Erasmus Experience in Istanbul, Turkey by Jan

Why did you choose to go to Istanbul, Turkey?

It´s good experience to know other cultures, also Istanbul is a very big city and it´s a lot of beautiful things here. First of all, I chose Turkey for traveling and after that I chose Istanbul.

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How long is the scholarship? How much money do you receive to help you with living costs?

It depends on how long I study in university. We have scholarship 400 euros/month.

What is the student lifestyle like in Istanbul?

There are a lot of parties every week but alcoholic drinks are expensive. But sometimes there are some cheaper prices for Erasmus students and also you can find places where are good prices for drinks.

Would you recommend the city and the University of Istanbul to other students?

Yes, It's a really good experience to live here.

What is the food like?

I prepare food by myself in home. You can for example buy fresh fishes in street markets and make them at home or if you are lazy you can buy kebab everywhere. There are also a many of kinds of kebabs. I have to recommend liver kebab. Also there are a lot of sweets. I can recommend baklava.

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Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Istanbul?

Yes, because my first flat was bad I had to change it for better and cheaper. This is a bad thing in Istanbul that university doesn't offer dormitory. Also a lot of students stayed for first week in hostel and they were searching for flat after their arrival here. I can recommend to find something in advance because you can find better places.

How much does it cost to live in Istanbul?

If we are talking about accommodation, it depends how lucky you are. You can find accommodations for 500 TL and also for 1000 TL. Average rent is something like 700 TL for room. Food is not expensive. Alcohol is expensive. I think that my average month costs 1500 TL.

Is the language easy to get to grips with? Are there language courses available in the University?

For me is Turkish very hard but I study here in English. We have Turkish course in YTU.

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What's the easiest or most economical way to travel to Istanbul from your city?

It's plane because Istanbul is very far from Czech Republic.

Where would you recommend to go on a night out in Istanbul?

Firstly find the event on Facebook and after that go there. But in general: for cheap alcohol go to Vivaldi. For party go to Eski beyrut.

And for eating? Can you recommend some good restaurants in Istanbul?

Yes, they are everywhere. The best places you can find around Aksaray.

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What good cultural sites are there to visit?

Area around Blue Mosque, Galata tower, Asian side, through all city.

Is there any other advice that you could give to future students who are going to Istanbul?

Bring as much alcohol as possible.