Ebru Bozkurt, a teacher from Aydın, has traveled to 28 countries in 16 years on a civil servant’s salary. Traveling the globe, Bozkurt not only experiences the joy of discovering new places but also broadens her knowledge.
Ebru, who states that she has no other income besides her salary, said: “Conscious consumers can travel the world within their budgets.”
Ebru, 43, a native of Aydın and living in the Adalar district of Istanbul, is attracting attention with her passion for travel. A married mother of two, she has dedicated her life to exploring new places. Traveling the globe, Bozkurt is experiencing unforgettable experiences.
She said: “I’ve been traveling regularly to various countries around the world every year since 2009. So far, I’ve visited Cyprus, Thailand, Indonesia, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Spain, France, Italy, Vatican City, Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro, Croatia, Luxembourg, Belgium, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Austria, Bulgaria, Georgia, Netherlands, Slovenia, Germany, Oman, and Greece.
“My husband, who is a civil servant, and our children have accompanied me on some trips. When my husband is on leave, my children also travel with me when conditions are suitable. I’ve had many different experiences on these trips.
“I’ve had incredibly enjoyable moments and discovered new places. While experiencing the joy of discovering new places, I’ve also broadened my knowledge. I’ll be traveling to Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka next fall and winter.”
Emphasizing that traveling is not a sign of wealth, she said: “I think traveling is the investment I enjoy most in life. I take great pleasure in traveling the world. The most important difference in our trips is that I do all the planning myself.
“I don’t travel with any agency or tour company because I love being free. I believe and claim that there’s no need to spend a fortune on travel. As a family of two, we are civil servants and travel whenever we have the opportunity.
“I’m an inquisitive person, and with a good program, experience, and courage, I can plan affordable trips without being caught in tourist traps. I simplify my trips by researching many details like low-cost airlines, early-booked accommodation options and online tickets, free entrances, holiday carnival days, and local specialties.
Bozkurt said: “They say traveling the world is very expensive. Our people need to be inquisitive, but can travel within their budget. I’m demonstrating this. Traveling the world isn’t as expensive as it seems. My advice to citizens is: travel, travel. Experience the world by traveling, stimulate your curiosity, collect memories, learn by living, become free, and invest in yourself.”