It was Wednesday, 18th of October. For some people it wasn’t important day, for some people who live their own Erasmus, it was very special day. Erasmus+ program celebrated 30th anniversary. Erasmus people from University of Ostrava and VŠB – Technical university of Ostrava celebrated with flag parade, program in Trojhalí and also with party. And they choose King and Queen of Erasmus. King of Erasmus here in Ostrava is Marvin Destour from France, Queen of Erasmus is Tuğçe Yildirim.
Why did you choose for your Erasmus Czech Republic?
K: It was my school choice and I also wanted to discover Eastern part of Europe. Then it is a good start.
Q: In the beginning I did not really know which country I wanted to go to. But I wanted to go to a country unknown to me, because I was already in Italy and Germany. This time I wanted to go to Eastern Europe and our university also has a partnership with Ostrava. Also Czech Republic is very famous Erasmus country in Turkey, I asked some students who experinced Erasmus in Czech, all of them were satisfied. So, Czech Republic was my first choice and now I am here.
Do you like Czech Republic? What do you like the most?
K: Yes,Czech republic is well, there is beautiful place to visits. You have also historical monuments and this is that I like there.
Q: I like that country, it's really interesting and beautiful experince for me. I am learning Czech culture. And I like the most your night life and parties :). Czech people don't have to find any reason for fun. In Czech Republic you can drink and go parties everyday.
How do you like Ostrava?
K: Ostrava mean to be a calm city, it's not the same as Paris but it's good here.
Q: I do like Ostrava, because in comparison with other cities, it’s small and manageable city. One advantage is the proximity to other countries, so you can also go to Poland to Hungary or even to Austria. The traffic connection to other cities and countries is secured by train. And public transportation is wonderful in Ostrava, you can go everywhere and every time with tram. The trams add a nice atmosphere to the city and they don't pollute the environment. I love nature and there are lots of nice mountains near to Ostrava for trekking, also we have a forest in Poruba very near to our dormitory. This is also big advantage for me.
Is there a difference between study here and study in your home country?
K: The ways of study it's the same, we have class and exams.The difference is the workload there is less here but I think it's because of the Erasmus program, then we can enjoy something else, like traveling side by side.
Q: The biggest difference is the education language. You have to describe things differently because you can’t find or know the right terms. But the clinics are not very different. Hospitals have similar function and system everywhere. Except that we have more patients in Turkey than here in the Czech Republic. The infrastructure of the clinics is almost the same, I would say.
How did you enjoy 30th anniversary of Erasmus?
K: It was awesome, I enjoyed the parade in the city and games. Party was very good too.
Q: 30th anniversary of Erasmus, I felt i am the part of the Erasmus. Till that day, I joined some programs and events, but i didn't concantrate them very well because I was trying to manage lots of problems, like to get used to the city, school to solve some bureaucratic works and to make some good friends (it was the most important part. Flag parade was awesome. Walking together feels young, free and strong. We sang some songs in the middle of the city, our faces were painted, maybe we will never do that again:) And I believe that, if the start is beautiful, it will go on the same way. I was not wrong. There were lots of things prepared for us, I want to thank you to people who prepare that events for us. We have everything we need, friends, music, games, food and of course pivo! It was like a maraton, and i didn't understand how time passed. It was one of my best and craziest day in Ostrava.
Is this Erasmus here in Ostrava your first Erasmus?
K: Yes, it's my first. And it's good.
Q: Now, I have been my own Erasmus, this is my first time.
What is the best thing of Erasmus?
K: The best is to meet foreign people from other country and also Czech people. Erasmus gives us the chance live in another country and open our mine to others.
Q: The best thing about Erasmus is the cultural and diverse exchange with people my age from all over the world, for example including from the Arab countries. I hope to build a network with people here that I will remember in years. It's a wonderful experience to be part of this whole community and project.
What did you feel when you won the King of Erasmus?
K: I was very happy for my queen (hahaha) I wanted to win for her,not only for me. We passed all the challenge well, and she deserved it.
Q: It's very hard to find words to describe my feelings. I really wanted that crown and my roommate saw me when I was looking at the crown. She realized and encouraged me. She said ,you locked to target and you will be the queen, And I said to myself , "why not?, if you don't try, you never know". And than competition started. I had to do the best, I could evet get. We passed some stages and when the final came, I needed to support to win. That was the most beautiful part. If they didn't support me, I never won. And than results came, it was like a dream, I still cannot believe that. To hold our flag at the stage, to get the crown, and to see the people who support us were invaluable.
Do you recommended Erasmus another students? Why?
K: Yeah definitely! Because Eramus is easy way to travel for study and also study in another country. Enriches the experience!
Q: Of course, I will pass this experience on to other people and tell a lot about it. But you have to experience it yourself. Erasmus brings together people who might never have met in life. In addition, you learn a lot about each country, about the people and the culture. But also about the education system, you can draw comparisons with your own system. A pro point is also communicating in English, since one is forced to speak in English. Of course that means learning more. As they say: Learning by doing.
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