Tuba

Turkey
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Give the gift of Workaway

Profile information

Reply rate
100.0 %
Travel information
I am currently
Travelling
Activities i am interested in:
Got on a bike from KL in January 2025. Cycling towards Indonesia, the Philippines to reach Japan. Would love to meet up with fellow cyclists and open to sharing some kilometers for a while.
My next destination:
Japan - from Jul 2025 until Oct 2025
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Description
I consider myself a nomad, an expat, and a very slow traveler. After saving up and quitting my job in 2017, I hit the road and have been on—and off—the road ever since. It won’t hurt to say that I work/settle/live like a proper adult whenever I need a break from being on the road. :)

I knew I would always be a world traveler, but being on a bike and covering some kilometers on it was totally surprising to me. I backpacked through Europe in my early 20s, lived in Spain and Poland during those college years, and briefly lived in Ecuador in 2017, after quitting my full-time homeroom teaching job and hitting the road towards Asia with a one-way ticket.

The year was 2019 when I had my first bicycle and cycled from Ubon Rachathani to Malacca for about 3,000-something kilometers. That was my "Everest," considering I got on a bike at the age of 28 for the first time.

The "off" part of my journey includes nearly four years of settling down—both in rural and central Thailand, as well as Turkey, between 2020 and 2024. In 2020, I happened to run a hostel—one that belonged to a friend, which I temporarily took over. From 2021 to 2022, I worked in Thailand as an EFL teacher. I spent the whole of 2023 until late 2024 in Turkey, on the beautiful Mediterranean coast, where I took sailing courses while working as an online tutor & translator and also ran summer camps, led hiking & biking tours, and occasionally served as a homeschool consultant solely as a freelancer.

I am an experienced long-distance hiker too. I hiked the Lycian Way (450+ km) in Turkey, climbed Mardi Himal base camp in the Annapurna Region in Nepal, and hiked the Pekoe Trail (350 km) in Sri Lanka, and so many other shorter trails around the globe.

I hope to run my own donation-based, cyclist-friendly guesthouse one day, so I’m particularly interested in tourism- and hostel-related roles. That said, I’m equally excited about teaching-focused NGOs, boat-related work, or anything outdoors. I’m also passionate about sustainable projects and community living—having been part of large, agriculture-based communities before, both in Thailand and Turkey. I’d be more than happy to contribute to similar initiatives.

I set off on my second bike journey from KL, Malaysia, in January 2025, and made my way to Japan. I am planning to end this chapter of my journey in October 2025.

When I settle somewhere, I also take this chance to build new hobbies, learn new skills, and host/help fellow cyclists/travelers. So, looking forward to giving back!
Interests
Art & design
Plant care
Languages
Gardening
Farming
Drawing & painting
Culture
Sustainability
Nature
Mountain
Outdoor activities
Van life
Camping
Cycling
Hiking
Sailing / Boating
Writing
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Turkish: Fluent
Spanish: Beginner
More details about my language interests
This workawayer has indicated that they would be interested in sharing their language(s) or learning a new language. You can contact them directly to discuss this.
Find a language buddy
Skills and knowledge I'd like to share or learn
Some knowledge of:
Animal Care
Gardening
DIY and building projects
General Maintenance
Art Projects
Charity Work
Helping around the house
Able to teach about:
Teaching
Eco Projects
Helping with Computers/ Internet
House sitting
Hospitality/Tourism
Life at a Farmstay
Languages
Creating/ Cooking family meals
More details about your skills
-Hostel Management
(Experience in running a hostel, including guest relations, booking systems, and daily operations)

-Teaching / Training
(CELTA-certified EFL tutor with experience in both classroom and online settings, including teaching literacy through Jolly Phonics)

-Hiking / Biking Tour Guidance
(Guided groups on long-distance hiking trails, including the Lycian Way, and have cycled long distances across countries like Thailand and Malaysia. Currently cycling through Southeast Asia towards Japan)

-Writing
(Experienced in content writing, copywriting, and blogging with a focus on travel and lifestyle topics)

-Designing Websites / Growing Social Media Accounts
(Skilled in creating simple websites and managing social media platforms to build communities and engagement; completed UDEMY courses on the subject)

-Sailing
(Basic sailing qualifications from courses taken in 2023, with hands-on experience on small vessels. IYTA certification, holding a seaman book)

-Art & Craft
(Passionate about creative arts, including mandala drawing, crafting, and DIY projects. Lead and host workshops from time to time)

-Community-Based Living & Agriculture
(Hands-on experience in community-based agriculture and sustainable living, having been part of large communal farms -ASOKE in Thailand, Refikler in Turkey- where I contributed to daily work, food production, and shared responsibilities )

-Cooking
Just loving it whenever I have access to a kitchen!
Age
34
Some more information
- Smoker
- Driver's licence
- Allergies
  N/A
- Special dietary requirements
  N/A

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Feedback

18 Aug 2025

Left by Workawayer () for host (Join us and make new from old ...)

My overall experience was good. I spent 3 weeks here and left slightly earlier than planned and the hosts were super understanding about the change in plan. The place is awesome, with a great location and significant potential. I really hope it can grow into a safe community for travelers, locals, paid guests, kids, and farmers. Both the hosts,… read more the other inhabitants, and the frequent visitors are welcoming and have a positive attitude. The tasks are generally simple and vary day to day. Some tasks, like walking the dog, picking berries, cooking, watering, or harvesting vegetables, are even meditative.

