Apple Tea, Turkish Delights and Rugs Past Review

By (Business Administration, Berea College) - abroad from 05/09/2012 to 07/31/2012 with

Berea College: Istanbul - Middle Eastern Cultures: Religion and Arts in Context

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Learning and interacting with locals is not difficult at all. If you allow yourself to make mistakes and have fun, it makes for all the more enjoyable experience. YES. It is definitely worthwhile.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I enjoy the fact that the study tour was truly informative on all social and cultural aspects. We were able to learn and experience not only through readings but also through our daily interaction with locals and special lectures. To be frank, there wasn't a single moment where we weren't reminded that we are in fact on a class tour and not on vacation.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Although the itinerary is sometimes uncertain due to availability of resources and uncontrollable conditions (eg. weather) the instructors are greatly flexible and took advantage of other options and alternative.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Simply excellent. I didn't expect to be put in such nice accommodations. From the quaint hostel to 5-start beach front hotel, everything was perfect.

* Food:

I didn't have problem with the food. In fact, I fell in love with Turkish cuisine.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I think I learned a fair bit about the local culture, but acknowledge that our limited ability to communicate with locals makes it a little frustrating to fully learn from them. Because we mostly communicated with people who can speak English, I feel that our interactions, while great, are still very much limited.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

We had an incident where we were taken to Turkish Police Station. The situation was handled very well and was in fact an amicable experience.

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)

Definitely more than enough if budgeted wisely and scout for good deals, which are not very hard to find at all with some persistence.

* Was housing included in your program cost? Yes
* Was food included in your program cost? Yes
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $50
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? If you're buying souvenirs, please look around for different vendors for different prices. It is extremely rare that only one store has a particular ware. Different cities also have different prices. Bigger, touristy cities are likely to up the price more significantly than smaller cities. Also, learn to bargain for anything that doesn't have a price tag on.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? None
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Beginner
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? Beginner
How many hours per day did you use the language?
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? Listen to TV shows, songs and pay attention to how the locals speak. We found out that embarrassingly, some of the most basic things the guide book were teaching us were actually wrong or outdated.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Hotel
  • Hostel
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students
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?
  • Turkey
  • Guides
  • Food
* What could be improved?
  • Language experience
  • Faster Driver
  • Washing Machine and Dryer (Kidding)
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I bought better sports sandals and plenty of sunscreen. Also to pick more wrinkle free clothes. It is not fun to wash your clothes with your hands and try to dry them in a day or so in hostel/hotel rooms.