Schlagwort: ‘civil engineering’
My Internship in Istanbul at Agaoglu Enerji
- Civil Engineering B.Sc.
- Turkey, Istanbul
- Agaoglu Enerji
- 10/2024 – 01/2025
Preparation

Logo of the Company ©Ebu Talip Osta
I had originally planned to spend a semester abroad in Istanbul. The idea of studying in this fascinating city for a while really appealed to me. However, after careful consideration, I decided to do an internship instead in order to gain practical experience in my field. I received support from my family in my search for a suitable company. Several companies that came into question were suggested to me and I began to investigate them more closely. It was particularly important to me that the company was active in the field of renewable energies and would provide me with valuable practical insights. After a lot of research, I finally chose Agaoglu Enerji. The company impressed me with its wind and solar energy projects and its innovative approach. Once I had made my decision, I was put in touch with the company and officially applied for the internship. After a successful application process, I was accepted and was able to start my internship in Istanbul.
Accommodation & living expenses

Kadiköy, Istanbul ©Ebu Talip Osta
I used Facebook groups, ESN WhatsApp groups and the Sahibinden app to find an apartment.What was important to me was a fixed-term tenancy agreement and the opportunity to view the apartment in advance. The location also had to offer good connections to work and leisure activities. In the end, I found an apartment in Kadıköy, a popular neighborhood for young people and students. The location was perfect – I had quick access to public transport and was able to spend my free time in a variety of ways. The cost of living in Istanbul is generally cheaper than in Germany, but varies depending on where you live and your lifestyle. While rents are higher in central districts, food, restaurants and public transport are comparatively inexpensive. Overall, I was able to live well and enjoy my time in Istanbul with a well-thought-out budget.
Everyday life / the internship

Wind turbine ©Ebu Talip Osta
My everyday life in Istanbul was an exciting mix of work and leisure. During the week, my day started early as I made my way to work at Agaoglu Enerji. Thanks to the good connections from Kadıköy, I got to the office quickly. My working days were varied – I dealt with project planning, data analysis and the technical implementation of wind and solar projects. The exchange with colleagues also played a major role and I was able to learn a lot from their experiences. I also took part in construction site visits to follow the progress on site.
After work, I used the time to explore the city or meet up with friends. Sometimes we went out to eat, had tea in one of the many cafés or walked along the Bosphorus. Some days I played soccer with my work colleagues, which was a great way to get to know the team better.

Bosphorus ©Ebu Talip Osta
At the weekend, I used the time to discover more of Istanbul. I visited famous sights, tasted the diverse Turkish cuisine and got carried away by the hustle and bustle of city life. I also stayed active in sports – sometimes I met up with friends to play soccer or for other leisure activities.
The mixture of professional experience and cultural adventures made my everyday life in Istanbul particularly exciting and enriching. Not only was I able to learn a lot of new things, but I was also able to enjoy life to the full in one of the world’s most fascinating metropolises.
Free time / Tipps

Princes Island ©Ebu Talip Osta
There are countless leisure activities in Istanbul that make the city an exciting experience. During my time there, I was in an ESN WhatsApp group that regularly offered current events and various trips to other cities. This was a great way to get out of the city and discover new places while keeping in touch with other Erasmus students.
A particular highlight is the ferry to Bursa. There you can explore the charming city and take the ropeway up to Uludağ, where you can not only enjoy a breathtaking view but also get some fresh mountain air.

