Untitled - BEST Izmir

Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1 About Turkey ………………………………………………
1.2 About Izmir………………………………………………….
1.2.1 About food and drinks …………………………..
1.3 How to Reach Izmir
1.3.1 By Plane ………………………………………………….
1.3.2 By Bus …………………………………………………….
2. Necessary Information
2.1 Turkish currency and sample prices ………..
2.2 Emergency and Other Phone Numbers …..
2.3 Organisers Contacts ………………………………..
2.4.What to Bring …………………………………………
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1. Introduction
Hi there, one of the lucky 22 participants who will get to be with us
during our autumn course! Please read this guide thoroughly as here you’ll find
a lot of usefull information that you require before you make your trip. We will
be in contact with you from the moment you’re selected, but if that didn’t
happen yet, you can contact us with any questions!
1.1 About Turkey
Conventional long form: Republic of Turkey
Conventional short form: Turkey
State Type: Republican parliamentary democracy
Capital: Ankara
Official Language: Turkish
Independence: 29 October 1923
Population: 70,413,918 (July 2006 est.)
International Phone Code: +90
Currency: TL
Time Zone: GMT +02:00
Location: Southwestern Asia (that part west of the Bosporus is sometimes
included with Europe), bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Georgia,
and bordering the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, between Greece
and Syria
Map references: Middle East
Total area: 780,580 sq. km
Land area: 770,760 sq. Km
Comparative area: Slightly larger than Texas
Land boundaries: Total 2,627 km: Armenia 268 km, Azerbaijan 9 km, Bulgaria
240 km, Georgia 252 km, Greece 206 km, Iran 499 km, Iraq 331 km, Syria 822
km
Coastline: 7,200km
Climate: Temperate; hot, dry summers with mild, wet winters; harsher in
interior
Terrain: Mostly mountains; narrow coastal plain; high central plateau
(Anatolia)
1.2 About Izmir
Area: 11.973 km²
Population: 4.113.072 (2007 est.)
Traffic Code: 35
Izmir is the third biggest city in Turkey, with a population of around 4.1 million,
the second biggest port after Istanbul, and a good transport hub. Once the
ancient city of Smyrna, it is now a modern, developed, and busy commercial
center, set around a huge bay and surrounded by mountains and was. The
broad boulevards, glass-fronted buildings and modern shopping centers are
dotted with traditional red-tiled roofs, the 18th century market, and old
mosques and churches, although the city has an atmosphere more of
Mediterranean Europe than traditional Turkey. The climate is comfortable, with
a relatively mild summer due to the refreshing breeze from the Aegean. The
long attractive palm-fringed promenade, 1st. Kordon, which stretches the
entire length of the city up to the Alsancak Ferry Terminal, is a popular spot for
evening walks, and there are many cafesalong the waterfront. Izmir has a
good selection of culture and entertainment, from the Archaeological and
Ethnographic Museums, to the Izmir State Opera and Ballet and Izmir State
Symphony Orchestra, to the many bars and clubs. The cosmopolitan and lively
city gets even busier during the International Izmir Festival (mid-June to midJuly) with music and dance, with performances also in nearby Cesme and
Ephesus.
Districts: Balcova, Cigli, Gaziemir, Güzelbahçe, Karsiyaka, Konak, Aliaga,Bayindir
, Bayrakli, Bergama, Beydag, Bornova, Buca, Cesme, Dikili, Foca,Karabağlar, Kar
aburun, Kemalpasa, Kinik, Kiraz,
Menderes, Menemen,Narlıdere, Odemis, Seferihisar, Selcuk,
Tire, Torbalı and Urla.
1.2.1 About food and drinks
Food and meals are taken seriously in Turkey, and many people become
very fond of Turkish Cuisine. Breakfast is substantial, and in the Turkish home
or restaurant generally consists of bread, feta cheese, tomatoes, olives,
cucumbers, yogurt, fruit, small Turkish pastries, tea, and coffee. Lunch is
generally a relatively light meal and usual (similar to Greek gyros), or kebab
(grilled meat). Dinner is generally served usually around 8 p.m. The traditional
Turkish dinner is formal and multi-course, beginning with antipasto, small
dishes or appetizers eaten sequentially with salad and bread. The main meal
often includes a soup, meat course, vegetable course, and dessert. Izmir’s
cuisine has largely been affected by its multicultural history, hence the large
variety of food originating from the Aegean, Mediterranean and Anatolian
regions. Another factor is the large area of land surrounding the region which
grows a rich selection of vegetables. Some of the common dishes found here
are "Tarhana soup" (made from dried yoghurt and tomatoes), "Izmir Meatball",
"Keskek" (boiled wheat with meat) "Zerde" (sweetened rice with saffron) and
"Mucver" (made from squash and eggs).
1.3 How to Reach Izmir
1.3.1 By Plane
Adnan Menderes Airport, 16km south of the city center has regular
flights from many European cities. Airport buses go to and from the city center.
When you come to in front of the exit of the airport, you will see the bus
station on your left side. Wait for bus which is numbered “204”. Buy your
tickets from the driver that costs about 3 usages (7.75 TL) or 5 usages (12.25
TL). The trip will cost 2 usages. Just have fun during your 40 minutes trip till
arrival of the last stop. Get off the bus and contact one of the organisers who
will take you to your accommodation place, where your journey begins!
