Endüstri Mühendisliği 3. Sınıf öğrencisi Onur FAZLI

Hello, my name is Onur Fazlı, and I am a third-year Industrial Engineering student. Last spring, I had the opportunity to study at Deusto University in Bilbao, Spain, through our university’s Erasmus program. Like many students, participating in Erasmus was one of my dreams. Interestingly, I initially visited our university’s Arelyouth office to inquire about a volunteer project and happened to learn about the Erasmus exam date by chance. Looking back, I am incredibly glad that I did.

If I were to describe the pre-departure phase of my Erasmus journey, I would say it was the most challenging and exhausting part. The visa process, course equivalencies, and finding accommodation can be stressful. However, there is no need to worry, as our university’s professors are always willing to help and guide students through these difficulties.

The fun and exciting part begins once these processes are complete. Even though I had already been living alone in Istanbul for my studies, I felt quite anxious upon my arrival in Spain. However, as time passed, my anxiety turned into excitement and curiosity. I wanted to explore and get to know Bilbao better. The more I lived there and researched, the more I discovered its rich culture. Since it is a small city, I was exposed to a lot of Spanish, which unexpectedly helped me improve my Spanish alongside my English. I feel fortunate to have studied at a university abroad, as it allowed me to experience a different education system and student engagement.

For me, Erasmus was not just about school, courses, and exams—it was also about traveling across Europe. I had the chance to visit several countries, including Spain,