Erasmus Experience in Kocaeli, Turkey by Katarzyna

Why did you choose to go to Kocaeli, Turkey?

I did not choose Kocaeli, I chose Turkey, because I'm in love with the culture, habits and people.

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

I received €360 per month from Erasmus, unfortunately that wasn't enough for travelling, so I needed to borrow some money from my family. My scholarship lasted for 4-5 months.

What is the student lifestyle like in Kocaeli?

It is the typical student lifestyle, nothing special.

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

Well, to be honest, I would recommend getting to know the city first, as a starting point for all your trips. However, once you are done exploring the city, there is not much to do there, and the University does not offer many activities either, so get traveling!

What is the food like?

Delicious.

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Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Kocaeli?

I needed to rent a flat because there was no room in dormitories. However, I didn't want to live in a dormitory, since it was far from the city center and you had curfew, students weren't able to go out after 22:00.

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How much does it cost to live in Kocaeli?

Life in Turkey for Polish people like me is expensive, but students from other countries did not complain about the prices.

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

The language is quite nice and easy, and language courses are available before the start of the semester, but during this period you cannot attend any course. Still, the people is usually nice and they try and teach you bits of Turkish.

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

I travelled to Turkey from Berlin to Istanbul, and then from Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport you can easily find a shuttle to Izmit which costs 12TL.

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

Doping Bar, definitely my favourite and they have the cheapest beer in town.

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

On the main street Cumhuriyet Cd. there is a place which has lots of kebab and tantuni places close to each other, and are also close to the Doping bar!

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

Actually, for cultural sites I would recommend visiting Istanbul.

And the best way to get from Izmit to Istanbul is the bus to Harem Otogar in Istanbul, then from Harem you hop into a ferry that will leave you close to Hagia Sofia, Blue Mosque...

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

In my opinion, hitch-hiking is the best way to move around Turkey. We visited more than half of the country just hitch-hiking. Sometimes it takes only a few seconds to get a driver, and from my experience the worst place for hitch hiking is a city named Bolu.