Interview: Monja in Turkey

Turkey isn‘t really one of the go-to countries when it comes to a semester abroad. What was your intention to go there?

It turned out that they had really some interesting courses in Istanbul, that weren’t offered at my home university. Plus I thought that Istanbul and Turkey in general would be totally different from what I knew before. I was exited to experience it. Istanbul is a knot-point for so many different cultures.

What was your expectation of studying in Turkey like, before going there? 

My expectations were quite open. Many people told me that - in comparison to the rest of Turkey - Istanbul was pretty „westernized“ (note: = close to the western culture) and very hospitable. So I expected to find a lot of new friends.

So, did your expectations realize in the end?

It actually turned out that the barrier of language was bigger than I thought, so in the end it was hard to socialize. 

Would you say that the classes where harder or easier compared to your home university?

The classes were way easier than the one over in the Netherlands. A big point causing this, was the language. The teachers should be prepared for this, but their level of english was way lower than mine. So it’s just logical that the courses standard wasn’t as high as I knew it from my home university. 

Something about cultural aspects: How did you experience the turkish culture and the way of life?

The people in Istanbul really are super hospitable. Obviously, there are many south-european people and they spend a lot of time at home, with their families and friends. They don’t go out that often and if they do - for example to have dinner - they mostly eat turkish food only. It’s unusual to drink alcohol there. Most of the restaurants don’t even offer any. Instead of that, you can have a „Sisha“ (note: a water pipe) besides your dinner.

The Turkish are really connected to their religion and pray five times a day. There even was a mosque right next to the University. 

Istanbul may is very westernized in comparison to the rest of the country, but if you compare it to the Netherlands, it’s not at all.

How does a typical day in a students life look like in Istanbul? Is there a big difference between life there and life over in the Netherlands?

My usual days in Turkey were pretty relaxed. In the University, everyone loves to go for a tea and some warm food in between classes. The structure isn’t that strict, it’s totally normal to come too late to classes or to leave whenever you want. No one really takes things too serious. This may sound great but it really stressed me out. I like clear structures and punctuality.

Looking back now, what was your semester abroad like? Would you say that it helped you moving forwards?

The semester abroad helped me to appreciate my own culture more. My views of life changed in so many ways. Before I went to Istanbul, I thought that the western culture isn't a REAL culture. Looking back now, I see so many things that we do here, that aren't a matter of course: Punctuality, structure, openness etc. 
My time abroad was pretty hard because it was difficult to get in contact with the people in Turkey, but I would say that every experience you make, supports you in your own development.