Education in all environments, always over a meal Past Review

By (Art History, Wellesley College) - abroad from 01/11/2015 to 05/31/2015 with

Bogazici University: Istanbul - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Academically, I learned a lot about the history of Western Asia/Eastern Europe that I had no exposure to prior my study abroad experience. I enjoyed the classroom discussions and assigned readings, while my classmates were very inclusive of the study abroad students. Turkey is a great place to travel while on a student budget, and as a 'local' student, since many historical sites offered discounts or were free for ID-holders. Finally, the group of students who traveled with IES to Istanbul created a positive dynamic that made it easy to explore the city with new friends.

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.

At Bogazici, I took on three graduate seminars and one art class, while continuing with the two language classes offered by IES. While the language classes and art class were manageable, the three seminars had a heavy reading load and became harder to keep up with towards the end of the semester. However, I truly learned a lot from each class and would not have had the opportunity to study those topics at my home institution.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The group had some issues sorting out visas and getting appropriate documentation from the university/universities

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Convenient location, easy (albeit sometimes long) commute to school and major locations in the city. Clean apartment, nice facilities and friendly apartment security staff.

* Food:

Produce market next to the apartment complex made everything easy for preparing one's own food, while nearby restaurants were affordable

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I enjoyed living in my community and taking classes at the university, but the language barrier prevented true assimilation

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

All vaccinations provided by home institution health services, covered by home institution insurance

* Safety:

I felt very safe for the majority of my time in Istanbul, but felt uncomfortable when walking on Friday/Saturday nights in the Taksim area.

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)

Living on a student budget was relatively easy, especially since food/travel expenses within the city were lower compared to standard US prices. I spent between $10 - $20 on groceries per week, but my personal expenses (restaurant meals, travel etc.) rose significantly when entertaining visitors or traveling to neighboring countries

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $30 - $40
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Use your local resources - neighborhood markets, museums/historical sites that accept student IDs, etc. Plan your trip (even day trips) beforehand to set budgets and determine best-cost travel arrangements.

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

Highly encouraged to practice Turkish with everyone, including American friends and English-speaking Turkish friends

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? No language course completed prior to departure
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? Keep practicing, all the time! Everyone's very encouraging of new language learners. Try locating a language buddy - someone who can help you practice the new language while she practices English, for example. Listening to local music and watching films (with subtitles) also helps.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • 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?
  • Being introduced to the culture of Turkey
  • Friends made within the program
  • The positivity and connectedness of the program director
* What could be improved?
  • Better research/prompt updates from the Chicago branch of IES, especially regarding visa information and university communication procedures
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I felt very prepared for my time abroad through the Orientation schedule designed by IES Istanbul, but would have liked to know how students could change their visas to work visas should they decide to remain for the winter or summer.

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 Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!