Experience report
Name:
E-mail:
Exchange semester:
Academic year:
Host University:
Country:
Michelle Hendriks
Michellehendriks94@live.nl
1-02-2015 t/m 31-05-2015
2014/2015
Bogazici University
Turkey
TOPIC: Admission, arrival, housing
When I arrived on Sabiha Gokcen airport I felt a little bit lost. It was late in the evening and I only had
an address which I couldn’t pronounce. So I took a taxi and called my host and Turkish roommate to
let him talk to the taxi driver. It was the most scary thing I have ever experienced, driving in a Turkish
cab. Rules are flexible!
When I finally arrived in my flat in Rumeli Hisarustu, Kaan, my flat mate was there with his girlfriend.
they were very kind and waited for me with cay (Turkish tea). The flat was fine, unfortunately we didn’t
had a common space like a living room or balcony. But I cannot complain, my flat mates were lovely
and it was only a 10 minute walk to my university.
The university also provide accommodation. They have one super dorm, with a lot of rooms. I have
been there once, but I can assure everyone that it’s a lot more fun to live with Turkish people in a flat.
You have a lot more freedom, no strict rules, rooms are very small in the super dorm and you pay way
too much. I was lucky that I already had my place in advance I would recommend to everyone to
search for a flat on facebook or contact people who have already been there.
TOPIC: Location of university/city
Istanbul is very famous for the Bosphorus river. Bogazici University is right on top of a hill and gives
you an incredible view over this magical river (and city). Istanbul is a metropole, with about 20 million
citizens, so it is very hard to be exactly in the city center. Also Bogazici is a little bit outside the center.
But the good thing about a big cities is that everywhere something is going on. Especially in the
international neighborhood Rumeli Hisarustu. And with the new metro station it will only take you
20/30 minutes to Taksim!
But like I said Rumeli has enough to offer, everything is student priced and it is a very cozy area. Lot
of coffee shops, breakfast places (I can recommend Zeytin for very cheap and very good Turkish
breakfast!), burger place AYI was my favorite since you can also have a beer with the most delicious
burgers ever! For going out you can always go to Keci where it is always crowded. I also miss the fun
nights in Liberta where you can have tequila and beer for supermarket price. Of course if you wanna
go out big time, go to Taksim! If you want to have a fancy (read: expensive) night go to the clubs in
Ortaköy, think of Sortie, Reina and Angelique.
If you like to practice sports I would recommend you to join one of university teams. Turkish people
are so friendly and they love to have you in their sports team.
Everything is different compared to Tilburg. The food, no biking, the hills, the beauty. There is a
university beach, swimmingpool and diffinetely visit the prince islands! You will fall in love with the
quietness just half an hour outside of Istanbul. Besides that have you ever heard of one cite that is the
bridge between two continents?
TOPIC: Academics
Bogazici is seen as the best University in Turkey. Please don’t underestimate your courses even it is
exchange. The level of English is very high since every subject and course is in English at Bogazici.
Students are very motivated. But don’t let this scare you. The level of English of Dutch students is
most of the time still better, so you won’t have a hard time to follow up. In conspiracy you should
consider that your notes are not being transported to your Dutch transcript of records. I liked it a lot
that I even though I was on exchange I also had an exchange to learn from very good professors. My
study here in Tilburg is Public Administration of course I had to choose more international subjects. It
was very interesting, especially courses as Turkish Politics and Religion and Society. I would
definitely recommend to choose subjects a little bit different then what you learn at your home
university. It is so interesting to give your exchange an intellectual touch as well. And overall going to
the university is not so hard you would love it to walk down the hill every day and have a good cup of
coffee before lecture starts. Serious, you are going to wish for even more classes!
TOPIC: Social life
Besides academic life, social life has a lot to offer in Istanbul. IESN is a big organization with
enthousiastic people who organize all kind of activities. I can’t say I did go to every single one, but
especially it is a very easy start up. I joined the trip to Cappadocia and got to know so many new
people and made friends I last with the rest of the semester.
I also joined the handbal team which only existed of Turkish boys. But it was the best decision I could
have made! The level was very good so I stayed fit during my semester. Believe me you need to work
out after all those doners and stuff. The boys were very lovely and welcoming and it such a good
expericience to get in touch with the locals. Also I lived together with one Turkish boy and one girl and
its very nice to get to know them and their friends.
TOPIC: Living costs
The living costs in Turkey are compared to the Netherlands a lot lower. Though Istanbul is a quiet
expensive city. The rent was 280 euro each month and if you want to live in a dorm it is about 350
euro. If you do your groceries wisely and go the market every Saturday you don’t need more than 20
euro a week for veggies and fruits, problem is as exchange student your planning will be different
every week. Also its easy and relatively cheap to go out for dinner a good meal is available for 3.50
euro and if you eat in the school cafeteria you have breakfast for 30 cents, lunch and dinner for 50
cents and it is not bad! So most of the time I spend like 50 euro a week on food.
