I am a grad student from Chicago, interested in politics, philosophy, traveling and cooking. I lived in Istanbul for the most of my life and moved to USA on September 2017. I travel a lot, both with friends and alone, I love seeing new places and meeting people, learning from them and just chatting about life!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I realised cities are much better when you experience them with locals. You meet a new person, meet his or her friends, totally new environment. They know what to do where to go in the city and you usually find yourself in a totally new conversation! I think couchsurfing is just a great "idea". It can be all dull and boring but with good people it is a way of experiencing new surroundings.

Interests

Cooking, politics, travelling. I love swimming and running, hiking, outdoors as well.

• singing
• beauty
• concerts
• festivals
• environment
• dining
• cooking
• running
• politics
• traveling
• sports
• swimming
• sightseeing

Music, Movies, and Books

First ones that come to my mind is La Grande Bellezza as for the movie and The Fall from Camus for the book.
I really like watching films, both the Godard-Lynch variety and silly Hollywood blockbusters. I just binge watched Xavier Dolan movies and loved him! I watch some series as well, rather grim there like Westworld, Black Mirror etc. My last favorite is the Good Fight.
I used to read a lot, but university somehow stripped any desire to read from me (partly as my weekly reading load is never less than a thousand pages). I am so used to skimming stuff, I can't even enjoy literature anymore. I am interested in sociology, political theory, and philosophy but I'm not sure whether that is just "work".
As for the music, nowadays I listen to Spotify playlists and explore new stuff. I really like Beirut, Waldeck, Degiheugi, Regina Spektor... I'm not sure which genre these are in.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

During a trip to Italy our hosts took us to a touristic thingy called "Il Volo dell'Angelo". Turns out there is a metal cord strung between two high spots at the neighboring towns of Castelmezzano and Pietrapertosa, you are tied to that string your chest facing the ground and FLY between the mountains at the speed of 100km/h. It was the most amazing thing I ever experienced.

Teach, Learn, Share

Cuisines, cultures, philosophy!

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can cook for you! I used to be a professional chef, and I am quite good at both Turkish and French stuff. I think I am a nice person so a conversation is hopefully among what I can offer. Also I have my own places in Istanbul as well as Chicago, so you are very welcome to pay me a visit back wherever I am. Then, I can also share you the beauty of my cities.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Netherlands, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Vatican City State

Countries I’ve Lived In

France, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States