The present research aims to investigate how interactions with Turkish food culture affect the adaptation and sense of belonging of international students studying in Trkiye.In this context, a qualitative method was adopted in the research, and a phenomenological design was used.Research data were collected through semi-structured interviews with a total of 20 international students from 11 different countries studying at Sivas Cumhuriyet University.The obtained data were analyzed using the qualitative content analysis method.The findings revealed that the initial connection students established with Turkish cuisine was shaped within the framework of sensory perceptions and cultural comparisons.It was determined that the dominant flavor profiles and unfamiliar ingredient combinations perceived in Turkish dishes initially triggered a cultural food shock among students.The results indicate that students' adaptation processes were shaped by a series of barriers and facilitators, leading them to demonstrate diverse adaptation strategies, such as adjusting their daily lives, developing hybrid practices, or maintaining their own culinary cultures.It was determined that social interactions established through food culture play an important role in the development of students' sense of belonging toward Trkiye.Specifically, it was found that food-sharing practices and hospitality support students' perception of themselves as a part of the host society, thereby contributing to the reduction of feelings of alienation.Conversely, it has been observed that certain prejudices and distant attitudes towards different culinary cultures in the local community can weaken this process and reinforce feelings of exclusion.Therefore, it is concluded that belonging established through food culture is achieved not merely by adapting to the host culture, but through bidirectional interactions where students can share their own culinary practices and mutual acceptance is fostered.
Gülsüm AKPINAR (Fri,) studied this question.