What was Plug Me In?
For my graduation project, I chose a challenge that fascinated me: how do you travel to the other side of the world without money?
I came up with this project, ‘Plug Me In.’ I called on people to help me reach Sydney by selecting their location on my website plugmeinproject.com and offering me a meal, place to sleep or electricity for the car.
The route was not predetermined. It was determined based on all the “Plug Me In’s.” 1800 people from 75 countries signed up and each offer of help sent me on a new path, making my journey not only a physical one, but also a journey of human connection.
How did it work?
Why did I do it?
Fair question. It started with something personal.
After university, I didn’t want to jump straight into a 9-to-5. I felt there was more to discover, about the world, other cultures, and myself. But I had no money, so I came up with a plan to ask people for help along the way. That’s how Plug Me In was born.
Back then, most people didn’t believe in electric cars. They were seen as unreliable, short-ranged and not feasible. But I thought: electricity is everywhere, a car has four wheels, why not?
I wanted to prove it could be done. And while doing so, I visited sustainable initiatives across the globe to learn what sustainability really means in practice.
It started as a way to travel for free. But it turned into a mission with purpose.
Follow the route
One man. One electric car with a range of 200 km.
What could possibly go wrong?
My adventure in a nutshell
An adventure too big to capture in a few words.
Luckily I captured nearly every step on video.
This journey wasn’t just about driving an electric car to Australia. It was about seeing what happens when you let go of certainty and choose curiosity instead.
I charged my car from a fifth-floor window in Turkey, crossed deserts in Iran, and got invited in for tea more times than I can count. In India, my charger exploded. In Indonesia, I learned the hard way my car couldn’t float, and got stuck for four months.
Still, I kept moving. Not because I had all the answers, but because people kept helping: offering food, shelter, power, or just some encouragement.
What I learned? You don’t need the full plan. Just a clear “why,” a bit of nerve, and the guts to ask for help.
I travelled solo. But I was never alone.
Reaching the finish
An unforgettable moment
When I came up with the idea for Plug Me In during my graduation project, I pictured myself standing in front of that Opera House. That was the dream. Simple, maybe a bit naïve, but it kept me going.
Three years later, I made it. And the reality was even better.
I arrived in Sydney in a parade of 50 electric vehicles, driven by people from across Australia. We crossed the Harbour Bridge together, helicopters above us, live on national TV. People cheered. Reporters gathered. Somehow, this wild student idea had become a global story. It was crazy.
Turns out, one idea really can take you all the way.
This adventure was featured on
Presentations
Now that I’ve returned home, I share my story as a speaker to audiences around the world.
I tell a passionate story about making dreams come true and getting stronger through adversity. About showing courage, making choices, working successfully together, my path to a more sustainable life and through my renewed view of the world, I paint a positive worldview.
My presentations fit any sector and my experiences, although extreme, are recognisable to everyone.
I tell in a personal way, from my own experiences and using a highly visual presentation that will make you laugh, think and give your energy.
