Turkey: Enlightening and Entertaining Past Review
By Lauren D (HISTORY., SUNY - Binghamton) for
Bogazici University: Istanbul - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
Meeting people from such a variety of backgrounds was eye-opening. The conversations were interesting and there was always something new to talk about. You will make friends there that you will always keep in touch with, no matter how far apart you are. Going off on my own to explore a different part of the world was everything I imagined and more. Definitely a rewarding experience.
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. |
My workload was not as heavy as it is at home, but I was doing a summer term and therefore was only taking two classes. The classes were much smaller; you got to participate a good amount and the professor knew who you were. Teachers gave lectures but were open to class discussion as well. The grading seemed to be less strict that it is in the States. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Only one person in the department spoke English; if he was not in one was unable to resolve the issues you may have. Many students in the program had problems with their financial aid and payments as well as housing. The department was unprepared to deal with the large number of transfer students, making it difficult for everyone. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived in the Ucaksavar dorm. One needed to buy some bedding, towels, etc. if they did not bring them. The kitchen only had a fridge; if you wanted to cook you needed to buy a hotplate or water boiler. The bathrooms were cleaned once a week and the rooms were a nice size. There was plenty of space to put your things and we had a balcony that looked over the city. There was 24/7 security as well as wifi. Overall, I was definitely satisfied with the housing situation. |
| * Food: |
It's definitely harder to be vegetarian in Turkey. Go to the little cafes for meals; once they get to know you, they will give you free appetizers/tea/etc. and will share more of their culture with you. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Going to all the museums and seeing the history of my host country first-hand was very exciting. It was also fun to travel throughout the country and see how the culture varied from city to city. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
There was 24/7 security as well as a health center. As long as one did not drink the water from the tap they were 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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I spent about 100 dollars on food and personal expenses per week. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Food does add up after awhile if you do not have a dining hall. Be prepared to spend a good amount on transportation; it does add up. Also take into account any other traveling you will want to throughout your host country as well as surrounding countries. |
Language
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Direct Enrollment |
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 do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | If you want to go somewhere out of the ordinary and experience an entirely different culture, this would be the program for you! |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Modern Middle Eastern History |
| Course Department: | HIST234.01 |
| Instructor: | Matthew Elliot |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | The teacher (British) was certainly knowledgeable but had not organized the course well. He jumped from topic to topic with little agenda. He assigned papers and presentations on topics not covered in class and gave little information on what he expected. Nevertheless, I was able to get an A in the class. He gave good feedback on our papers and presentations and was lenient with due dates. It was not the best class I have taken but its small size made it easier to make friends with the students which was definitely a plus. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
| Course Name/Rating: |
History of the Turkish Republic |
| Course Department: | HTR405.01 |
| Instructor: | Dr. Sevtap Demirci |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | A great course. The teacher was the head of the Political Science department and very knowledgeable on the topic she was teaching. She was incredibly engaging and made the course both interesting and entertaining from the start. She made a point to communicate with all the students and get to know them personally. The exams were fair and she was willing to give extra credit if necessary. I learned a lot and enjoyed doing it at the same time. |
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