Istanbul
Istanbul was the beginning of everything. For the first time I had to find my way abroad alone and communicate in English β and I realized how much I had missed out on until then. Since then I have loved traveling.
Erasmus Exchange
My Turkish Airlines flight from Vienna to Istanbul was very pleasant. For me as a student of a technical university (used to eating either pasta or bread), the lunch served on board was simply great. I got a main course with dessert. After arriving, a student from Istanbul University named Serhat was waiting for me in front of the airport. He was a volunteer and his task was to help foreign students with their first steps in Turkey. He brought me to the city center, and since I had no student dormitory, he helped me look for accommodation. It was hard β I was not used to speaking English and suddenly I had no other choice. My luggage was heavy, I felt truly exhausted π₯΄.
My supervisor brought me to an apartment where my new classmate Francesco from Italy and a number of other guys from Italy and Spain also lived. The place looked good, so I decided to stay π€.
Living with a classmate was advantageous because we could organize things regarding school together. Living with people from different countries was the perfect starting point for communicating in English. I remember the beginning was very hard β I only listened, but it took just 3 weeks before I could speak π.
The Erasmus Community
Surrounded by students from all over Europe and volunteers from the local ESN group, I quickly began to get to know the city of Istanbul and its surroundings. I tried local food, got used to drinking Turkish tea, and smoking cigarettes. Everything that happened was unique and mostly happening in my life for the first time. I rode the ferry. I attended a boat party. I tried hitchhiking. The most impressive thing about Istanbul was its beautiful historic center, the colossal mosques, and the Bosphorus with all its ferries and ships, fishermen, and the smell of delicious food.
