Finding accommodation

I have followed discussion about finding accommodation in the city of your host university. Each year few hundred exchange students start studies in Kuopio and Joensuu but student housing company is not always able to offer accommodation for all the foreign students. Finding flat for one semester or two semesters from the private market is complicated in Finland. Even after one month stay some students are still looking for accommodation in Joensuu.

When I went to exchange I decided not to stay in student dormitory. I took a risk and went to my both exchange destinations without knowing where I will be able to live. In both cases I was able to find myself permanent accommodation from the private market within 24 hours.

Dormitory for women in Turkey

One big student dormitory for women in Ankara

My Bosnian friend Amer wrote about his fairly positive experience in dormitory of men in Turkey. I talked also to Bosnian women about their experience in dormitory of women and their experience was not as positive as Amer's experience.

Turkish women were not open to foreign women who were staying in the same dormitory. For example Turkish tried to get foreigners expelled by claiming that their foreign roommates were having lesbian orgies in the dormitory. In that particular dormitory 50 % of women wore a scarf. I was told that they did not take shower regularly and when they removed their long coat the smell was very bad. I did not really hear positive about the dormitory for women.

How are you bro?

Turkish people like to call each other bro or sis. They ask "how are you bro" or say "ok, bro". In Turkish it would be "nasılsın abi" or "tamam kardeşim". Even when you meet for the first time you are called right away bro. Calling you like a family member is one way for Turkish to show their friendliness.

Female supporters

Supporters of Kalpa

One boy in the middle of girls 

On Friday evening I went to see European Trophy ice hockey match Kalpa - Jyp. Naturally home team has the most fanatic supporters in one section and usually in the standing places if available. I have seen live sport event in Sweden, Spain and Turkey and always the loud supporter section have been full of young men. Surprisingly in Finland the supporters were mostly young women and girls. I wonder if other ice hockey team's supporters are also mostly females.