Last few weeks have flown by, October is already finished and that means that I’m already at almost half of the Erasmus semester in Istanbul. September was a month of settling in, get used to the city and to the university. October was a month of really living and studying in Istanbul. The university took a lot of my time, more than I’m used to. Fortunately there was still more than enough time to explore the city more than I already did.

The Academic Life

The academic load on the university increased after the first weeks. Classes, Reading Reports, Problem Sets, Quizess and the upcoming midterms took quite some time. The life on the university is sparkling, and time flew by.

Exploring the Istanbul Hot Spots

In one of the first weekends of October, I visited the district of Beyoglu/Taksim. This is one of the central points of Istanbul and is filled with shops, restaurants, bars, and historical buildings mixed with the modern day architecture, and the streets are crowded. I walked around for multiple hours with as highlights the Galata Tower, Taksim Square, and the waterside near the Galata bridge.

A few weekends later I visited the historical district of Fatih. This is THE touristic hotspot of Istanbul. In this district some worldwide famous landmarks are located, such as the Blue Mosque, the Grand Bazaar, and the Haga Sophia. The vibe in this district is different than the vibe in Beyoglu. Here everything is more focused on tourists. You can pay in many shops with Euro’s or dollars and there are very much tourists. The district is overflowing of historical buildings and interesting stories.

The Foodpoisoning

The last week of October was compromised because of some food that was not good. Food poisoning can happen anywhere of course, but still it would be wise to be careful with what you eat in a foreign country. Especially with chicken… something that I have learned the hard way. Luckily the food poisoning was not that bad, and after two days I felt well again.

But this is all part of the learning curve that you will experience as a student in a foreign country.

October was a month of balance. The month included a lot of studying, but also a lot of joy. And of course, there was a small trip to my amazing girlfriend .

Next month will have a lot of similarities with October. The academic life continues and the midterms are coming up. I will also visit one of the places in Istanbul that are still unexplored: Kadiköy.

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What are some places that you want to visit in Istanbul during your exchange?