The positive aspects include the work shifts, which are only from morning until noon, and the flexibility to define your own starting time and work at your own pace. Sometimes you end up finishing early or not completing due to weather conditions and that's OK. I really appreciate the flexibility and trust here. Having access to the kitchen and cooking for everyone is a blessing, and the provided ingredients are more than enough and very nutritious. There’s also a very cheap supermarket within walking distance if you want to buy your own personal snacks or drinks.

I do need to point out one issue I noticed during my stay that could be helpful for both the hosts and future Workawayers. I noticed that both the hosts and the other residents often left their personal dirty dishes behind throughout the day. It seemed that if someone prepared a snack or meal, whether for themselves or to share, everything would be left in a mess. If someone (mostly the hosts) had breakfast individually, a meal at midday, or prepared pancakes, everything would be left on the table and on the stove unwashed. This even happened several times while I was in the process of cooking a meal or setting the table. These situations sometimes led to the expectation that the Workawayer (me, at the time, as I was also dealing with cooking and preparing the table) would clean up dishes left behind by others. This could create a sense of hierarchy, unfairness, and disrespectful behavior in general.

(As a side note, I refused to clean up after someone else's personal mess. I also asked the hosts about their expectations regarding dirty dishes, but we didn’t reach a conclusion. To be fair, after pointing out this problem, they became a bit avoidant, and the attitude gradually became less inclusive, less communicative, and slightly distant, until my last night when I was invited for a farewell dinner. These changes in the behavior pattern were confusing yet totally manageable.) I am sure that if they sit and think about it, they would also notice that something is lacking in this dynamic, and there's a lack of transparency in communication. I believe they will create a more equal and inclusive space.

Apart from that, it was a good experience. As mentioned in the profile, it can be hard to live together, but I hope these suggestions can be taken constructively to help make the place even better, fairer, and safer for all. I might have come here with certain expectations after reading the description and other reviews, and I even turned down a paid Workaway position to gain more experience in a communal, pioneer lifestyle. As I plan to run a similar initiative in the future, my perspective might be a bit different, but I genuinely hope to see positive changes here in the future.

(Good )

23 Jun 2025

Left by Workawayer () for host (Join our family and teach us ...)

My time in Danyang with Monica and the kids was the highlight of my journey in Korea.

I usually tend to stay in one place for at least a month for the sake of slow travel but I ended up staying even longer in Danyang - two full months, almost until the end of my time in Korea. And this was only possible because of Monica's wonderful… read more

(Excellent )

24 Feb 2025

Left by Workawayer () for host (Stay in one of the heritage ...)

I spent great, laid-back two weeks here at this hostel. The communication with Howard was so smooth from the beginning, and he explained everything in his message very clearly. What I also like about him is that he is definitely not a money-minded person and encourages his workawayers to display or promote any skills they have. The task at the… read more

(Excellent )

16 Feb 2025

Left by host (Stay in one of the heritage ...) for Workawayer ()

I would like to offer my heartfelt thanks for the volunteering and helping during the guest stay at the hostel. I was impressed by your kindness, patience, and dedication in ensuring the guest experience was comfortable and enjoyable.
Your positive attitude and willingness to go above and beyond to ensure everyone’s needs were met didn’t go… read more

(Excellent )

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18 Aug 2025

Left by Workawayer () for host (Join us and make new from old ...)

(Good)

23 Jun 2025

Left by Workawayer () for host (Join our family and teach us ...)

(Excellent)

24 Feb 2025

Left by Workawayer () for host (Stay in one of the heritage ...)

(Excellent)

16 Feb 2025

Left by host (Stay in one of the heritage ...) for Workawayer ()

(Excellent)

12 Dec 2024

Left by host (Digital ninjas welcome to ...) for Workawayer ()

Tuba has sound knowledge of hospitality industry. I leaned a lot from her. Thanks for coming and helping me.

(Excellent)

12 Dec 2024

Left by Workawayer () for host (Digital ninjas welcome to ...)

Prasad is a really welcoming person and easy to communicate with. During my short stay at their homestay, he and the whole family treated me as a family member. Due to the unbusy days, there weren’t many things to do at his place, but he was always a keen listener to improvement ideas about his place. We added some digital touches, discovered some… read more

(Excellent)

9 Dec 2024

Left by host (Join our friendly hostel and ...) for Workawayer ()

She helped and contributed a lot in our hostel😊
We were looking for a first non-Japanese volunteer staff in our hostel. Among many applicants, we selected her as a workawayer and it was a great selection I believe.
Her communication skills and socialistic personality helped a lot to make at home and welcoming vibes in our place. She also gave us… read more

(Excellent)

7 Dec 2024

Left by Workawayer () for host (Join our friendly hostel and ...)

My time here was truly unforgettable, and I am incredibly grateful to have met Yamada-san. I had an amazing month-long stay at this wonderful place!

Yama is one of the most trustworthy people I’ve ever met—a fair, disciplined, yet flexible host. He consistently provided clear instructions and always prioritized my comfort and peace of mind. He… read more

(Excellent)

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