a whirlwind of emotions Past Review
By Shashika R (Public Health., The University of Texas at Austin) - abroad from 02/12/2014 to 06/06/2014 with
Bogazici University: Istanbul - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
awesome friends, and constantly trying to learn from everything that happened to me. everything will not be peachy, things will go wrong. and you'll learn so much about a new place and culture.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I took less challenging classes on purpose, so I would have more time to experience the city. That being said, every class I took still counted for my major (except turkish). One of my favorite classes was Understanding Health and Healing taught by Dr. Tekce. Take her class. You will not regret it. It was on Fridays in the afternoons, and at first I was hesitant then I decided to stop being ignorant and learn some really interesting material. It deconstructs everything you think about healthcare. Classes can be kind of hard to follow in general, and some teachers may start talking in Turkish for the students to better understand. If this happens, just raise your hand or see your professor after class and discuss your situation. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
fine, nothing special |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I stayed at the Superdorm, which is the only campus housing available to exchange students. It is very dorm-like, but the maintenance is good. Just keep in mind that they kick visitors out at 1, which is kind of a bummer. |
| * Food: |
i don't eat meat, BUT BOREK.. man. don't get ripped off. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
pretty integrated, Turkish students were pretty open for the most part. I also went out of my way to find opportunities, and I would suggest the same for any prospective exchange students. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I didn't have any but I accompanied my friends a couple times. It's pretty bad since most doctors can't speak English, so you'll have to use google translate. I've heard some horror stories about wait times and misunderstandings. |
| * Safety: |
GIRLS, be aware. Istanbul is a safe city, but some of the guys can be a bit off. Just don't be ignorant and you should be fine. |
| 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) |
Istanbul is CHEAP compared to America. You'll be fine. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | probably about 100TL |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Don't buy a bunch of small things. |
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 |
Here and there, in exchanges in shops and what-not. |
| 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? | no Turkish |
| 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? | Take classes at your home university. |
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? |
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? | I wish I knew more about the culture. But i guess that's I chose it at the same time. I didn't know anything about Istanbul, and I wanted to figure it out. and i think i did |
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 Avid AdventurerThe wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal. |
