Education and Licenses
- National Tourist Guide License from Turkey’s Ministry of Tourism, 2008
- Department of Tourism Guidance – Mersin University, Turkey, 2007
- Department of Business Administration – Anadolu University, Turkey, 2014
- Biblical Tours in Turkey Training – Izmir Chamber of Tourist Guides
- Seven Churches of Apocalypse Training – Aydin (Ephesus) Chamber of Tourist Guides
- PredictionX: Lost Without Longitude by Alyssa Goodman, Harvard University
- Christianity Through Its Scriptures by Karen L. King, Harvard University
- Introduction to Public Speaking by Matt McGarrity, University of Washington
- Ancient Masterpieces of World Literature by David Damrosch, Harvard University
- Judaism Through Its Scriptures by Shaye Cohen, Harvard University
“NOT ALL THOSE WHO WANDER ARE LOST” J.R.R. TOLKIEN
I consider myself lucky since I was born in a great family living in a wonderful city called Izmir. Izmir is also known as Smyrna. I come from a working-class family. My dad was a teacher and my mom was a nurse. I also have a younger brother who is living in Toronto, Canada now.
The time came to choose my occupation after finishing my compulsory education in Izmir. I decided to seek my future in tourism. I applied for tourism and guiding faculty based in a German university in Turkey.
I was able to find part-time jobs in travel agencies while I was studying. I was barely 18 years old when I met my first tourist group for the first time in my life and I immediately knew guiding is the job that I want. Working in travel agencies before I acquired my guiding license became a great benefit for me and for my guests. Today when I serve my guests I do not serve just as a tour guide, I try to add my experiences as a travel agent to make their travel experience greater.
I got my professional tour guide license in 2008 and since then I work as a freelance tour guide. I own a national tour guide license which gives me the right to take tours all around Turkey. I also work in several Greek islands, Cyprus and Morocco as a professional tour guide.
My family
I married my beautiful wife Valeriya in late 2011. She is originally from Moscow, Russia, but we have been living in Kusadasi, Turkey since we got married. She has a university degree in linguistics, and she is fluent in English and Mandarin Chinese. I love discussions with my wife since we speak multiple languages and our mixed language conversations sound gibberish to others. We have a daughter named Safiye (Sophie) and she was born in September 2016. And the final addition to our family is our cat Bashkan (Mr. President).
Things I like to do
I spend most of my free time reading. I am interested in subjects such as history, religion, politics, and archaeology. I believe I can improve my guiding skills by learning more and there is no limit in learning. I spent my leftover free time on movies and writing. I can call myself a cinephile. My all-time favorites are Indiana Jones, Good fellas, Blade Runner, and Lord of the Rings. I attended some courses on writing and I try to develop my writing skills. I publish my short stories online* and also I currently work on a novel. Tour guiding is the best job for anyone who wants to write since tour guides meet interesting people every day and explore stories, places of the past, present, and future. I hope we will meet soon and inspire each other. See you soon, Hasan Gülday.
