie M (Political Science/Intl relations, University of California - Riverside) for
Bogazici University: Istanbul - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
It was worthwhile! I feel more open to different cultures and more enlightened. As for my future plans I know for sure I need to have a high education and become somebody very important.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
For one they do not believe in study guides, there is no such thing. Do all the reading and participate in discussion that is key!The information and the rigor is much more intense than how it is taught in the states. They expect their students to be well informed about the major philosophers and political thinkers before stepping foot into the classroom. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The administrative services did lack on getting things done and they were not as organized as I expected them to be. However, I only had to deal with them when it came to getting registered for classes, but once that was over it was set and I did not have any problems. There were many students from around the world in the same program I was in. There was a huge group from Morocco, Lebanon, and the states. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I only had to buy sheets and a pillow. The neighborhood is very safe and close to campus and the nightlife. You will need to take a bus or taxi to get to the nightlife areas, but it is very cheap. |
| * Food: |
There are many places to eat around campus and you will always be satisfied! If you are vegan/vegetarian it will be a bit difficult to find something that will suit you, but there is a restaurant right by campus that is 100% vegetarian. It is called Mutfak, something like that. There pasta is amazing. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Besides traveling around Istanbul with friends from all around the globe, we also went to Bodrum and Cappedoccia which is the hot spots outside of Istanbul. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I did not need any vaccines for the trip, but I did take malaria pills that my doctor suggested to take for a week. The country is very safe no need to worry. Heads up for females, be very aware of guys. They love foreign girls and they will randomly say I love you on the street. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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? | I did spend a lot of money each week. The only reason is because it is really cheap and it was very easy to get carried away. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Be very cautious, it is very cheap and easy to get carried away. There were people who were able to get buy with 50 US dollars a week. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | none. |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
Most people spoke English, but if you spoke a little bit of Turkish they love it! Outside of Istanbul, most people would prefer to speak their native language. You did not need to use Turkish in everyday interactions. I spoke some Turkish to the locals and to the students. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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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? | you need to be open minded and forget all the stereotypes, because most of them do not exist. As a women I felt more liberated in Istanbul, I have a greater respect for myself. Be open to how they view politics because you will see a whole new spectrum of light. |
