Abstract
It is important that academic institutions understand the mindset of students, in order to improve the overall quality of educational experience. The best way to do this is to get regular feedback from students, from which appropriate analysis can be carried out. This paper deals with the background research on general aspects of students’ lifesstyle in Lefke. It also discusses the results of a questionnaire given to all international students. The statistical analysis of the same gives a broad idea of the students’ attitudes towards expenditure and urban living in Lefke.
Introduction
In order to study the attitudes of students (currently enrolled in EUL) towards expenditure and urban living, it is important to discuss the different aspects that contribute to the cost of living in Lefke. The main aim of this paper is to research the facilities, cost of living and overall lifestyle of these students, and to compare it with the survey results taken from 11 international students, using Factor Analysis in SPSS.
For any location, the three main aspects required to live there include housing, transportation, and food. An analysis of these factors will cover the majority of cost of living. As far as EUL is concerned, good accommodation facilities are available for students who choose to stay inside campus. There are separate male and female dormitories, which can generally accommodate two per room and has common facilities like TV and fridge in each floor. Alternatively, private housing near campus is also available with special concessions for students. Though the former is most convenient, not everyone might be accommodated within campus.
The second aspect of transportation is directly connected with accommodation. For students in campus, transportation expenses are mostly reduced to internal commutation which is mostly free. For those outside campus though, public, private or University transportation can be availed. The farther the student is from campus, naturally, more the costs incurred. Generally there are specific transport vehicles arranged for students at nominal costs. However, these are time specific, and if the student is unable to make it (which happens often due to the workload), then he or she must either wait for the next vehicle or take another mode of transport which can be expensive.
The last aspect, which is perhaps the most important factor, is food. In all places, international students find this as the most difficult change to adjust to. Changes in food habits directly influence lifestyle, and hence students can be expected to be more open to spending for food. As far as EUL is concerned, there are many canteens and cafeterias that are open throughout the day. Most of them have specific breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner menus. Though they have a fairly good combination of cuisines, it may not be compatible for all international students. Such students prefer to eat out in specific restaurants in Lefke that suit them. There are quite a few restaurants that offer multi cuisine food which can satisfy most people. However, many of them are expensive, and students may not be able to afford them regularly (EUL, 2014).
Keeping the above three as main aspects, a detailed questionnaire was formulated and distributed. The methodology for this is discussed in the subsequent sections. In order to understand the survey results, a thorough research of factors that contribute to a student’s stay in Lefke are discussed below.
Literature Survey
As mentioned earlier, it is most convenient and financially comfortable for students to stay on campus, especially during the first two years. Safety and easy commutation are the most important benefits of staying within campus. International students from over 50 countries have the opportunity to participate and engage in cross-cultural interaction. Restaurants, avenues for entertainment, library, student clubs and other facilities are open to all students. Regular internal shuttle services are available for commuting within the campus, and are free of cost (or generally involve a onetime nominal payment). Recreational centres and student activity centres are run by students which also help in raising funds at times. Students are given permission to go out whenever they want, and have shuttle services at specific times to specific points in the town.
In spite of all these advantages, some students just prefer to stay outside campus. Statistics show that most of these students are local residents. However, a small percentage of international students who want some privacy and can afford it also avail for off-campus accommodation. Many rental flats and housing dorms are available in Lesky and nearby areas. For instance, Famagusta, Morphou, Kyrenia and Nicosia are popular choices. The prices of such off-campus accommodations depend on location, facilities and luxuries available. In general most of them are affordable, though much more expensive than on-campus accommodation.
Food
Any food or drinks purchased from outside campus is significantly more expensive. On an average, a student may spend approximately 100-120 USD per week for groceries and miscellaneous food items. For instance, a Burger King sized meal is available for 5 USD, and a can of coke can costs approximately 1 USD. On the whole, North Cyprus is gradually turning to grow as a student hub with increasing number of international students.
