Erasmus Experience in Istanbul, Turkey by meral

Why did you choose to go to Istanbul, Turkey?

Because I have the Turkish passport so it would be easier for me to apply and at the same time I wanted to explore more about Istanbul and it’s culture since I was born outside of turkey

What is the student lifestyle like in Istanbul?

This is my 4th year in University but to be honest my first two years were the best since I was introduced to new people and was going out and I was exploring new areas in Istanbul

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

Yea sure as long as you love learning a new language and exploring historical areas

What is the food like?

I don’t like turkish food a lot but I have some favorite dishes

How much does it cost to live in Istanbul?

Well the country I was living in before turkey was expensive but when I. Came to turkey, it was actually cheap for me and my family so I could spend money happily without worrying

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

The language is pretty much hard (: and yes my university teaches turkish language but only the beginners level

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

I recommend going to Ortakoy and besiktas since they are mostly open till 1-2 AM and the view is amazing

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

Yea well the well know Resturant can be Nusret and also ahmet mediyeci

Is there any other advice that you could give to students going to Istanbul in the future?

Just be prepared to meet new turkish people and don’t worry about life here because it’s not that costly ( according to me ) but if you need any help I would love to give you that