📍Izmir

I am fully vaccinated.(4 times 💉 Pfizer)

I was born on 19.09.1991 and lived in Istanbul till I was 21. I still live in Istanbul as a local. I studied International Relations at Uludag University in Bursa.

I worked as an English teacher at a private course in Bursa/Turkey for around 10 months. Then I worked at a hotel in Virginia/The USA. And I have been working as a receptionist at a hotel in Izmir/Turkey seasonally.

While I was studying at the university, I participated in Erasmus+ in Poland as an exchange student. It's how I met with traveling. Since that time I couldn't have stopped traveling and exploring! I have been to 16 countries so far. And I wanna see at least 30 countries before I die!

●Feel free to check my IG
instagram.com/DogusKmc

☆ End of my Erasmus, I traveled for 15 days in European Countries on my own then ended up 5-day music festival which calls "Woodstock" in 2016.

☆ I participated in Work and Travel in the USA in summer of 2017.

☆ I hitchhiked 3000 kms with my ex-girlfriend around Turkey for 28 days in 2017.

☆ I hitchhiked 5535 kms on my own and have been to 14 cities in Turkey in 70 days in 2018.

☆ I have had my longest solo hitchhiking trip!
I started my trip on 21st October 2019 and I got home back on 4th March 2020. It took 135 days in total. I hitchhiked 7235 kms.

☆ The short story of my longest solo trip in Iran.

■ I started my trip from Istanbul by hitchhiking to Kayseri and I stayed a night over there. Then I kept hitchhiking on the second day to Elazig and stayed at the local train station then I took the train from Elazig to Tatvan. After staying three nights in Van and met two female Couchsurfers, we hitchhiked from Van to Razi Border of Iran. The couple which we met in the Passport Control line gave us a ride to Tabriz and we stayed for two nights there. On our 3rd day in Iran, we took a night bus from Tabriz to Tehran. Since we took apart, I was a solo traveler in Iran!

● Edit1: I hitchhiked from Tehran to Kashan and stayed two nights there. I met a female solo Couchsurfer and we decided to travel together and hitchhiked from Kashan to Isfahan and wandered around together in Isfahan for two days. Then we hitchhiked from Isfahan to Shiraz. After two days, she went back to Tehran. I wanted to keep exploring around but I got stuck on Maharlu Lake(Pink Lake) for almost 24 hours with another Couchsurfer without any food on 12th of November. It was terrible and unforgettable!

● Edit 2: After 6+1 nights in Shiraz, I hitchhiked from there to Bandar Abbas and I spent the night there. It was the day there was no connection in the whole country. Then I went to Qeshm Island. I stayed and waited for the internet there for 6 nights. Then I couldn't find any place to exchange money and had to leave the island. I went to Bandar Abbas and hitchhiked again from there to Kerman.

● Edit 3: I stayed two nights in Kerman then hitchhiked to Rafsanjan. Unfortunately, I got sick on my second day there and I had to change my plans again. I had to stay three nights over there. When I felt better, I hit the road again and I went to Yazd. I stayed two nights and met two other Couchsurfers. I hitchhiked with the German one to Isfahan. She has been traveling for 11 months! It was such a nice coincidence to meet her.

● Edit4: I stayed 3 nights in Isfahan and I met some nice people there. Then I hitchhiked to Tehran by myself.

● Edit5: I hitchhiked from Tehran to Qazvin on my 80th day in Iran and stayed there a night. Then I was hitchhiking to Zanjan and the couple who picked me up on the road hosted me two nights in a village. After that I went to Zanjan for three nights. And then I stayed in Tabriz for four nights.

● On my 89th day, I hitchhiked from Tabriz to Turkey's border.

* The total numbers in Iran:
4185 kms hitchhiking with 39 different cars, 14 cities, 23 different hosts.

☆ I left home 21st of October and I came back on 4th of March. So I traveled for 135 days! It was my longest solo trip. I hitchhiked for 7235 kms and met countless nice people around!

PHILOSOPHY
"Everything happens for a reason."
"There is always hope."

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Because I dream much bigger! I love getting know new people all around the world. And I love traveling so that I can meet with more travelers and locals.

Interests

I like trying to do new things, listen to every kind of music which is interesting and sounds well, some kind of sports like basketball, swimming, fitness. I love walking so that I can walk for hours. I like learning phrases in different languages from natives.

• music festivals
• walking
• traveling
• music
• hiking
• camping
• basketball
• hitchhiking
• language exchange
• learning languages
• learning new things
• exploring
• meeting new people
• seeing new places
• learning about different cultures

Music, Movies, and Books

I listen to all the kinds of music but still rap is my favorite one. Unfortunately, I haven't read much. But I have seen many movies. "Captain Fantastic" is my favorite. I definitely recommend you guys to watch it.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Once upon a time, when I was in the United States, it started raining really heavily and I was riding bicycle to home with a friend of mine. Then we stopped and waited for a while not to get wet. But it didn't stop at all. And then we changed our minds when we got all wet, we didn't want to go home, we just left our stuff and stayed under the rain to enjoy the beautiful rain for an hour. It made me feel the freedom!

Teach, Learn, Share

I'm open all the new things to learn. So I will be happy to get to know the things that you'll be teaching me. And I can give you some tips about hitchhiking. I basically share what I know or have.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I'm such a respectful person. I follow the rules of hosts. I can help with the cleaning, cooking, washing the dishes. I can hangout and chill in. I'm an easygoing guy.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iran, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Qatar, Slovakia, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine, United States, Vatican City State

Countries I’ve Lived In

Poland, Qatar, Turkey, United States