My very first erasmus experience in Turkey, Eskisehir!

Hello, guys! İ would like to share my dıfferent Erasmus experience. I have been Erasmus on 2015-2016 spring semester in Anadolu University. I am studying civil engineering, and it was my second year of studies.

Why did I decide to become an Erasmus?

The main reason for going on Erasmus was to improve my English speaking skills, to travel, to meet foreign people, to experience a different culture. To tell the truth, it was a very hard decision for me. I remember my faculty coordinator came to our lesson to offer everybody to go abroad with the erasmus+ mobility program. At first, I thought: "No way, I have forgotten the English language and of course my friends would not go with me together. After some time my class buddy wrote to me and offered to go together on Erasmus+. It was tough to decide which university we should go to. We had just these options: Latvia, Denmark, Turkey, Spain, Poland. For a very extended period, we were asking for other people's experiences with Erasmus+. It became even more difficult when all the experiences we have heard seemed so unusual. After a lengthy discussion, we decided to choose Anadolu University in Turkey, Eskışehir. After the application process, we have been selected for Erasmus for the spring semester. I remember that only two weeks were left before going out to Turkey. I was afraid of going there because of the terrible bombings that happen all around the world, not just in Turkey. Some days before going out to Riga İnternational airport İ found out that my friend is not coming with me anymore, and he canceled his Erasmus. İt was shocking news for me. İn the begging İ thought that it would be amazing not to go alone. So İ was feeling quite confused, but still, I felt that everything is going to be excellent. It is very normal to be afraid and confused. You have to go alone, it is your first time, you have no idea how is Erasmus going to pass. As well as you must be careful when you arrive in Turkey, you are going abroad for an extended period, and there can be fewer English speakers. İ was thinking very much about the situation, and I told myself: why not, I am not going to lose anything. And here my big journey begins!

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Time to head off to Turkey!

I remember I prepared my luggage, and it looked like all your life can fit into one luggage, like real travelers. My sister's family gave me real wild board meat conserves, which they hunted some time ago. I had nine kilograms of them! It was funny, and I thought I would finish eating it just when my Erasmus period ended. I had a flight with Ukraine international airline planes from Riga to Kyiv, then from Kyiv to Istanbul Ataturk airport. When we arrived at Riga International airport, it was time to say farewell to my family. To tell the truth, I have not traveled by an airplane before, and I was quite worried about the flight. I said farewell to my family and had all of them hugged me so tight, told me to be careful and to have a very good time. I have passed all the security and luggage checks at the airport and with a little smile on my face, I stepped on the airplane. The first flight from Riga to Kyiv went very well, my fear of the first flight in my life had disappeared. Then I had to pass the security checks again in Kyiv Borispol airport. Detector started to alarm when I passed through, and I remember that two security guards were checking every centimeter of my body. Yes, that is right, every centimeter. I started to blush, because, I think you can understand why. All the people were looking to me, and I was just thinking to pass the security checks faster. After some time finally, we got off the ground. The weather was so good, and I was looking through those little windows to see the landscape of countries from the sky. When we arrived in Istanbul, I have not had any idea that Istanbul Ataturk airport is going to be very huge! I had to find my luggage, but after a flight, I could not hear anything because of air pressure changes. I thought of thinking that my luggage has been lost, so I went to the lost luggage office. It was quite hard to understand them, but it was funny to me. They told me everything is going to be good and that I should wait a long time for my luggage. When I took my luggage somehow, I needed to reach Istanbul Esenler Otogar (bus station). I have decided to take a taxi from the airport to the bus station. Be careful: Sometimes taxi drivers are using foreigners to get money. For example, when you need to pay, they just say the price. Sometimes people get confused and pay for the taxi driver in their home country currency, mostly the euro. Do not forget that Turkey's currency is Turkish Lira (TL) and always check the price before paying! I had some Erasmus friends that have paid for the taxi not 80 Turkish Lira, but 80 euros. Please do not get confused. When we arrived at the bus station, the taxi driver shouted something in the Turkish language and his friends came to help me. It was strange because they took my luggage and told me to follow. They took me to one of the dozen bus company offices, and they bought a ticket to Eskisehir for which I had to pay. Well, it looks like they are trying to earn money. It is my strangest experience at the bus station. Also when I opened my wallet to pay for the bus ticket, everyone who was in the office was looking with their eyes widely opened. I decided to be careful and do not carry so much money or at least to make sure that nobody could see what is in my wallet. After some hours my bus had arrived, and my trip duration from Istanbul to Eskisehir was approximately 6 and a half hours. I very like the services of Turkish bus companies. You can get free tea, snack, coffee, water when it is the time for service. There was also a small TV joined the seats, so you could watch a movie, listen to music or charge your mobile phone. Finally, I arrived in Eskisehir and somehow I had to reach my flatmate, who accepted me to stay for the Erasmus period. I did not know the city, language, but it was five a. m., and I had just address which I had to reach. By the way, my flatmate fell asleep when I arrived in Eskisehir. I had a very pleasant experience when I stepped out of the bus. I have asked the bus driver where is the taxi in this bus station because I could not see it anywhere. One Turkish student, who was going on the same bus as me, told me that he could help me. I showed him the address, and he told that he would take me to the door. He did not speak English very much, and he knew just the basics of it. I was very surprised because it was around six a. m., the student who was helping me he seemed very drained, but no wonder why people say that Turkish people hospitality are off-limits, of course in a good way! Finally, my first trip was finished when we reached the destination, and I had to say big thank you to the person who helped me. Coincidence that my flatmate woke up and saw my messages, and he went downstairs to see me. Even if he was very sleepy, he welcomed me so warmly. I told my journey and adventures to him; also I have brought fresh Lithuanian beer as a souvenir for him. It was funny, and we started to take little sips of it, and he liked it very much. The taste of him was very different. Do not forget to bring something sweet from your country also. You will live with your flatmates for an extended time, and you will talk every day, and they will become your good friends.