Istanbul also offers an exciting nightlife! Alcohol is expensive because of the high taxes so if you go
out you need at least 25 euros if you want to drink something and do not forget to buy the amazing
‘wet burgers’ the perfect drunk food.
I also made some city trips in Turkey and that was cheap since the rest of Turkey is not so expensive
as Istanbul. I made three long-weekend trips and each of them cost me around 300 euro.
Textbooks were cheap as well since they sell them printed. It was about 10 euro each and I had five
courses so that was about 50 euro for the whole semester.
In total I spend 680 euro for rent, food and going out. And of course you have some other costs that
was about 120 euro. Let’s say each month I needed about 800 euros. That is without the city trips.
But don’t forget the Erasmus scholarship 200 euro, your transportation card 100 euro, your
scholarship in Holland, 280 euro and my supportive family.
TOPIC: Culture
Since Turkey is governed by a strict Muslim leader, of course it was a culture shock. I am an atheist
and I am used to the sound of church bells but the sound of the Azan, calling for prayer, was
something new for me. People in Istanbul are not so religious and most of them especially the
students are very modern. I don’t know what I expected but this modernity surprised me it was like I
was in a western society. But Turkey is definitely a Mediterranean country, of course the weather is
part of that but also the kindness of the people. They do not hurry, although Istanbul can be crazy and
are most of the time very friendly. They will invite you for dinner and everything.
I already said that the modernity surprised me, but on the other hand, if you are a blond girl I would
advise you not to wear to short shorts. Man can be, due to their Mediterranean blood I think, a little bit
annoying and possessive. So for me as relatively tall, blond girl sometimes it was annoying to walk on
the streets.
I learned from the hospitality of the Turkish people. And I learned that rules and organization (such as
in Holland) can be annoying but definitely are there for the greater good. In Turkey they never heard
of organization and there is a lot of corruption and such.
When we travelled in Turkey I have seen the side of the country that was more applicable to my
expectations. Less modern then Istanbul, a lot of agriculture but still very friendly people.
TOPIC: Personal development
What did you learn from the people you met during your exchange? Would you do things differently if
you had the chance, and what would you do differently? What was your best experience, and what
was your worst experience? What will you remember for ever about your exchange period? What was
the most important lesson you learned about yourself during your exchange period
I am very happy my exchange period was not only about partying. I learned a lot from my study, but
going to such a different country as Turkey you also learn a lot from the people you meet. I tried to
avoid the Dutch people a little. For me it was more exciting to meet new people with different
backgrounds. It is very interesting to see how different political models work, but also the differences
in education surprised me. I think it was a good decision to not stay to much with Dutch people. Of
course it is no problem if you make some Dutch friends, but make sure you don’t stay with them all
the time, talk Dutch all the time, it so much more fun to experience different cultures.
I will remember my exchange of course for all my life, but most special to me was the balloon tour. We
had to go out bed at 4 pm after a short night with some parties. It was all worth it, the feeling you have
high up in the air is indescribable and the view we had over Cappadocia was breathtaking. The other
thing what I will remember was the bureaucracy in Turkey. It is the worst if you do not speak Turkish
or do not know anyone at the department. My residence permit took me 5 months and eventually it
didn’t even work out because the applications where full. luckily a Turkish friend of my had the change
to drop me at the airport and tell the border officers the story and the let me pass. But you can easily
be charged with a big fee or a banned period of five years.
What I learned about myself is that I don’t have to please everyone, people take you for what you are
and it does not matter how you look, what you wear or what you say everyone is different.
TOPIC: Tips for future students
Make sure when you go to turkey that you are prepared with all documents. You can travel with IDcard but for the residence permit you need a passport as well. Also you need a student visa, internet
will tell you tourist visa is enough, but for the lovely residence permit you also need student visa. You
can easily get it at the Turkish embassy in Holland. Besides that arrange the TUR-111 form with your
health insurance company you also will need it for the residence permit.
I would definitely recommend Bogazici! The campus is beautiful, the academic level is high, Rumeli is
a lovely area and they are very helpful. For example you need a transportation card, but the university
provides this one. Oh also don’t forget to pick up your museum card for only 20 lyra which provides
you to go in to every museum for free! The place you can pick it up is near to the archeological
museum close to topkapi palace. You will see a weird bus where they can make this cards for you.
I hope it all works out for you and you will have the best time ever!