Erasmus Experience in Izmir, Turkey by Dean

Why did you choose to go to Izmir, Turkey?

Two main reasons: first, the lure of a unique experience, few Americans study in Turkey and fewer still go for an entire degree program. Second, the relative expense, living and studying in Turkey is fairly inexpensive yet is still very comfortable.

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

I received a solar ship for about 10,000 dollars for tuition which paid for nearly all of my MA degree. I also received living assistance from my GI bill for about 500 dollars a month which was more than adequate for my food, housing and transportation.

What is the student lifestyle like in Izmir?

The student lifestyle is very active, Turkish students are extremely social with much time spent in cafes after class or vars on werkends. It is also notavle that Turks, and students in particular, have a tendency toward late nights, it is very common on a weeknight to sit drinking tea until the early morning as a regular activity. Further there is a nearly constant stream of concerts, film screenings and festivals to go to which allow for a great amount of engagement with local culture as well as a great way to meet people

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

Izmir is a beautiful city with very welcoming and open people. The city also has the extremely rare combination of being both extremely livable and very affordable, something that, for many Americans and, for my European freinds, very rare. It is highly recommended.

What is the food like?

Turkish food, and it's Izmiri for in particular is excellent, further is is very easy to eat well in Turkey for relatively little money. Street food is recommended, particularly simit bread and the various cheese sandwichs made from it are a perfect and inexpensive meal. Kabob shops are generally a good bet, doner of course, and the Turks excel at meat dishes, but a particular favorite are the eggplant kabobs. Finally, on a less positive note, it is very difficult to find good international cuisine in Izmir, even burgers or pizzias, while widely available, often fail to satisfy and, aside from a single decent Chinese restaurant in Alsanack, East Asian food is nonexistent in Izmir.

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Izmir?

It cost little, a few train and cab rides and phone calls before I found a place, however I did not use a realtor or other service so my experience may not be broad ebough.

How much does it cost to live in Izmir?

I rented a single room in a house with other students as well as an international aid worker. Thus my rent was fairly cheap, about 900 tl (about 300) dollars, however this price included all bills, high speed Internet and two meals a day. Beyond that using the metro, the bus and the dolmus kept cost low. Food is inexpensive, particularly if you eat at smaller cafes, kabob shops and on the street. Groceries are also inexpensive, with the exception of meat which is relatively expensive. Beyond that, many concerts are free and many universitis offer free film screenings for students. Bars, indeed alchohol in general, are fairly expensive, however it is a relatively laid back drinking culture with the focus much more on a few drinks over long conversations rather than the heav drinking common in the States. Therefore costs are pretty easy to manage, for myself 500$ a month kept me very comfortable, well fed and entertained.

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

Turkish is a difficult language for native English speakers, and I must admit that despite the time spent studying it and living in Izmir I still speak little. However, my university, as well as many I visited in seminars, all offered various Turkish courses designed both to produce fluent speakers, or to produce familiarity and daily usage skills. That said it must be noted that few Turks are likely to be very familiar with English or other languages and it can be difficult at times to communicate. However, despite my poor Turkish skills and the lack of English speakers, I rarely had problems as the people in Izmir are very patient and very accommodating to foreigners.

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

I had little choice but to fly, Albuquerque to Izmir is only doable by air. However having made the trip a few times my best advice would be to avoid stopovers in Istanbul, Istanbul itself is an incredible city, but it's airport is easily one of the worst I have been to, it is better, and often cheaper, to make your way to Athens or Munich then fly directly to Izmir. As a side note, if fly from America or East Asia it is far cheaper to fly to Quatar first then make your way to Europe or Turkey though it often requires a stop in Istanbul so weigh stress with expense.

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

A good night out would be in Alsanack or Konak, these areas of the city have a wide selection of bars, clubs, cages and so on. Konak is on the seaside and is quite striking at night with many beer garden type places situated right on the water, this is also the major tourist area so prices can be higher. Alsanack, just one stop on the metro from Konak, is the major bar and club area, the bars here range from loud, energetic places with live bands and dancing to quiet pub type place well suited for conversation. The crowds in Alsanack are generally students, though later at night they get much more mixed. It again must be noted that Turks tend to stay out late which means that most bars and cafes will be open till the early morning. However, it is important to remember that the metro, the buses and the dolmus generally stop service at 2400 or 0100, so expect to take a cab.

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

There are a huge number of small cafes and doner shops in nearly every part of Izmir, for myself I rarely ate the same place twice and I was rarely disappointed by the food. Doner is almost always good and is about the best meal on any given day in Izmir. Cafes are usually good, most provide snack type food or Turkish breakfasts at all hours. International food is where there is difficulty, but here are a few recommended places: Ton's burgers in Ozkandlar is about the best burger in Izmir with decidedly Dutch atmosphere and style, Hasta la pizza in Bornova is one of the best pizza places and Golden Dragon in Konak is maybe the only Chinese/Dim Sum place in Izmir.

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

Konak is the main cultural attraction in Izmir proper with a few famous landmarks as well as some Greek period buildings. Other than that it is worth visiting the seaside in Ceaseme, just a few hours out of the city, as well as the Roman ruins at Ephesus, also a few hours out of the city. All of which can be reached by metro and bus. It is also worth checking out some of the islands in the Agean, many of which can be reached by ferry from the Izmir port.

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

The main piece of advice would be to pay particular attention to the visa and residence permit process, recent events in Turkey have made some difficulties for foreigners with the Turkish beaurocracy. Thus ist is important to submit all paperwork fast and complete as possible in order that any difficulty be identified and solved before your visa expires and you become eligible for deportation (this happened to a friend of mine who was banned for 90 days from returing). Other than that, it is good to remeber that Turkey can be an extremely chaotic place at any time, thus keeping yourself in tune with the local people will save you a huge amount of stress and will ensure a much more fulfilling and interesting experience.