Transportation
Many students prefer to own a vehicle for easy transportation. For those who don’t, shuttle buses for inter university and outside university commutation are available. Further mini buses and car rentals can be used in case a student has missed the shuttle service. Of all these options, driving is the most recommended because not all parts of town are well connected, and sometimes it is likely that the bus service is unavailable. Any international vehicles entering Cyprus must mandatorily be insured. Further, visitors can bring their own cars and retain it for a 3-month period. The vehicle must have a valid license and registration from its country of origin. There are many petrol stations in Cyprus which are open from 7 in the morning to around 8 in the night. Some of them operate for full 24 hours a day.
Opportunities for Students to Earn while Studying
Banking Services
Most places in North Cyprus have Turkish based banking systems. Apart from local Turkish-Cypriot banks, affiliate branches of some international banks such as HSBC are in operation. Most banks have international ties and operate as private banks in North Cyprus. Monetary, exchange policy and credit are all handled vastly by the Central Bank of TRNC, which acts as the banking service for the government. All banks based in North Cyprus are open on all weekdays expect public holidays. Students have the option of opening accounts in any of these banks provided they have the required paper work according to each bank’s policies. Banks generally offer loans and financial aid to students at low interest rates, subject to specific terms and conditions. Universities like EUL accommodate banking facilities for at least the most popular banks within campus, for making it easier for student to manage their finances.
Religion
Majority of the population is Muslim and Islam is the main religion followed. However all of Cyprus is secular and people are given the freedom to practise their own religion. Although religious clashes are rarely observed among students who mostly do not even prefer to divulge their religions, international students sometimes have their own religious customs they would like to follow. All religious diversity is welcomed provided it is not a hindrance to the well being of others. So generally students are happy with the freedom they have in this aspect.
Healthcare Facilities
All students are required to have a health insurance to cover their medical expenses. These exclude plastic surgery, dentistry and pregnancy related conditions. The insurance is valid in all state hospitals and for any routine check-ups. Emergency attention is again available in all public hospitals, where some specific surgeries may also be carried out for free. In all hospitals, English is the most popular mode of communication. The staffs are well trained and experienced even in University clinics. Private hospitals probably differ only in one aspect – patient rooms with en suite bathrooms. Though the costs of getting treated at private hospitals are more expensive, it is of very high quality and also affordable for many students. For minor health problems, Eczane or local pharmacies prove as easy and affordable solutions. Alternatively, health centres at the university can also deal with such issues for free.
Safety
For students staying in the campus, full security is assured. While outside campus too, safety is taken for granted since the place has a low population, and most of them are well educated locals. Crimes reported against students are very uncommon. The students are briefed in advance about how to keep their belongings, especially passports, safe. They are also given a set of general precautions to avoid being in any unsafe circumstances. Further, discrimination and racism is not tolerated, and students generally have no complaints in this regard. Most students give a very positive feedback about the place’s and people’s hospitality.
Entertainment and Recreational Activities
The popularity of any location is majorly influenced by the entertainment sources it offers. The university has fitness centres, swimming pools (closed) exclusively for students. These facilities are also available outside campus, where it is open to everyone in the town. Generally students prefer to work out or use the sports complex facilities to play, in their free time. Inter-university tournaments and sports leagues give the students an exciting experience. Students actively participate in different sports from tennis to basketball to football to athletics and swimming.
Apart from these, the coast offers several exciting adventure sports choices. For instance, beaches in Famagusta and Kyrenia provide facilities for water sports like scuba diving, skiing, jet skiing and wind surfing. Further, boat tours are very popular during summer and are available in the Kyrenia Harbour. Students frequently go out and venture into adventure activities in the weekend or a longer vacation period. In specific, go-karting is very popular among students. Apart from sports, there are many cinemas in and around town. New films are released every week with Turkish subtitles.
Costs of other Services and Shopping
Other everyday commodity requirements are easily available in shopping malls and supermarkets. Services like haircuts, for instance, cost between 5 to 10 USD depending on gender. Both international and domestic shopping brands are available in North Cyprus. Examples include Terranova, US Polo, Sisley, Mango, Burberry and Lacoste. Metropol Yolu and Dereboyu are the most popular shopping streets, especially for women. A wide range of products from clothes to footwear to toiletries are available in a large range of prices. People who prefer indigenous products can purchase from special local shops. Imported goods are available in most super markets. Many varieties of local wines and spirits are available at very reasonable prices. For instance, one can purchase local brandy for £1.10 per bottle. Value Added Tax is between 2-20% on retail price and is levied on almost all goods and services. Nicosia and Kyrenia offer the best range of shopping experiences (Cazakova, et.al).Methodology
Now that a good picture of lifestyle in Lefke has been painted, it is easier to analyze the mindset of students towards expenditure and urban living. Keeping in mind all the facilities and services described above, a wholesome questionnaire covering all major aspects was formed. The main aim has been to check how well international students in specific are able to enjoy life in the university. The results of the survey and help get some critical feedback that can help improve the quality of life at the university.
