What were the main reasons that encouraged you to choose the UK and Dundee?
Actually, at first I did not consider Dundee as a choice, but the friend I planned to go with insisted on choosing a country where English is spoken. (He then gave up going on Erasmus, so I went on my own.) However, there were reasons why I accepted his insistence. For one thing, I have admired England for a long time, and I also wondered what sort of a place Scotland was. Another reason was that I felt I had already learned the continental European legal system at Bilkent, and hence Dundee was a chance for me to get an introduction to the American legal system.
How was life in the UK in terms of its cultural and social aspects?
Although we have a tendency to call the UK England, there are actually four nationalities and cultures in the UK, even if these cultures are very similar to each other. Because of this, I prefer to say that I went to Scotland rather than the UK, and Scotland indeed has its own culture. Dundee was really successful in terms of introducing Scottish culture and integrating Erasmus students into the culture. It organized a number of trips to places in Scotland and other places in the UK. However, although there are a lot of cultural and heritage sites and artistic activities, I would not say that the English culture is as warm as the Turkish. Regarding the social aspect, since everybody speaks English, it is really easy to communicate and socialize with others. Parties are often arranged among students, and the school has a building called the Union, which consists of a nightclub, restaurant and pub, where such activities can be held. The prices there are determined by the Student Council and are cheaper than those of other places in order to attract students.
What is the average cost of living there for a student?
It is really expensive to live abroad, especially in the UK. I suppose that an average of £700 a month would be enough for basic needs (other than accommodation) and nightlife, but I spent approximately £1,000 per month. Good quality wines, some drinks, books, cosmetics, etc. are cheaper than in Turkey, while tobacco products, vegetables, fruit and other foods are much more expensive. For example, a packet of cigarettes is 8 TL in Turkey; the same cigarettes cost almost 40 TL there. Eating out is, of course, another thing that increases the cost.
Was it easy to find accommodation? Does the school offer dormitories?
The university has its own accommodation facilities. They divide a flat among five students, and the students are responsible for cleaning the flat. My room was 13 meters square and much better than the Bilkent dorms, but also more expensive. For six months, I paid £2,519.96 for the room. Hence, students coming to Dundee would be better off finding an accommodation in the city, because the prices are much more affordable.
How were the courses, projects and exams at Dundee compared to those at Bilkent?
While I was at Dundee, I realized that Bilkent is a really hard school. Ever since I got back, I have really been struggling. At Bilkent we have eight courses with assignments, projects and exams, so we don’t have any time to catch our breath. But at Dundee, I took only three courses, and each course had one assignment, presentation and project. And even these three courses were above the limit for Dundee, but I had to take them in order to satisfy Bilkent’s requirements. For law students, transferring course credits from Dundee to Bilkent is almost impossible; my courses were counted as electives. At Dundee, classes required preparation, but everything else was much easier. Plus, each student had at least two days a week free from classes. The exams were similar to Harry Potter’s famous OWL exams. At the end of the year, the university gathers students in the gym and distributes exam papers and little notebooks for them to write the answers down in.
Does Dundee offer a language course for international students to teach them the local language?
Scottish Gaelic is one of the recognized regional languages in the UK, and Dundee offers it along with Latin, Gaelic, French and other languages. These courses aren’t for credit, but they are pretty inexpensive: around 60 or 70 pounds for one language course.
What was the most memorable thing about your Erasmus experience?
I had made a plan with a friend of mine who was in Belgium; we were going to go on a mini Europe trip. I got everything ready, but she broke her leg, and I couldn’t cancel my tickets, so I decided to do the trip alone. I traveled two or three countries as much as I could on my own; sometimes I even slept on the streets. I drank beer with an English fireman in Brussels, and he had lots of interesting things to say. I was kicked out of a coffeehouse bar in Amsterdam, met an Italian man named Manuel and sampled Belgian beers with him, and fell asleep under a windmill afterwards. So I would say that this trip was the most memorable thing for me.
What was the biggest challenge you had to deal with during your Erasmus exchange?
I think everyone says the same thing: being broke. There were a lot of activities to participate in. The courses weren’t hard, so I had the time and energy. However, unless you have enough money, you of course aren’t able to travel a lot. Hence, on the days I couldn’t afford to do such activities, I just went to the Botanic Park or traveled around the city.
What special tips can you give for prospective Erasmus students who choose Dundee and Scotland?
•Go alone and socialize.
•Meet as many people who are culturally and personally different as you can.
•Choose Scotland if you are enthusiastic about nature.
•Visit Edinburgh and Glasgow, which are both Gothic cities. In Edinburgh, go to the café where J. K. Rowling started writing “Harry Potter.”
•Visit Glamis Castle, which is close to Dundee.
•Get a roommate and stay in a house.
•Calculate how much money you might spend.
•Use Ryanair when you travel; it’s cheaper.
If you were given another chance for an Erasmus exchange, would you take it? Would you choose Dundee again?
I think Erasmus is a wonderful opportunity that shouldn’t be wasted. I was able to improve myself and learn about new cultures. For example, I didn’t know anything about Judaism before I went on Erasmus. But the most important thing that I learned was how to survive on my own: I learned how to cook, wash my clothes and solve my problems by myself. Also, though here we learn English, we do not know how to live in English; in Scotland, I learned that. I suppose I would choose Dundee again, because it is a liberal school; for example, we discussed the legal aspects of euthanasia, abortion and homosexuality. Briefly, an Erasmus exchange is a good opportunity to gain new perspectives.
Interviewers: Eda Ertan (MAN/II), Cansu Ateş (MAN/II), Halenur Öztekin (MAN/II)