Merhaba from Turkey! Mobility at the Sabanci University
.jpg "Merhaba from Turkey! Mobility at the Sabanci University")
Anna Shmeleva on her first impression: "I think I've arrived at the hotel! There are dormitories all around, it's warm outside and it smells like the sea!"
Why did you choose Sabancı for your academic mobility?
First, the university offered me the opportunity to take courses in different areas. I really wanted to try something new, so in addition to the usual courses in economics, I took a course in philosophy of consciousness and photography. Second, Sabanci has its own campus with a large territory. I had never lived on campus before and I really wanted to immerse myself in the atmosphere.
First impressions of Sabancı and Turkey?
I remember very well my first impression of Sabanсi: "I think I have arrived at a hotel! There are dormitories all around, it's warm outside and it smells like the sea". When I arrived, in addition to the good weather and the sea breeze, I noticed that there were a lot of cats on campus (as there are in Turkey): wherever you go, there are cats everywhere! It always cheered me up!
How did you adjust to the new learning environment?
The adaptation process was not difficult, but it was not as easy as I had imagined. The main difficulty for me was the need to speak English all the time and to understand the unusual accents of people from other countries. I came to mobility alone, so there was no opportunity to switch to my native language, and I felt that I got tired of communication much faster than in my usual environment.
How did I get over the language barrier? Every time I felt tired of communicating, I took a break and spent time alone with myself. After 2-3 weeks, the need for such breaks practically disappeared, and after 2 months, communicating in English became as comfortable as communicating in Russian.
What was your favorite class or course at Sabanci?
My favorite subject was Entrepreneurship, thanks to the professor who delivered each lecture as if he were speaking on stage in a theater. The course was based on constant reading and discussion of business cases, which not only helped me learn something new about business, but also boosted my public speaking skills.
How was studying different?
The main difference between the courses in Sabanci and those in Moscow was that most of the subjects required participation in discussions and constant interaction with the teacher. I was used to the fact that in HSE you had to listen more than talk during the course, but here it was the other way around and I enjoyed it very much.
How did you spend your free time?
I often traveled to the city to learn more about Istanbul's culture. During the semester, I read a work by a Turkish writer set in Istanbul: I loved visiting places and realizing that they were places I had read about earlier in the book. Periodically, on weekends, I would travel with the rest of the students to other cities where we would stay for a few days. The places I enjoyed the most were Gazantep, Ankara, Cappadocia, and the Prince Islands (not just a name, but actual islands). Our campus was near the airport, so it was easier to fly to another part of Turkey than to get to the center of Istanbul, which always amused me!
How did you interact with the students?
The local students have a good level of English because everyone takes a language test when they enroll at Sabanci and then takes all the classes together with the foreigners. Among the people I talked to, about half of them studied at Sabanci all the time because it was as easy to get to know the local students as it was to get to know the exchange students.
What have you learnt about Turkish culture and traditions?
Upon arrival, I was surprised by the friendliness and hospitality of the people. On several occasions, as I walked into the dining hall, students I did not know came up to me and offered to join me for lunch or coffee. This was very unusual! It is also a sign of hospitality in most places to offer free tea even if the guest has not ordered anything. Maybe this rule doesn't work in all places, but on several occasions, the owners of the cafés called my friends and me over just to have tea and talk with them.
How has this mobility impacted your personal and professional development?
My level of English definitely increased, even though hardly anyone outside of the university spoke it. I had to constantly express my thoughts, read and watch videos in that language.
Also, organizing my life in a foreign city where most of the people don't understand your language made me much more independent. I had never traveled alone or organized trips to unfamiliar places from scratch before because I didn't have the courage to take on all the responsibility. Now it doesn't seem scary to go on a trip like this, it seems like a common practice.
I also noticed that as I immersed myself in another culture, I became more interested in my own. During my mobility, I visited many museums and cultural sites that impressed me. However, living in Moscow, I had never been interested in local attractions or visited them in my free time. This trip opened my eyes to the fact that while I am in Moscow, I can be not only a local who goes to school and works, but also a tourist who admires the beauty of the city and is interested in its history.
What advice would you give to students who are planning to participate in the mobility program?
Familiarize yourself with the list of required documents. When I applied, I had to provide a medical certificate, which I got in Moscow practically for free. However, my friends got the same certificate in Istanbul and paid about 500 euros because most of the required tests were not covered by their health insurance. In general, some of the procedures that can be done for free in Russia can be very expensive abroad, keep in mind!