What were the main reasons that encouraged you to choose Germany and Universitat Dortmund?
At Bilkent, I was taking German as well as English, and I thought that I could improve my German there. Also, I was planning to go there with my friend (although unfortunately, as it turned out, we couldn’t go together).Those were the two main reasons for my choice.
How was life in Dortmund in terms of cultural and social activities?
The city is not that good for such kinds of activities. It’s a small city; sometimes there were film festivals in nearby cities such as Dusseldorf and Köln. In terms of cultural aspects, in particular, it didn’t have a lot to offer. There were only a few museums. (For those who are interested, I have heard that a new football museum will open there this year). The ESN team did arrange some activities; during orientation they took us to Dusseldorf and Köln. By the way, don’t expect a party life in Germany like in some other countries.
What is the average cost of living in Dortmund for a student?
When compared to other countries and even other cities in Germany, it is much cheaper. For example, some of my friends went to Spain and France, and Dortmund was definitely less expensive. If you look around the city a bit, you can find far cheaper markets. In addition, there was a “semester ticket” system, where you make a one-time 200-euro payment and are then able to use all of the buses, trains, etc. and travel around the province throughout the semester. A meal in an average restaurant costs approximately 10 euros and is satisfying enough. (By the way, in Dortmund, people usually eat potatoes with beer.) A total of 800 euros per month could be enough. I used all of my grant, 400 euros, to pay for my accommodation, and my family sent me roughly 400 euros as well.
Was it easy to find accommodations? Does the school offer dormitory rooms to exchange students?
It was easy, because the Erasmus coordinator at the university assigns someone to take care of you. You can discuss any concerns you have with this person. (I even sent him a message about a power cut.) The school has its own dormitories, which cost 200-250 euros per month, but I stayed in a private dormitory that cost 350 euros per month because the other dorms were full. I paid more, but I had a single room, and the location was quite good.
What is the language of instruction? Is it easy to find courses in English?
Because I’m an English language and literature student, I took courses from the German, Americanist and Anglicist departments, and all of my courses were in English. But my friends in other departments struggled a lot because their courses (calculus, etc.) were in German. I didn’t face any problems, but I think other departments at Universität Dortmund teach mostly in German.
Does the school offer a language course for international students to teach them the local language?
The German course was the main reason I chose Dortmund, and I can say that I really benefited from it. I went to Germany in March, and we had a one-month German orientation. First they gave a test and divided us according to our level of proficiency. During the month, we had German classes five days a week. After the term started, they gave another test, and we continued with classes at our new levels. During the term, the German classes met twice a week. In Germany, schools are really eager to teach German to international students. And the courses were for credit, too. For example, I started out in the A2-level course, which had 6 credits, and then the B1-level course I took later had 9 credits. If you want to learn German, you might well consider Universität Dortmund.
What was the most memorable thing about your Erasmus experience?
Probably the Miley Cyrus concert I attended. It was really entertaining and funny. I’ll never forget it. Everyone was drunk at the concert, and everyone was happy. I was alone because no one wanted to go with me to a Miley Cyrus concert, but I quickly found a group of people at the concert and became friendly with them.
What was the biggest challenge you had to deal with during your Erasmus exchange?
Actually, my Erasmus experience wasn’t that challenging for me. The only thing might be the first day, which was strange. I didn’t face any challenges because my advisor really helped me. When I arrived in Germany, she gave me plates and glasses to use, and also provided train and bus schedules so I could travel on public transportation. She was a very disciplined person and did a good job assisting me. Therefore, I didn’t encounter any problems.
What special tips can you give for prospective Erasmus students who might choose Dortmund?
• Be prepared to study German, because Dortmund encourages you to learn German.
• Don’t worry, because they take good care of Erasmus students.
• Don’t worry about the official transactions, which were quite annoying and had to be finished in a short time. You’ll get through them somehow.
• Stay in the school’s own dormitories, because a lot of Dortmund students stay there. I stayed in a private dorm where nobody was from the school.
• Insist that the advisor reserve a space for you in the school’s dormitories ahead of time.
If you were given another chance to go on an Erasmus exchange, would you take it? Would you choose Dortmund again?
I have never thought that I shouldn’t have gone there. If there were another chance, I would most probably take it. And I would choose Dortmund again. I forgot to say that Dortmund is a perfect place to go for Erasmus, because it’s in the middle of Europe. Transportation is easy, if you want to travel to other countries.
What did Erasmus do for you?
I improved myself in terms of giving presentations because I did a lot of them at Dortmund, in almost every course. In addition, I learned to use time effectively, since I allocated my time for both studying and traveling.
Interviewers: Eda Ertan (MAN/II), Cansu Ateş (MAN/II), Halenur Öztekin (MAN/II)