University Exchange Tips: Turkey Edition

From the outset, something about Istanbul beckoned me. I didn’t know much about the country apart from beautiful pictures of Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque I had encountered when Googling about Istanbul. Despite that, I was overjoyed when I was accepted into Sabanci University, one of the top universities in Turkey, for my exchange programme and it was truly one of the greatest experiences of my life. Everyone experiences exchange differently and it is certainly not all sunshine and rainbows but there are some tips that can certainly make your exchange much more enjoyable.

1) Get to know the locals

As an exchange student, I was blessed with the opportunity to meet and get to know people from many different countries. At first, talking to new people in a foreign setting can be particularly daunting. Although classes were in English, most of my classmates preferred to speak in Turkish and the professors sometimes had to translate their lessons into Turkish as well. Despite this language barrier, most of the students were very kind and interested in getting to know me.

A man feeding a dog some meat on the streets of Kadikoy. Turkish people are known for their hospitality.

These friendships proved helpful as my Turkish friends often helped me out during stressful moments such as applying for a Residence Permit and helping me navigate the streets. Not only that, they also brought me to food places frequented by locals that would be nearly impossible to find on my own and I was also invited to stay over at my friend’s house in another city in Bursa. I think that’s the difference between going to a country as a tourist and as an exchange student. Going on exchange gives you more time to develop close friendships which will enable you to experience the country you are living in in an entirely unique way.

2) Getting lost is part of the process

Istanbul has a great metro system with the Marmaray line actually going under the Bosphorus, making it easier to move between the Asian and European side of the city. There are also ferries providing a beautiful view during sunset and if you’re lucky, you can feed seagulls some fresh simit (bread encrusted with sesame seeds) bought from the ferry terminal and if you’re really lucky, you can catch sight of dolphins swimming around. Perhaps my enthusiasm could be a result of my boredom towards the monotony of MRT rides in Singapore, but every ferry ride was a treat and I was constantly reminded to slow down and enjoy the beauty that life had to offer.

This picture does not do Istanbul's sunsets any justice.

For a month or so, I was really nervous about navigating the streets of Istanbul on my own. Everyone back home told me to be careful and take precautions, which I did, but sometimes solo travel can open doors to new and wonderful places. I took advantage of Turkey’s culture of hospitality and made do with the kindness of strangers who led the way, often with an invitation to have tea with them. So don’t fret if you’re nervous as well. Do your research and familiarise yourself with the different modes of transport in your exchange country. If you do get lost, ask a local for help and make friends along the way. Do be careful though and only follow people in crowded areas.

3) Immerse yourself in the local culture

The best way to do this is to learn the language of the country. When applying for exchange, I was adamant in choosing a non-English speaking country. This will not only force me to learn another language but also gain a deeper appreciation for the local culture and history. When I first studied Turkish, I expected it to have a lot of similar words to Arabic. Some words such as “sabun” and “asker” were familiar to Malay speakers as the Malay language is much derived from Arabic. However, I was surprised that words such as “pantolon” (pants) and “şoför” (chauffeur) were derived from French. Through this experience, I learned more about Mustafa Kemal Ataturk (yes, like the airport) as the founder of modern Turkey. He believed that for Turkey to progress, she would have to look towards the West and therefore, he called for a new system of language which takes much of its inspiration from French and other Western languages.

We did role-playing in Turkish class which proved very useful on the streets.

Knowing Turkish was also really useful in getting around and endearing yourself to the locals. My Turkish was really, really basic at best but Turkish people really appreciate it if you learn a few basic phrases and will go out of their way to help you. Sometimes people can be intimidated if you start with English but I find that it is best to start slowly in Turkish and then try to ease them to help you by asking if you can switch to English.

From the moment I stepped foot outside the airport, I knew that Istanbul was going to break my heart and she did. With all her complexities, brimming with history, teeming with culture and with that eclectic blend of East and West that I feel an affinity with. Istanbul felt to me both foreign and familiar and perhaps that is why I enjoyed my exchange experience there so much. Even after five months of living there, the novelty still hasn’t worn off and I know that there is still much to explore. Exchange will really test you as a person so the best way to go about it is to remind yourself that every experience, whether good or bad, is a learning point for you to know not only more about the country you are living in but also about yourself.