My first days in Turkey

To tell the truth, I was the first Erasmus to arrive at Eskisehir, Turkey. I was very excited to come here as soon as possible and start to get familiar with the city. This town was so much bigger than my hometown! Here are so many people, significant buildings, cafes, restaurants, pubs everywhere. No wonder why Eskisehir is called as the real student city! I have decided to take a walk in the town on my own just using Google Maps application. It is a nice way to discover the city until I meet other Erasmus people who will be coming just after some days. After a day I was not lucky, and I got ill because of climate change. I could not get off my bed, so my flatmates helped me and they took me to the doctor's. I can tell one thing, which the doctors were so friendly to me. They seemed to be interested; they asked many questions even if some were not related to my illness. Even if I was very ill, but I was smiling because I felt that the doctor is taking good care of me. Just after that, I was taking antibiotics and day by day, and I was feeling better and better.

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First meeting of Erasmus friends

I found out that some of the Erasmus people just arrived at Eskisehir, and they want to meet. I met the very first of Erasmus people, and all of them were excited just like me, even more. In the beginning, it was very hard to speak in English, even if I had good knowledge of the language. I have not spoken in English for some years. It is just a matter of time when you can talk fluently. The first meeting in the cafe was good, even if we did not know each other, we introduced and started to talk like friends. I did not feel uncomfortable, shy because all of these people were so warm and friendly. Time by time we got used to each other, and we were spending time together so much. I have found some friends that I keep in touch with time, by time and we wish we could meet as soon as possible. I can say this: friends; we will meet someday. It is just a matter of time. I am going to visit your country, or you are going to visit mine, or we will meet somewhere in the middle between our nations.

Time to study! Studies in Anadolu University

So the time has come to start the lessons! When I came to my first lesson, many of my classmates came to meet me. Around 15 people were standing in front of me and were asking questions, introduced themselves. I was so shocked. All of my classmates were very friendly. They welcomed me so warmly, they always tried to talk with me, always say hello to me, ask how is it going for me. Nevertheless, my classmates were always helping me with the lessons, giving useful information, homework. My lessons were in the English language because my department lectures are just in English. I took these lessons: engineering economics, materials of construction, concrete technology, reinforced concrete project, introduction to electrical engineering and Turkish language (A1 level). I think you wonder why I chose Introduction to electrical engineering. My opinion is that you do not need this type of lesson for civil engineering. I believe that it is better to concentrate on civil engineering subjects because the opportunity to choose the lessons here, at Anadolu University, for civil engineering is very broad. However, I have opted for this lecture because I had the same subject in my hometown university. Talking about the quality of studies in Anadolu University, Department of Civil engineering is superb. Professors, lecturers are speaking in English fluently, there are many up-to-date technologies in the laboratories in which we have excellent conditions for practice and to spectate laboratory lessons. The most difficult subject for me was Introduction to Electrical Engineering, the one which I have failed. I can understand the civil engineering topic easy, but electrical engineering was difficult. It may sound an introduction, but believe me, it is not. The most interesting subjects were engineering economics, reinforced concrete projects, and materials of construction. Exams were pretty hard for me, and it was my first time to study in the English language. I managed to get used to it. To tell the truth, most of my Erasmus time I was busy with studies. We had short exams, laboratory lessons, homework, two midterm exams, and a final exam. All of these consist of some percent of your final grade. I found out that some of the midterm exam questions were on the final exam, so it was not very difficult because I have studied for them. Saying great thanks to all of my lecturers, who were interested in me, offered help doing homework and preparing for exams, were very helpful to me. I was worried that I had failed one lesson - Introduction to Electrical Engineering. I found the news that we are having student rotation in my hometown university upcoming September. In Lithuania, we have a student rotation system. In short, it is the distribution of government-funded study places. If your grades are not good enough, lower than 25 percent of your group, you failed some subjects, and you lose your government financial place and until next rotation, you have to pay for your studies and not so less money. When I came back, the very first thing I wanted to clear out was to discuss this situation. They told me my grades from Erasmus are good, but I failed one subject. They assured me that there are no problems, and everything is going to be okay for sure.

Guys go for Erasmus!

I can assure you all that Erasmus+ mobility is one of the most wonderful experiences in your life! I am going to write more about my particular Erasmus experience in my blog. I liked my Erasmus and Turkey so much that I have decided to choose internship and Erasmus studies for next semester in the same country, in the same city and the same university!