Hi, I’m Ufuk, the founder of ToHorizonn, and this is the story behind it.

I was born in 2004 in Istanbul, Türkiye. I’ve always been a dedicated student, but like many others in my country, I couldn’t speak English after 8 years of studying it at school. I thought I just wasn’t good at languages. But everything changed during the COVID-19 quarantine. I decided to take control and started studying English on my own. I tried many methods, built my own system, and practiced every day. Eventually, I started speaking with online tutors, but I noticed many issues with the platforms I used. You can read about those issues on the Language Learning page.

Meanwhile, in Türkiye, most students spend their teenage years preparing for one of the world’s most competitive university exams. My friends were living like robots; after 7 hours of school, they were going to special courses that took 3-4 hours more. They were spending so much money, energy, and most importantly, their time just to answer a few more questions right in the test. And this was normal for everyone, but I didn’t want that life. I believed education should open doors, not trap us. I wanted freedom, exploration, and real-life experiences. That’s why I made the bold decision to study abroad. And it was the best decision I have ever made.

At 18, I moved to Prague to study Business Administration. Two years later, I began a double degree program in Valencia, Spain, which means that when I graduate, I’ll earn two diplomas from two different universities in two countries.

Studying abroad didn’t just give me a better education; it opened up my entire world. I became more independent, confident, and curious. I met people from all over the world, improved my communication skills, and saw how different cultures approach life. It made me realize that learning doesn't only happen in classrooms, but it happens through experience, challenge, and connection.

In Spain, I started speaking Spanish within a month using my personal method without any traditional education, and now, after 6 months, I speak it better than I ever spoke English after 10 years of school education.

This journey taught me so much about language, about systems, and about people. I’ve seen students waste years studying languages they can’t speak (my old version), and teenagers burn out trying to survive a broken education system. That’s why I created ToHorizonn: to help others avoid that pain, to empower them to speak new languages faster, and to guide them on their own journey to freedom through studying abroad.

If you’re dreaming of a life beyond borders, just know, it’s possible. You don’t have to stay where you are. You just need the right support and the courage to take the first step.

By the way, “Ufuk” means “horizon” in Turkish. 😊

Istanbul

Prague

Valencia