In the heart of Türkiye, from Istanbul’s chaotic streets to the quieter scenes of Ankara, expats, drawn by opportunity and culture, are trying to make the country their home. For some, the adjustment is more familiar. For others, this journey is marked by language barriers, misunderstandings and the slow process of finding a place in a society that, while welcoming, is not easy to become part of.
According to Berk Nail Aydın, a 25-year-old native Turkish citizen studying in Ankara, Türkiye is a bridge between Europe and the Middle East. “We live like both. People coming here need to understand this culture,” he said.
Like many Turks, he considered an expat’s contribution to the country as their most important role and emphasized that a foreigner has no place in disturbing the cultural environment of Türkiye.
On the other hand, Tevfik Sadullah, a 49-year-old translator from Istanbul, noticed that Türkiye benefits from interconnection with other cultures, stating: “It creates an understanding between people and breaks prejudices.”
Berk Nail Aydın drinks soda at a university stadium, Ankara, Türkiye, 2023. (Courtesy of Berk Nail Aydın)
Tevfik Sadullah walks along the coastline in Moda, Istanbul, Türkiye, 2025. (Courtesy of Tevfik Sadullah)
Sadullah lives in Moda, a neighborhood in Istanbul’s Kadıköy district on the Anatolian side.
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