Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Incredible hospitality and amazing food Past Review

By (International Relations And Global Studies, The University of Texas at Austin) - abroad from 06/24/2013 to 08/04/2014 with

Bogazici University: Istanbul - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned how to be very independent and to learn my way around a new city, which also happened to be the second largest city in the world. It was an incredible experience and I learned a lot about Turkish culture- especially through the incredible hospitality and kindness the locals showed me. This was an incredible life experience.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The administration was a little unorganized. Also, with the university being taught completely in English, few of the administrative staff knew English which led to many communication problems for all international students.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The dorms were nice to be close to fellow international students but individual rooms were small and the dorms themselves were uncomfortable. I feel if I had lived with a host family or in a private apartment I would have benefitted from more interaction with local Turkish culture.

* Food:

The cafeteria food was very inexpensive and decent. Food around the university area was VERY delicious and very affordable.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Again, living in the dorms with international (mostly American) students didn't allow for much interaction with the local culture. The university did have an international student club that included Turkish students and helped immensely with getting us familiar with local culture and showing us the city.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Luckily, I never had health issues while I was there, but there was an on-campus physician's office provided at the university that my friend's had good experiences with.

* Safety:

I felt that Istanbul, especially the areas around the university were extremely safe. I was also there during the Taksim square protests and by the time we started school the protests were limited to that area. Members of the international student club let us know when to avoid that area, but other than that Taksim itself was still safe- considering that's where all the nightlife of the city is. I would take normal safety precautions that I would anywhere else and I never felt in danger.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Finances

* 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)

Turkey was extremely affordable, especially with the conversion rate between US dollars and Turkish Lira.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Probably around $50 if I ate out a lot.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Turkey was a great place to study abroad as the food and entertainment were very inexpensive but really great quality.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • hospitality
  • food
  • scenery
* What could be improved?
  • more interaction with locals
  • institution administration
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish that I would've done more research to stay in an apartment close to the school with local students.

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 Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.