Princes Island ©Ebu Talip Osta
Destinations such as Eskisehir or Ankara, which you can easily reach by express train, are also ideal for a weekend trip.
You can also discover quiet places in Istanbul itself. With a slightly longer journey by train and bus, you can reach beautiful forests and beaches that are ideal for escaping the hustle and bustle of the city and relaxing in nature. The princes islands, which you can reach by ferry, are also highly recommended. They are a perfect destination, especially in summer weather – you can explore the islands and go swimming there to enjoy the sun and the sea.
Conclusion
The internship at Agaoglu Enerji was a very valuable experience that not only benefited me professionally, but also personally. I was able to apply my theoretical knowledge from my studies and at the same time gain new insights into the practical implementation of wind and solar projects. The close collaboration with experts and the opportunity to work on real projects was particularly exciting.
Living in Istanbul was also an unforgettable experience. The city is full of life, history and culture and offers countless opportunities to discover new things. Despite the initial chaos, I quickly got used to life there and really enjoyed the diversity of the city.
Both the professional and cultural experiences will leave a lasting impression on me and
are a valuable asset for my future academic and professional career.
Building a metro tunnel under the city of Göteborg
- Business Administration and Engineering: Civil Engineering M.Sc.
- Göteborg, Sweden
- Wayss & Freytag Ingenieurbau AG
- 06.04.2022 – 07.10.2022
1. Application/Finding an internship
During the pandemic and especially the lockdown I decided that I want to do an internship abroad. A fellow student recommended me an internship with Wayss & Freytag Ingenieurbau AG in Göteborg, Sweden. Because I always wanted to explore the Scandinavian region, I knew that would be a great opportunity. After two video calls with the responsible site manager, I got the positive feedback to go there during the summer semester and directly applied for the Erasmus scholarship. For the internship I would recommend applying at least 3 months ahead. It is important that you apply for the Erasmus scholarship at least six weeks before the internship starts. For that scholarship you need to do an EU survey and an OLS language test. The most critical part is the Online Learning Agreement (OLA), where you need signatures from all parties involved.
2. Accommodation & Living expenses
The accommodation was provided by the company. It was a small but very well-equipped apartment in Frihamnen. Even though Frihamnen is on the northern site of the river, I liked the location because the city center is reachable within 10 min bike ride and the public transport is very good. The apartment complex is called ‘waterfront cabins’. They have long- and short-term renting. When visiters came from Germany, they could book them via Airbnb for an affordable price. Otherwise the living expenses are higher than back home. Especially living costs are from what I have heard quite high and for foreigners difficult to get. For renting an accommodation, Sweden is dividing into first and second hand contracts. As a foreigner you can only get second hand contracts, which basically means temporary sublease. The daily expenses are a bit higher, but obviously depends on where you go. For grocery stores I enjoyed going to Lidl. Not only for some German stuff, but also the price/performance is great. From my point of view going out is quite expensive. Clubs usually cost at least 200 SEK (= 20 €) entry fee. Also eating in restaurants or having some drinks in a bar is pricy. As a reference point: 0,4l beer costs in between 45-90 SEK. Again, it really depends on where you go.
3. Everyday life/ the internship
The German company Wayss & Freytag is building a metro tunnel under the city as part of the “West Link” (Västlänken) project in Göteborg. Västlänken is one of the biggest infrastructure projects in Scandinavia. During my internship I was stationed as a project engineer on the construction site in Liseberg. The tunnel line of this site is going to be around 300m long. One of the biggest difficulties is a river going through the construction pit, which makes a lot of heavy foundation works necessary. For that I was mainly supporting the site managers and sometimes the supervisors in the production. I was responsible for the short-term planning as well as different documentary and design tasks. The team I worked with was young and super friendly from the beginning. I got along with them very quickly and we started doing stuff after work and on the weekends immediately. That helped a lot to get along in a new country with a new language. Because the joint venture partner is a Swedish company (NCC), it was roughly 50% Swedish and 50% German speaking coworkers. That made the cultural exchange super interesting. I really enjoyed the work atmosphere with all the colleagues, even though the work attitude/ethic between German and Swedish people may differ. The company also organized afterworks or Friday-breakfasts on a regular basis. One highlight was the summer party. I think those events are helping a lot for team building purposes and gives you a different connection with your coworkers – besides it was very fun.
4. Free time/tips
After work I usually did sports (paddle, running or boulder) with coworkers. During the warm summer months, we sometimes went for a swim in one of the beautiful lakes or the ocean. On the weekends I tried to explore the surroundings of Göteborg. Whether the archipelago near Göteborg or the stunning nature inland, there is so much to discover. Kayaking, hiking or go fishing were only a few activities. Some of my German colleagues started kite surfing or sailing. The opportunities of outdoor activities are just amazing. Göteborg as a city has everything you can imagine. There are clubs and bars, museums, parks and a lot of nice cafes. We often went to the street food market in Lindholmen for a ‘Fika’. If you are looking for a bar with affordable drinks, Tullen’s or Café Magazinete is recommendable. TaKeT is a rooftop bar with an amazing view over the river and one of my favorite places in a sunny afternoon. For weekend excursions, Göteborg is located in a triangle between Oslo, Copenhagen and Stockholm. All three destinations are reachable within 4 hours drive. There is a fast Flixtrain connection to Swedens capital. For Copenhagen and Oslo distance buses are recommended, as they are usually cheaper than train connections. One of the biggest highlights was spending traditional Midsummer in a Swedish summer house. The amount of daylight in the summer was an excellent experience.

© Johannes Bennewitz
5. Conclusion
In summary, I can say that I absolutely benefited from the internship in many ways. Not only to getting to know the Scandinavian culture and the way of how a big infrastructure project works, but I also made a lot of new friends. For me personally I loved Göteborg as well as the Swedish nature and I will certainly be going there many more times in the future. I can highly recommend the internship program at Wayss & Freytag and I’m proud to be part of the Västlänken project.