Merhaba everyone, 

i´ll be in Istanbul next october to study turkish in Istanbul Üniversitesi...i´ll stay in a student residence and i´ll be there for almost a year. 

So i had the idea of having this topic, so everyone who studied turkish in Turkey can tell us here about his experience and useful tips, places, methods, that can help us new students of turkish in turkey in learning the language, enjoy the culture, and interact with turkish people better. Like list of DOs and DONTs 

Thanks in advance everyone!!

 I cant give u any advices but I only say to you I hope to be like you and have in one day a chance to visit and study turkish in turkey

Good Luck

Thanks a lot!! 

so what kind of advices can you give me? i´d appreciate any kind of advices really!!

Hello,

This might look an advice from you mom but do no go out with anyone unless you know them well

Well yea, you´re right, i mean i wouldn´t do it even in my own country...but i hope i´ll make friends, and take care where to go if we go out...

But is it safe for a girl to go out alone in Istanbul? 

It is safe in most places. But always be cautious. Sometimes even men worry about walking in some places at night. In the daytime, it is ok. You can go out.

Hello Nanou,

I have just returned from Istanbul and I was there 3 weeks.  I was staying in the Sultanamet district and I did not have any problems going out alone at night.  There are certains neighborhouds I would not walk alone at night but in general I felt very safe.  I was more uncomfortable during the day when the shops were openned and I was being accosted by the people who wanted me to come in and buy things.    They are rather persistant and will use charm to get you to come to their shops and see their products. 

But like in any other cities use your jugdment.  If you do not feel certain then listen to the little voice in your head.

I had the misfortune of ending up at the end of the black tram line at 11pm and did not feel comfortable but I had to return to Cirkigi.  I noticed 2 polise officers riding the tram also.  I just sat next to them until my stop came up.

But sometimes it is during the day that you have to be more carefull.  I was attacked in Marmaris during the day.  I was lucky enought to get away because of my martial arts training with nothing more than a few bruises on my body.  So all I can say is be aware of your surroundings.

Oh my, you are so cool, stumpy. My sister salimah knows karate, nor basirah knows silat. Duhhhhhh. Wh

OMG what kind of attack? who did it? and what was the purpose?

I don´t know any martial arts, and thought with it you got some bruises..what happened?

It was a man who had some over active hormones and was rather over persistant at getting something from me that I did not care to give him.  He wanted to get in my pants as we might put it and contrary to popular beleif not all western women are easy to "get".

So the conclusion for me about Marmaris is that it is a party town and the peolpe going there go for one thing.

( being older - frumpy - and in need of a shagging) is probaly what he was thinking and it would get him  a mobile phone or a laptop

you must of fit the bill  on his list for most of the brits who go there.

hope your holiday was good other than this

+1

Well girls if you agree that this possible to happen in Turkey, i´m kinda worried :S though i don´t look like a foreigner girl, maybe they´ll think i´m turkish unless i start to try to speak turkish...well  i hope someone comes with a good experience...

 i dont know where you are from but i have to say something.you know our religion is islam and im sure that a islamic country is the safiest than the others also you cant find a country where foreigners are cared like Turkey.you should know it.im a student in Ankara.you dont need to DONT list.you can do everything at university.nobody can say to u anything about what you have done.you should free yourself.good luck.başarılar.

Nanou, I said in an earlier post that I felt very safe in Turkey.  What heppened to me in Marmaris is an exception.  The rest of my trip was wonderfull.  I think maybe you missed that part of my post, I walked at night alone in Istanbul but like any big cities there are certain neigbourhouds I would not walk alone at night in Istanbul.  But I told you, use common sense.  Do not put yourself in a situation where you do not feel comfortable in.  This goes for any city.

Marmaris is a "party" town and I did not look like a tourist on the contrary people thought I was Turkish until they started speaking with me.  I never said that the man that attacked me was Turkish either...  That man could have been from any country and by what my friends told me when I told them what happenned to me... the jerk is not a Turk.  My goodness I had to do everything in my power to stop my friends from flying to Marmaris and hunt the man down.

Nanou, I am sure this was an isolated incident. I looked at Stumpy´s photo and she does not look like someone who is a free wheeling party goer. I am sure who ever tried this was very drunk. Turk or not.  In any case when you are there dress modest, maybe buy some turkish brand clothing so you don´t bring extra attention to yourself and just be careful like you would in any city you do not know well.

Just like any other place, Turkish towns have a lot of good people in them, some bad, and a couple of crazies. Istanbul is also like any other typical large city. Some areas are no-go, you can ask your fellow students once you are in Istanbul. But as a student you wouldn´t normally go there anyway. Student housing is typically not in bad neighborhoods, even if you are not on campus. I visited a friend in Athens the other day, and was shocked at the neighborhood of foreign student housing there, and the state of the universities there. People say Turkey and Greece are a lot alike... and yes, they are, but safety and especially student safety is NOT the same. Turkey is heaven!

I agree, there are good and bad people everywhere ,in any country in the world. For the safety issue, I want to assure you that Turkey is quite safe. I have been abroad few times, and I can say that Turkey is much safer than Europe and many other country !

Turkish people whether in Istanbul or in Anatolia, respect foreigners and try their best to please them. Of course there are always rotten apples on an apple tree. We dont cut the tree down because of few rotten ones.

My lovely and lonely country is heaven on earth !

I bet you will fall in love with Istanbul and turkish people and wish you best..

Thanks a lot everyone for all your comments and help.

Well as some of my comments: 

I don´t wear Hijab, but i don´t think turkish people will not be ready to help me because i´m not wearing Hijab.

I´m from a muslim country too, i´m muslim, so there will be no culture clashes, maybe some for the type of living, but not in religious side for example.

I´ll take every advice you gave me, and yes that would go with any other foreign country i visit.

And above all i´m glad to know that almost all of you said that turkish people are friendly and nice, and of course i know where there´s good, there´s bad, no place is heaven, but if it´s safe in general, then i´m fine with it!!

Again thanks a lot everyone for your comments and help, and i´d of course appreciate any other experience =D