Procedure: Eleven students – 9 male and 2 female – were asked to answer a questionnaire containing the following 11 questions. Each question could in their opinion be strongly negative, negative, undecided, positive or strongly positive.
1) The adequacy of transportation to the campus
2) The adequacy of internal and external transportation to Lefke
3) Quality and hygiene of places you eat food in Lefke
4) The adequacy of social activities in Lefke
5) The suitability of house rents in Lefke
6) The attitude of home owners in the Lefke area
7) The attitude of shopkeepers in Lefke
8) The adequacy of garbage collection in Lefke
9) The adequacy of entertainment centres in Lefke
10) The suitability of conditions for exercising religious practices in Lefke
11) Your general attitude about Lefke
Based on the answers to these questions, and some demographic questions, a statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS. The results are shown in the next section.
Results
Demographic Questions
Response to questionnaire (P-Positive; SP-Strongly Positive; UN-Undecided; N-Negative; SN-Strongly Negative)
Statistical Analysis
Factor Analysis was carried out using SPSS software. SP was allotted value of 5, P-4, UN-3, N-2 and SN-1. Screenshots of the results are shown below:
Discussion
1) From Eigen values in the screen plot, only four components are retained.
2) From the total variance explained (table), four factors with the highest contributions can be grouped.
3) Q7 has the highest mean (3.8) followed by Q8 and Q1. This means that students are most happy with the attitude of shopkeepers in Lefke, followed by the system of garbage collection and transportation facilities.
4) The least variance is again for Q7, which means the students in general agree upon the answer to that question. Questions Q4, Q5, Q9, and Q10 are important as they have very varied answers. Also since Q4 has the least mean, the answer to that is very negative. That is, students are not at all happy with the social activities in Lefke. Similarly, Q9 has an overall negative reply, meaning religious freedom is not as it should be. It is interesting to note that both Christians and Muslims equally feel this way. So restrictions in religion seem to be general rather than specific to one religion.
5) Finally, in most cases only students whose parents earn more than 2000 USD every month spend more than 1000 USD every month. However, the earnings in general have no bearing on the responses to the questions. The fifth student is the only significant outlier for Q5, which means he or she is manage the house rents well.
Conclusion
Comparing the literature survey and the analysis of students’ responses, it is evident that there are some contradictions. International students are not very happy with the social activities in town, and have complaints about freedom of religion. However, the attitude of shopkeepers has received positive feedback overall. The housing rents seem to be high. It is important to note that when the sample size is as low as 11, the results and conclusions may be erroneous. A more reliable analysis can be performed by increasing the sample size to at least 50.
References
Cazacova, Liudmila, Ulfet Ulbar, and Nevin Turgut Gultekin. "The Sustainable Planning of an Old City: Historical Heritage Issues."
European University of Lefke. Homepage. (2014).URL: http://www.eul.edu.tr
Galatasaray, Gazi, et al. "Communication education in Turkey and the problems Ozden Cankaya The relation between the media sector and the communications faculties in Turkey date back to the 1940s. In 1947, Sedat Simavi, who was the head of the Istanbul Journalists’ Society at the time, explained to the Chancellery of." Another communication is possible: 108.
Information Leaflet. Cyprus Science Foundation: EUL.(2014). (URL: http://www.eul.edu.tr/document/sip.pdf)
SPSS Statistics for Students: The Basics. (2014).(URL: http://www.ssc.wisc.edu/sscc/pubs/spss_students1.htm#StartingPASWStatistics)
Study in North Cyprus. Webpage. (URL: http://www.studyinnorthcyprus.org/?page_id=3534)
