My name is Meryem and I am 23 years old. I am born and grew up in Germany but my parents are from Turkey. So, I grew up with two cultures, namely: Turkish and German. Not only with two cultures, traditions, but also with two languages: Turkish and German. So, I am attached to my ancestors' culture and that allowed me to become more and more interested in different languages, cultures, traditions and people.

I started to learn French in middle school, and surely English.
So, the languages I can speak are: Turkish, German, French, English, a little bit of Spanish (HOLAAAAAAA - como estas? Muy bien, Si, de nada :D Well, I am on my way learning this language, I will study it next semester! :) ) Additionally, I have learnt Latin.

Ohh, by the way: I am student and studying English and French to become a teacher, and just finished with my bachelor's degree...and I wrote a bachelor thesis on the topic of Motivation related to students. But, anyway..about that I will tell you more later. BACK TO MY PASSION FOR LANGUAGES...:)

The reason why I love languages is not only because of the language itself, it is because it allows me to grow, to become more and more mature, to step out of my horizon and get to know what life is. How? It is simply than it sounds!

In 2011, I did a language course in Lyon, France for 6 weeks. So, it was the first time I lived on my own, and did something with my own responsibilities in a completely foreign country! It was awesome! I met a lot of people, I met a new city, I met a new country. I even met myself.

After that I studied abroad with the program ERASMUS in the winter of 2012-2013 in Clermont-Ferrand, France again. This time the number 6 doubled in this sense and become 6 months. :) I was there doing my semester abroad for 6 months. This time I was challenged again, far awaaaaay from my family, from my friends, from the life I had in Germany...I had ups and downs during the time when I was in France..BUT I do not regret any time I was there! Why?

It is simple again: I learnt what life is, I learnt who I am and I discovered my passion that was existing in a more detailed way- travelling, meeting new people with different stories, discovering a city, a country, being lost in a foreign country, changing cultural perspectives, accepting different point of views, talking about different religions, about life, peace, love. Further, it allowed me to say that everything is possible!If you have a dream, you can achieve your dream! It is up to you, you can achieve whatever you want to achieve in life. I realized this even more during that time!!

I have never thought of studying abroad, basically I applied to study abroad in England. I was sad at that moment because I did not get a place to study abroad in England, but I was accepted for France. At that time I also got an internship place in Paris for 6 weeks, so I had to decide either for 6 weeks in Paris or 6 months in clermont-Ferrand, France. I had bought my ticket to Paris, but finally I decided to go study abroad ( and I even went twice to Paris!!:) ) So I am really optimistic, and positive and I believe that there is a good thing in every bad thing and everything happens for a reason! :)

After that when I turned back, I was depressed, and sad because I missed to travel around, I missed to meet new people and I said, If I pass my exam in translation (German-English), I will apply for the sholarship for the United States. The exam was a really important exam, and my earlier prof even said that I should quit studying English. But I did not, and passed it! SO I APPLIED FOR THE SHOLARSHIP..... and now I am in Sherman Texas as a German Teaching assitant and as a student at the same time- FOR 1 YEAR!

So: I do not believe that nothing is impossible because Everything is possible in my opinion! :)

And the reason why I want to become a teacher is not only to teach the subjects, it is because I want my students to believe that they can achieve their dreams. I want to give them motivation, hope and the push to experience what life is! This is why motivation play an important role in my life - also why I have written a bachelor thesis about motivational orientation of students at school!

In Germany I am a tutor since 5 years. I am teaching German, English, French to students between 12-22. The majority of them have migrational background. I am not only helping with their subjects, but sometimes I am an older sister, sometimes a teacher, sometimes just a friend.

I love sports! I did Judo for 12 years but then I quit. I did Turkish folkore dance (I even have videos on youtube and my laptop, so in case we would meet I can definitely share it and teach it!!!) for 2 years and set-pattern-dance for 1 year. I love dancing, I love music ( I do not have specific kind of music I am listening, I like different kind of music: pop, hip-hop, raggea, rock, latino...), I love to sing, I love running and going to the gym, to swim annnnnnnd PHOTOGRAPHY! annnnnd to COOK. :) So actually, there are a lot of things I love to do. And my mission in life is to share motivation, share optimism by meeting people all around the world!

My mission is to share what I can can, and learn what I can learn from others. And I am of the opinion that I can do my travel without having a lot of money because I believe that everything is possible.

So, I think I better stop here telling about myself otherwise there will not be enough to change..No, just kidding. I am really excited to meet people. Let's make peace and not war.

Thank you for reading my description! Have a positive, wonderful day!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Honestly, I heard about CS since I have studied abroad in France. I thought what is Couchsurfing?!?! Well, then I logged in and thought to participate because my dream is to travel and discover all I can.

I had my first CS experience when I traveled solo in 2014 in the East Coast (New York- Boston- Philadelphia-Washington DC-Atlanta-Dallas). Ant it was just awesome! Really with one word: awesome!

I wish to be able to show people around when I am back in Germany.Unfortunately I can not host but would be willing to meet up with people!!

Interests

travelling
countries
languages
cooking
baking
singing
dancing
photography
sport
quotes
yoga
running
writing

music
motivation
writing
reading
philosophy
running
swimming
adventure
hiking
optimism

• culture
• writing
• singing
• photography
• dancing
• cooking
• baking
• yoga
• running
• reading
• traveling
• socializing
• music
• hiking
• camping
• sports
• swimming
• teaching
• languages
• religion
• study abroad

Music, Movies, and Books

travel
sport
memory
comedy
horror
romantic
dancing
language
culture

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

- I jumped out from a ferris wheel.

- I sang in front of my school. ( I love singing, but I do not have the best best voice ever ).

- I lost a lot of weight.

- I motivate someone foreign, and now we are good friends.

- saw amazing sunrises/sunsets

- I ran in the midst of the dark. First running during the sunshine, then sunset and then dark.

- language course in Lyon, France.

- study aborad in Clermont-Ferrand, France.

- getting my sholarship for the U.S.

- writing my bachelor thesis about Motivation and being suprised at the aiport in Philadelphia to my 1 year stay in the U.S that I have got an A for my thesis

- solotravel in the eastcoast!

- I did camping for one day

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach you the languages you do not know , we can cook together, have fun, exchange experiences , take pictures or just talk about our dreams and experiences.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can:

make people happy, motivate
cook- can teach how to cook
dance- can teach how to dance
take pictures
teach language (German, Turkish, French, (English))
babysit, take care of children
communication
share experiences
talk about life, God, travel, people all things about life.
and I would love to help and share ideas wherever I could :)

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Malta, Turkey, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

France, Germany, Malta, United States