Dokuz Eylül University in Izmir

Transcription

1 Progress Report Dokuz Eylül University in Izmir Why studying abroad and why in Izmir? As I heard that we have the choice between a semester abroad which is included in our module handbook and the grades will be recognized and a normal semester, it was clear that I definitely will go in another country. I was not sure where I want to go and visited the information days of the countries which are eligible. Then it was clear that I want to go to Turkey, in my homeland and a city I never visited yet, Istanbul. A big city with a lot of job opportunities. I want to see how the Turkish university works, the students live and how I will be integrate in a culture I know but never live in it. While I was thinking about where I want to make my semester abroad I visited my cousin and friends in Izmir in the summer vocations. I was so inspired from the city that I said I will come again and stay a longer time. So I decided to go to Izmir not Istanbul because it s a town with less traffic and more manageable. It was also a big city which has a good economic situation and a lot of job opportunities. The semester abroad was the chance for me to combine studying, learn more about my own culture and have fun in a city I really love. Also my cousin, who is at this university too and is living there for years, told me from her experience and how satisfied she is. So I want to make my own experiences. Why is Izmir wonderful? You are next to the sea where you can walk along. There are a lot of people who are making a walk or just sitting. Also you can see people who are standing at the sea and are fishing. It s a very nice picture to see this men standing in a line. At the weekend but also in the week you can go out with friends in bars with live Turkish music or just in clubs with your music stile (Techno, RnB, House). There are also restaurants and Cafes were you sit across the sea. At the Kordon you can sit on the meadow and just lie there for hours in the sun. In Izmir are a lot of places to relax but also for shopping, where you can go easily by bus or train. One of my main reasons to study in Izmir is that it s one of the big cities in Turkey which is modern and further developed where the population is liberal- minded.

2 First impressions and experiences In the first weeks I meet a lot of students from different countries and all of them were very kindly and open for new friendships. I was surprised how many was from Germany. Even though in that period in Germany were Pegida demonstrations where people demonstrate against the Islamisation and cause a big uprising. But it has not got an influence on Turkish people, nobody criticizes or changed their behavior. In the orientation week we meet us every day with all Erasmus- students and our buddies to know each other better. There were students from Italy, Rumania, Spain etc. Everybody has a buddy who clarifies questions of us foreign students and were ready to help every time. Even though they do this voluntarily, they done a good job all time and their organizations proceed without problems. For example they planned a treasure hunt which we have to solve in teams against each other. The group which won the game got a price. On this way we learned Izmir s ways. They helped us to get the residence permit or the student ticket called Kentkart that we can drive cheaper as students. In addition I have to say that is it very cheap to drive by bus or train with this card particularly only 1.10 Lira for students. The 9.September was a special day for the Turkish people because it s was the freedom day of Izmir. Everybody celebrate this day on the street with flags and fireworks. My friends and I bought headbands and take part at this association. We stand around a big flag and sang the Turkish hymn. After the celebration a minute of silence began. This experience was a different feeling for me, as a girl with Turkish roots who lives in Germany and only hears or sees those acts in TV. Also at the date of death of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk a bell rings, everybody in Turkey stops doing everything and a minute of silence begin. On the 10.November at 9.15 am in schools, at workplaces, at home and even if they are driving they stop and stand up. It is a symbol of respect for the founder of Turkey. Five times a day the prayer reads the Ezan from the mosques. Everywhere are standing some that everybody can hear it. It was an anomalous event for the foreign students because they don t know why it happens. The reason is that this is the time for pray. In the evenings we meet us at Cafes or bars. For example we go to a karaoke bar where everyone joined in singing. Every weekend the buddies try to organize a trip in different cities of Turkey. On this way we get the chance to meet more native students, the other Erasmus students and see a lot of other countries of Turkey. One weekend we drove to Bodrum and another weekend to Cesme, a wonderful neighborhood of Izmir with clear blue sea, where we made a boat trip. It was a funny event with a belly dancer and a DJ on the boat. Furthermore I have to say that this part of Izmir is very expensive. If you buy a kumru, a special sandwich in Izmir, for two lira there you have to pay five lira. What is also typical in Izmir is Boyoz a snack similar to bread of pastry. Usually you can t find this anywhere else as there. I recommend to try it.

