Yes, study abroad in Istanbul Past Review
By Elizabeth G (Anthropology., SUNY - Binghamton) for
Bogazici University: Istanbul - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
Yes, it was worthwhile. I am glad I went. I gained a lot of confidence and independence from it. I saw another culture and it opened my eyes more to new issues.
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | Bosphorus University |
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
| The term and year this program took place: | Spring 2010 |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I was not blown away by the quality of the education. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Some of the staff in the International Office don't even speak English, and Bosphorus University is supposed to be an English-speaking university! The Internation Office would close for an hour and a half in the middle of the day for lunch, so you couldn't get help then. It took over a month for our Student ID cards to get to us, after we had arrived on campus! We didn't get our student ID forms (which we need for the Museum Card, in order to get in to museums for free) until several weeeks in as well. Very disorganized and slow! Much of the staff was unable to communicate and didn't know what was going on. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Dorm/suite style. <br /><br /> Only one staff member in the dorm knew English, which made it difficult to ask questions. We were not given any kind of welcome to the dorm, just a key and shown to our room. No one told us anything about places to eat nearby or the bus system or campus or anything. Very much on your own until you make friends with other people who know the area. The walls are paper-thin and there are vents in the bedroom doors so it was hard for me to sleep because my roommates stayed up until 3am making noise and talking. It was very close to campus, which was nice and many other international students live there. |
| * Food: |
I like Turkish food for the most part. I knew a few vegetarians who were able to maintain their diet while in Istanbul. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I made a lot of friends and had a lot of fun. There is tons to do in Istanbul |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I felt just as safe as I would in any other big city. There is supposedly an English-speaking doctor in the on-campus infirmary, but I was told there was not, so I had to bring a Turkish student with me to translate. |
| 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? | $150 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | It is easy to eat for really cheap |
Language
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
Speak the language a lot |
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?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Make sure you are mature and independent enough to handle it. The university is not going to be involved in your study abroad experience, so be prepared. |
