Hello :) I’m Elmira, someone who traded routine for the open road - chasing freedom, cultures, and the beauty of the unknown 🌍🌿

Since I started working online, I’ve been on the road for almost 3 years now — I guess you could call me a digital nomad 👩🏻‍💻. So far, I’ve visited 57 countries (and counting!).

Alongside my travels, I’m pursuing a PhD in International Journalism 👩🏻‍🎓.

At the moment, I’m back in Europe and will be based in Budapest for a while 🏙️

I’m always open to new adventures — if you have travel plans, there’s a good chance I’d be up for joining! My motto has always been: “go wherever the wind takes me and see how it goes.”

I love being close to nature — hiking, camping, or just road-tripping 🏞️. One of my dreams is to get a camper van and drive across New Zealand or Australia someday 🚐✨.

Originally, I’m from Kazakhstan — often called the heart of Eurasia or the land of great steppes. If you’d like to learn more about Central Asia, feel free to reach out! I’d be happy to share culture, traditions, travel tips, and must-visit spots. And yes, I’m very used to Borat jokes (especially the classic “my wiiifee” 😂).

But jokes aside — Kazakhstan is an amazing place, I promise!

I’m very much looking forward to meeting you and hearing your travel adventures 🧳

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

My main goal is to meet new people and build friendships all around the world :) CS has already given me some amazing friends, and I’m always excited to make new ones along the way 😀 I have an experience of hosting people, and me and my family truly enjoyed it :)

Interests

I’m passionate about the outdoors — hiking, camping, and pretty much anything that brings me closer to nature. I also enjoy martial arts (especially Jiu Jitsu; I used to practice Taekwondo) and I’m always open to discovering new hobbies :)

I’m also into long-distance walking, yoga 🧘‍♀️ — and on top of that, I’m a beginner in surfing, bachata dancing, acroyoga and pole sports. Always curious to explore new activities and push my limits.

As a true nomad at heart, I find a special joy in horse riding 🐎✨

When I travel, I love visiting theme parks and aqua parks — nothing makes my inner child happier 😃. I also enjoy exploring museums, historical sites, and joining walking tours to really get to know a place.

• fitness
• running
• crossfit
• walking
• movies
• board games
• reading
• traveling
• puzzles
• electronic music
• cycling
• hiking
• kayaking
• camping
• scuba diving
• bungee jumping
• martial arts
• hockey
• paragliding
• swimming
• jiu jitsu
• extreme sports
• history
• study abroad
• hitchhiking
• volunteering
• sightseeing
• beaches
• cinema
• nature
• football
• horse riding
• sea
• meeting new people
• taekwondo
• lego
• sunsets
• rafting
• languages and cultures
• sunrise
• yoga and meditation

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: I’m into deep house, melodic techno, and EDM — but I’ve also been to a few heavy metal concerts and honestly loved the energy 🤘. Always up for music festivals! 🎶

Books: I gravitate toward world classics and romantic/dramatic stories, though I don’t limit myself to one genre. I love reading anything that teaches me something new — and I’m always open to recommendations 📚.

Movies: For me, it’s all about the combo of popcorn 🍿 and a good film. I have more than 20 favorites, so it’s impossible to pick just one :)

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I believe life is full of opportunities, and just being here is already an incredible gift. What makes me happiest is stepping outside my comfort zone and surprising myself with what I can do.

Some of my favorite (and craziest) moments so far: conquering my deep-water fear by going surfing, diving, rafting on a kayak (I literally flew out but survived 😅), bungee jumping three times, paragliding, and a 4-day hike through the Georgian mountains in Mestia. On that same hike, I tried to save a puppy from a rushing river, unknowingly walked across a glacier until I heard the ice crack and rocks tumble (a brutal but unforgettable experience), and even got caught in a hailstorm at 2,700 meters — those 30 minutes felt surreal 🤪. Oh, and I once climbed a 35-meter rock wall 🧗🏻‍♀️.

As I always say: life is full of surprises, and I hope my list of adventures never stops growing.

On top of that, I’ve also joined exchange programs abroad — Erasmus+ in Romania in 2018 (some of the best times ever 🙌) and another in Turkey back in 2014 :)

Also I feel very grateful for the opportunity to encounter whales 🐋 twice, seeing baby pandas 🐼 swimming with sharks 🦈
I hope in the future I can meet kangaroos 🦘 and koalas 🐨

Teach, Learn, Share

CS is such a wonderful way to connect with like-minded people :) I genuinely enjoy deep conversations about anything and everything. I believe everyone deserves to be heard, and that naturally makes me a good listener. At the same time, I truly value and respect different perspectives — they often teach me something new and broaden my own outlook :)

What I Can Share with Hosts

Cultural exchange, sharing the knowledge and life experiences:)

Countries I’ve Visited

Albania, Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Indonesia, Italy, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vatican City State, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Albania, Cambodia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Romania, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Viet Nam