If you can’t find the bus, or just too lazy to wait it if it isn’t there you can
take one of the yellow TAXI’s right where you get off the airport. Tell the driver
you’re going to “Bornova Metro” and it will cost about 50 TL. (~5.5€)
Airport Tel: +90 (232) 274 2187
1.3.2 By Bus
When you arrive at the Bus terminal of Izmir, you have 3 choices to come to
our meeting point. (Bornova Metro)
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TAXI: You are not so far away from taxis located at the entrance of Bus
terminal. They are yellow. When you find a taxi, you must tell you’re
going to ‘Bornova Metro’ to the driver. It costs about 10 TL. But in nights,
it can be15 TL. When you arrive at Bornova Metro, there is going to
be one of us there to take you to our accommodation place. Call one of
the organisers who you have the telephone number.
(Contact information are given later this document)
Dolmus: It is a kind of minibus. When you come to the entrance of the
terminal, you will see where taxi, dolmus station and bus station in front
of you. Dolmus in Turkey are usually green/white. Go there and you must
find dolmus named is ‘Alparslan’. Just sit and give 1.5 TL per person to
the driver. Ask them to inform you when you arrive at ‘Bornova Metro’
then enjoy your 5 minute trip. When you arrive at Bornova Metro,
there is going to be one of us there to take you to our accommodation
place. Call one of the organisers who you have the telephone number.
(Contact informationare given later this document)
• Public Transport (Bus): You will see the bus stop on the right side of
entrance bus terminal. You must wait till you see bus number “204”. Buy
your ticket from driver it costs about 9.40 TL (for using 3 times), 6.50 (for
using 2 times). Confirm the bus is going to ‘Bornova Metro’ by asking the
driver. Because in the same bus stop, 1- terminal to Bornova Metro 2-from
Bus terminal to Airport. So pay attention! Yours is the first one. Have fun
during your short trip till Bornova Metro. When you arrive at Bornova
Metro, there is going to be one of us to take you to our accommodation
place. Call one of the organisers who you have the telephone number.
(Contact information are given later this document)
2 Neccesary Information
Turkish Language and Minimized Dictionary Turkish is the largest Turkic
language in terms of speakers, with some 50 million native speakers. There is a
high degree of mutual intelligibility between Turkish and other Oghuz
languages, including Azeri, Turkmen and Qashqai. If these are counted to
gather as "Turkish", the number of native speakers is close to 90 million. One
characteristic feature of Turkish is vowel harmony, "sour cherry" is
closed unround front and e is open unround front. Stress is usually on the last
syllable, with the exception of some suffix combinations, and words like masa
['masa].
For more detailed information:
http://www.turkishlanguage.co.uk/
http://www.omniglot.com/language/phrases/turkish.php
2.1 Turkish currency and sample prices
1 Euro is about 2.8 TL.
If you need, you can change money in banks and in exchange offices. Banks
open from Monday to Friday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with one hour of break during
noon. Saturday and Sunday closed. Banks exchange money, at lower prices.
You can also find Exchange Agencies in everywhere and most of them open 7
days/week from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. You can also exchange money at the airport
upon arrival at the PTT or bank window, located just before the exit of the
airport, but it is useful to arrive with at least a small amount of Lira in case the
Exchange window is closed at the time of arrival. You should have some TL at
your disposal, so it would be for the best if you came with some (exchanging in
your country), or exchanged just enough in airport till you meet us because
exchange rates in airport is bad, and after meeting us finding exchange offices
with good rates will be no issue.
Approximately everywhere you can use your credit card; the most important
credit cards are accepted: VISA, MasterCard and American Express.
Here are some estimated prices in Euros to give you some ideas about
expenses in Turkey:
Water (0.5 liter) 0.5 TL
Beer 5 - 8 TL
Wine (a bottle) 10 -20 TL
McDonald's Big Mac Menu 9 TL
Bus and Metro Ticket 2.00 TL
Postcard 1 TL
Can of Coke 1.50 TL
Lunch 5 - 7 TL
Jeans 25 – 200 TL
T-Shirt 10 - 55 TL
A coffee 3 TL
Cigarettes 10 TL (Pack, Marlboro)
Chocolate (a bar) 0.5 - 2 TL
Hygienic Pads (packet of 10) 3 - 5 TL
Condom 2 - 5 TL
Souvenir 15 - 50 TL
2.2 Emergency and Other Phone Numbers
Ambulance: 112
Police: 155
Fire Dept.: 110
Military police: 156
2.3 Organisers Contacts
Emrecan Doğramacı +90 531 290 02 04 (Participant Resp.)
Dildar Taşkın +90 555 765 70 61 (Main Organiser)
Tuğçe Nalbantoğlu +90 554 907 79 36 (Main Organiser)
2.4 What to Bring
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National Identify Card
Your passport
Visa (If required, ask your LBG or contact us if in doubt)
International travel insurance
International student identity card
Some Money for extra food, alcohol, shopping and to pay the fee of
the event
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Your country flag, traditional clothes, foods, drinks (This is important,
bring extra ingredients which may not be available on normal
supermarkets for cooking your traditional food, also bring enough of
your traditional alcohol for other participants and organisers of course!)
Some formal clothes for the official opening and closing
A print out of this Survival Guide
Photo Camera with the cable to connect with a computer (we want all
the photos!)
Comfortable shoes for walking
Sleeping bag
Optional alcohol is pretty expensive in Turkey, if this isn’t case where
you live we would appreciate a few bottles of cheap alcohol for partying
(Vodka etc)!
Swimsuit, towels, other hygiene stuff of yours (Tooth brush etc.)
Sun Cream 40+
Your energy and PARTY Spirit!