The three-week summary

Tomorrow it'll be three weeks since I arrived into Turkey. I talk about three busy weeks - it seems like I've been here for two months at least. Everything was completely new to me and just now I'm entering into the local routine and learning the ropes.

The first stop for me was Istanbul - an amazing city who was the very first impression. I stayed in a cheap but cozy hotel that was located in an actual neighborhood and not in a very tourist area - as the owner said, the ideal hotel to watch the daily life of the Turkish. After two very busy days I left Istanbul with the feeling that I was in a very historical and interesting country.

Second (and final destination) - Izmir. As the third city of Turkey, it's crowded, really crowded. I was lucky enough to study in a very calm and nice region of Izmir - Bornova. Since I don't really like noise and confusion, I instantly liked EGE University Student Village, or the Ege Üniversitesi Öğrenci Köyü as they say, which is really like a small city with all the students, erasmus, a social building, a dinner, a mini-market and even a hairdresser. We had the help of a very good Turkish friend who studied in my faculty last semester, so she knew exactly how it is to be in a foreign country, she picked me up at the airport and drove to the Student Village and then the hypermarket - thanks again Merve! Since I arrived on Thursday, the following days were calm, some paperwork to sign and sightseeing in the center city center.

One of the many buildings of the Students Village

Ephesus, one of the many historical places in Turkey.

The following week was the truly peak of these three weeks so far - the integration week. This was when we met literally all the EGE Erasmus crowd, our mentors, and the entire (and gigantic) campus. I literally knew more people in one week than in an entire year back at home - that's Erasmus for you. I had an instant connection with the Spanish and Italian erasmus - maybe because they are our neighbors and think like us? The language? I dunno, but they are truly great =) In fact, pretty much all of the erasmus people are great. As a southern European, I thought we were more joyful and extroverted than the northern countries - talk about a wrong preconception! These guys are pretty much crazy and always ready to party all week long.  I'm not really the kind of person who likes to party hard every week. I'd rather have dinner and going onto a bar and drink a beer and talk, so I'm pretty much the 1%, but even so it's been easy to find someone to do so. I met dozens of persons in a daily basis, and the good thing, all from different countries which is really good to open up your mind.

The EGE Erasmus in the first semester 2012/2013

What surprised me the most was the Turkish people - you obviously can find persons with all sorts of intentions, but in general they are VERY welcoming. I didn't have the slightest problem finding someone willing to help me in all sorts of occasions in an unselfish way - we do have lots to learn from them. They'll go all the way and beyond to make you feel at home. Thanks for that, it's truly great feeling like this when you're 4500 km away from your real home.

And of course we had the sight seeings. Being such a rich country in terms of history and natural resources, Turkey is one of the most beautiful countries I've ever been into. I'll speak about every place I went separately, but it's really one of those things that makes the Erasmus worthwhile, you get to know so many wonderful places that you wouldn't otherwise. Thanks a lot for all the guys from ESN (Erasmus Student Network) that organize these trips.

Even if you don't feel at home, you'll feel you're in paradise in Ilıca, Çeşme.

Of course, I've had classes too. At first I was told that I couldn't perform treatments - and as a senior in dentistry you can image that I NEED to practice, a lot. This was a major setback which almost drove to the end of this Erasmus - but it wasn't entirely true. Turns up this faculty works by departments, and each department has the autonomy to decide what you can and can't do as an Erasmus student. And after a meeting with the chiefs of each department, we were pleased to know that with some insistence and showing some interest you can in fact manage to treat several patients, and with different kinds of problems, much of those I wouldn't be able to see in Porto. Our schoolmates are really helpful too, and when you find someone who speaks English (which unfortunately is rare) you'll feel really integrated. The teachers are very nice and interested in us (maybe because we are from a foreign university?), it's been interesting have chats in the teacher's private office and having private lessons - another advantage of erasmus, you get to know a different way of being taught.

Our buddies at Orthodonty in the dentistry faculty.

To add up, these were three amazing weeks, and there are many more to come, so stay tuned =)