Erasmus experience in Ostrava, Czech Republic

Why did you choose to go to Ostrava, Czech Republic?

While I prefer Ostrava, the limited number of universities with which my university has agreement was the primary factor. These include Karvina and Ostrava from the Czech Republic. Salerno from Italy. Lithuania, Finland, Romania and so on.

When I looked at all these countries, Italy and the Czech Republic were the first choice. Because Italy was a developed, livable Mediterranean country. The Czech Republic attracted me for being in the very center of Europe and having excellent facilities in terms of transportation and cheapness. Ostrava is a bigger city than Karvina. It is also very close to the capital cities such as Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest. I chose the Czech Republic Ostrava Business Scool Ostrava (Vysoka Skola Podnikani) because the language of education in Italy is Italian and my foreign language is English.

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

The grant price for the Czech Republic will be 420 euro per month and will be provided for a period of 4 months. In the case of an additional stay, the number of days remaining will be deducted, or the number of days returned early if the stay is less than the specified number. They already lend 80 percent of this money in my bank account before I go abroad.

What is the student lifestyle like in Ostrava?

Universities in Ostrava do not force studying Erasmus students too much during the exams. Usually a student goes on weekdays for a few days at the school and makes projects / assignments. Each Wednesday, Erasmus students goes parties amongst themselves at Stodolni. In the same way, the night life of the city is also active on Friday and Saturday nights.

The city is quite rich in terms of green spaces. There are parks, hiking and biking trails. There is the "Ostrava Museum" in the city center. Apart from that, lots of activities, concerts, etc. It is made. It can be viewed on the www.ostravainfo.cz website.

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

If there are no more attractive alternatives in the top European countries, I can definitely recommend the Czech Republic if they choose between the central, northern and eastern european countries.

What is the food like?

Obviously Czech dishes are not suitable for Turkish taste. Meat dishes constitute the main dishes of the Czech cuisine. Pork meat is mostly used. I can not tell you that I ate a lot of food outside in the city I was in. There is only one Turkish pizzeria in the city, and I ate meals in places that used chicken meat, such as KFC. I had a kitchen in the residence, I made my own food myself.

How did you find your accommodation?

There are 3 dormitories in Ostrava that I know of. In Vitkovice, Poruba and Slezska where I stayed. If we compare these three;

1. Slezska

2. Poruba

3. Vitkovice

The dormitory in Vitkovice is similar to an 8-storey hospital building and is an old building. The rooms here can be changed to 2, 3 and 4 persons. Each floor has a shared kitchen and shower. Cleaning is done by the officers. There are no bathrooms in the rooms and 2 toilets have shared common rooms.

Poruba's dormitory is on the more modern university campus (VSB) than Vitkovice. Although the room standards are the same, there is a shower in the rooms. In each corridor there are common kitchens.

The Slezka is the most modern dormitory in Ostrava. There are rooms for 1, 2 and 3 people, and the rooms are quite large, equipped with quality materials. Two rooms share a bathroom, toilet and kitchen.

Laundry is common and chargeable in all of the dorms. Internet use is also a fee.

What are the accommodation prices like? What are prices like for other things in general?

In Poruba and Vitkovice, the residence is generally around 80 90 euro per month. In Slezska, my double room costs 150 euro. Apart from the dormitories there is a possibility to rent a house. But compared to Turkey, monthly rents are very high.

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

Mid-level English is sufficient in everyday life. Lessons require a higher level of English. My school taught us English, but this was more like taking advantage of us, practicing their own students. Apart from that you do not need much English in daily life because Czechs do not speak english. English is more common among teenagers, 20 years and younger. In the period of communism, Russian language was main language, but only for 20 years, English has been taught.

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

Easiest way: Go to Prague with a scheduled THY flight from Istanbul (morning flight if possible). From there shuttle buses go to Hlavni Nadrazi (main railway station). Get a ticket to Ostrava. 2. 5 hours by plane + 4 hours by train you will be at Ostrava.

The cheapest way: By any airline, go to Vienna, then 4 hours by train to Ostrava Hlavni Nadrazi.

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

The Stodolni. By the evening; After 7. 30 in the evening, all shops and markets are closed in Ostrava. Streets are empty. Stodolni street, where only young people hang out, is full of peopke on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

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

At Stodolni you can find many bars, cafes, restaurants, and casino. The city center is KFC, Marlenka, where you can go. In addition, if you want to miss eating kebab and Turkey, there is a place of Algerian chef. There is also a kebab place called İstanbul kebab but they use pork meat. Be careful.

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

In the winter, especially when you are traveling in the city, you will feel the atmosphere of communism as you travel on the streets. City museum zoo is worth seeing. It's a mining town, Ostrava. Mine museum and military museum are also available.

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

First, I recommend to bring Turkish sausage, etc from Turkey. If you have more questions, you can email me.