3 Tea is very popular in the Turkish culture. They drink it in the morning to the breakfast and also after the meal. In restaurants the waitresses always ask you for tea and in most times it s for free. If you want to buy food you can buy it also after eight o clock. Even if the shopping malls are closed everywhere are little kiosks which sell bread, yoghurt, snacks etc. It was wondering me that those shopping centers are also open at Sundays. Meanwhile some popular shops like Deichmann, H&M or Zara existing also in Izmir or Antalya. There are markets for vegetables and fruits where you get them cheaper and fresher once a week. In Kemeralti is a big bazaar where you can find everything. It is divided into parts like the clothes, fish market, animal market with little dogs and rabbits or assessors. There is the best place where you can buy presents for family and friends. The university has two campuses. Mainly I visited the one opposite of the Hasanagabahcesi. It is a big park where people are going to jog or playing basketball. Around the campus are Cafés where you can go in free lecture times. Also the university has Cafés where you can sit outside, too. The prices are very low. For example a cup of tea is only one lira and a meal you can get for six lira. That is two Euros if you would convert it. There is also a cafeteria for students where we get a main dish, a side salad, a snack and a piece of bread for only two lira. The native students show me where it is and how it is working there. Around the university are copy shops where you get your curriculum, notes from the professors and sometimes old exams. On this campus I had four courses and the other two courses I had at the Tinaztepe - Campus. It was my decision to split, because than I had more choices between the lectures. The campus on Tinaztepe has a different construction. On a big hill are all departments of the university. You have to climb this till yours is written on the signs. Of course there are buses which are stopping at every department. Also at this campus are different Cafés where all the students meet. The lectures The lessons in the morning start at 8.15 am. I was lucky that I had only lectures from Tuesday to Thursday. It can be happen that your courses are in the afternoon. In that case I was till 7 pm at the university but these are exceptions because some of my lectures which I chose were at the same time. So I visited the evening class. One of my six lectures I chose was Entrepreneurship. I recommend this lesson everybody who has the chance to select it. After we learned something about Entrepreneurs, what they have to do and what is typical for them, we have to prepare a business plan. Everybody has to create a new product or service which is not existing. I was thinking about what women really need: High heels whose heels can be taken off. In the next step we must prepare the business plan. Its explain in which ways I want

4 to make the product known, how I earn my money, where I want to sell this product, what are my costs and profits etc. Our motivation was a company called Kosgeb which supports the person with money, who has the best idea and presentation. In principals of marketing we were a small group in which we have to make presentations of the news of the week in marketing. It was interesting to see how fast the advertising reaches the people. After we talk about a marketing new everywhere I saw the advertises on posters on the streets. Then I realize how important marketing is. Another lecture was advertising where we learned how advertisement in the television, in magazines or on posters influence us. There are direct and indirect manipulations which bring us in act to buy the products. In international organizations we talked about governmental and nongovernmental organizations their functions and role in our world. Amnesty international and International Committee of the Red Cross are examples for this. What was really interesting for me was the issue about human rights. I also chose Human Resource Management which is an effective lecture for the future and we will need the whole life I think. At first we learned about functions and responsibilities of a human resource manager. What is important if a HRM have to choose a new employee? Than we discuss about different themes. One of them was job interviews; how it is the right way to communicate and how we have to behave while the conversation. We do a lot of group work and had the chance to discuss the issues between ourselves. All in all I can say every lecture I chose content my expectations. As I was not sure and was thinking about which special subject I want to focus my curriculum, it was good idea to choose Marketing and Management lectures. Already in the first days I have noticed that the relation between professors and students was positively different. They know almost all names of the students and talk or make jokes before the lesson starts. One of my professors offers tea, coffee or cakes while he is teaching. Every time they are asking whether everything is alright and if problems appear we always can contact them per mail or find them on the campus. Also the assistant professor who is responsible for us Erasmus students was ready to help when something is not working with the lectures or we have had problems with the professors.

5 Conclusion All in all I had a wonderful time abroad. I meet a lot of people and made experiences in a foreign country where I have only been for vocations. It was a proof for me that I am also able to cope with people and the university not only in Germany. I knew the Turkish culture because my origin is Turkish but even though I love the temperament, warm- heartedness, helpfulness and humor of the native people. The Turkish Sauna called Hamam is a must for every girl and boy. There is cold and hot water which is coming from the source. On request they offer a massage and peeling for the whole body. I liked the university structure more than the German one because the campus is bigger, closer and more familiar. I can imagine to work in an international company in Izmir and knew that I can count on my friends and my family there. The native students make it easy for me to settle down and learn the ways. So it was hard for me to leave the city. But it was a useful and advisable semester abroad where I improved my Turkish and English language knowledge. Izmir, Alsancak Saat Kulesi (selfmade)