ODTU-get of campus to see the real Turkey Past Review

By John S (Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering., Middle East Technical University) for

Middle East Technical University: Ankara - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

Living in Ankara will truly teach you the difference between westernization and Modernization. Especially if you make a trip to Georgia during your stay. Turkey truly is a place where east meets west.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	the only engineering class I took lacked application problems. There was also no homework in the class which I found odd for a lower lever engineering science class like Materials science.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	Things just happen at a slower pace. Allow significant time for anything you have to do with bureaucracy especially getting your dorm deposit back.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	safety was great. nightlife required a taxi ride back from Kizilay if you stayed out past midnight. multiple food sources and class within 20 minute walk. sheets and all bedding provided. Biggest complaint about the dorm was the constant cigarette smoke everywhere.
* Food:	Vegan-ism near impossible. one friend who succeeded but I dont know how she managed it food is great but I hope you like meet and dont crave pork. tip - the more you eat from street venders the happier you will be. (I only got sick once and it was in Van in the far east)
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	the ESN at ODTU is a strong organization and you should attend their events at first. Later you should strike out on your own and with your friends. If you have a chance to go east you should. also YOU MUST GO TO ISTANBUL.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:	Make sure to buy and drink lots of water. Remember tap water is not safe (heavy metals). I was hospitalized once and the language barrier is difficult but if you make it to the clinic on campus you should be fine. On campus healthcare is cheap but hospitalization is more expensive. have insurance.
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)

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component?	Yes
Language acquisition improvement?	Everyone on campus speaks English so it is possible to get by without learning to much Turkish. To best learn Turkish you should live with Turkish students off campus and do as many things off campus as possible. The Erasmus specific Turkish course was only 3 hours a week and was good but if you really want to learn the language you should find another class. (perhaps the class offered by the Foreign language department for 4 year students. remember this class has no ECTS credit which is a huge problem. another option is to take courses in Kizilay.
If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?