Amazing Experience in Istanbul Past Review
By Saumya Datta (Brandeis University) - abroad from 06/15/2016 to 08/09/2016 with
Bogazici University: Istanbul - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
Studying abroad at Bogazici University was absolutely a worthwhile experience. I had the opportunity to explore a huge, beautiful city that I would have probably never been able to go to otherwise. I immersed myself in Turkish language and culture, met people from all over the world, ate amazing food, and learned how to cross cultural and language barriers to navigate a foreign city by myself. Turkish people are some of the kindest, most genuine people I've ever met, and interacting with them made my experience so much better.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The classes were not extremely rigorous and relatively stress-free. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The summer term office at Bogazici responds promptly to questions and does its best to assist students, however emails can be very vague and uninformative. Students will have to proactively seek out information rather than expect the university to fill them in first. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Students were placed in 5-bedroom suites with full kitchens and spacious common rooms. Housekeeping came every weekday morning to clean the suite and a laundry service also existed on the bottom floor for students. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I had no direct experiences with healthcare while abroad. |
| * Safety: |
While the Ataturk airport bombing and attempted military coup both occurred while I was in Istanbul, I generally felt very safe while out and about in the city and especially in the sheltered Etiler district where campus is. Students should remain vigilant and pay attention to any developments occurring before they go abroad and while in the city, but daily life in Istanbul goes on relatively unaffected by various happenings. |
| 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? | Around $80 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Food offered through university dining halls is extremely cheap; meals can be purchased for ~1.50TL at Bogazici University. Eating at dining halls rather than out at restaurants all the time can save money very efficiently. Additionally, getting a Student Istanbulkart saves money on public transportation. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
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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| 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? | Some native Bogazici students aren't comfortable enough with English to speak to international students, so it was difficult to talk to people and make friends in classes. Some native students would even look confused or laugh if you try to speak English instead of Turkish, oftentimes creating uncomfortable situations. Most of my friends were made outside of the classroom setting because of this. |
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 UrbaniteA 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. |
