I learned and experienced so much! September 06, 2022
By A student (Interdisciplinary Studies, Brandeis University) - abroad from 06/23/2022 to 08/16/2022 with
Bogazici University: Istanbul - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I learned some Turkish, I gained an open mind about how the same subject can bring a different experience in different places in the world, and I learned to ease up a bit. To me, it was the perfect summer study abroad before entering senior year of University.
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. |
Both my professors spoke english well, and all the professors were very nice and helpful towards exchange students. I even audited a Turkish Language class even though I did not actively take it for credit, and the professor was very understanding and helpful. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The Summer Term Office could have communicated with more specific directions in terms of enrollment and payments. Regardless, they always answered any questions I had. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The set up was way better than I expected, especially compared to the dorm set ups of the local students. I was lucky we each had our own rooms and shared a bathroom and common space between all of us. It would have been nice however if there was better ventilation in the rooms because it was very very humid and hot, and maybe a provided microwave or stove could have been nice since there was a fridge but no way to reheat food. There was lots of storage for our things, and the facilities worked well overall. |
| * Food: |
people who were locals did not really think the food was that great in the dining hall, but compared to the dining hall food at my University (respectfully) the food they served was very good, warm meals all the time, and seasoned well- just not spicy. For 4TL you could get lunch, same price for dinner and 2TL for breakfast. The dining staff is very sweet and nice. I do think its not the best for folks with specific dietary restrictions, unless you just are keeping halal, which of course is no problem in Turkey. In the country itself, food everywhere from wherever was always a 10/10 experience! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I made it a task for me to integrate myself into both tourist and local experiences. I fit well into the local student life by hanging out with some Turkish friends, and I made sure to do as many tourist activities during my first couple of weeks there, especially during the Byram (Eid) break we had. My friends and I went to the local bazaars in other parts of Istanbul, went into more local parts of the Asian and European side, We tried the food at the bazaars, street food, etc. We also found a cafe near campus popular amongst the students (Milligram) where we went to hang out and study or chill, which made us have a set place that was central to our experiences. There was always a few places we got considered as "regulars" and I think that was nice and also a good part of the experience. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
My friend got covid, isolation was quick for her, but there were no meals provided for her, which could have been better. If you felt ill, you could always go to the Eczane (pharmacy) that was the closest, and it's easier to get medicine there than pharmacies in the states. I think most people were dealing with leg pain and foot pain, because of the un-level streets and sidewalks and the abundance of hills. |
| * Safety: |
As a foreigner who is also a brown woman, I felt safer than I have ever felt in America. The public transportation is very reliable, especially the metro, and if you find an older looking taksi driver they are less likely to scam you. I was only scammed once or twice, but not in a bad way (ex: paying more money for something because they understand you are a tourist). Even taking public transport or walking around at night (near campus, in safer less touristy parts of Istanbul), I felt very safe. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I love the campus, the people, the location and culture. I became independent and grew to feel comfortable there. |
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 $150 per week on food and personal expenses. This does not include local transport. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | BUDGET! It helped me so much to spend my money on gifts I knew I had to get anyways first, so that I could know how much money I had left to explore with. I also set aside money for transport and food, and with what was left, I knew what I wanted to experience and see so I paid from that pool of funds that was left over. I also recommend getting the museum card for students, allowing for free entry to participating museums (most of them), after a one time cost of 30 TL. I also recommend shopping for gifts at local bazaars, instead of the grand bazaar and learn how to haggle your prices! Pre-game at local pubs by campus (la liberta is cheap, with good happy hour deals) and THEN go out to clubs so that you save money and still can have the same experience. Live like the locals, and there are lots of money saving tips to learn there. |
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? | How to budget foreign currency specifically. Also, Turkish haha. |
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. |
