On November 24, we organized the third Chinese Dining Table event at students’ dining hall! Starting with today’s lunch, Turkish students introduced their favorite Turkish food to the teachers. Oğuzhan, a student from Bursa, enthusiastically recommended her hometown specialties, Iskender and İnegöl Köfte. Sezen passionately introduced the delectable fried lamb liver from Edirne. Zeynap showcased the fried meatballs from Samsun, while Kübra proudly recommended the dumplings from Sinop, which were uniquely topped with nuts, providing an even more delightful texture.
As the students introduced traditional Turkish cuisine, the teachers also shared their favorite Chinese dishes, particularly Hunan cuisine. They praised its wide variety, aromatic spiciness and exquisite flavors. When the teachers asked if the students could handle spicy food, half of the students expressed their love for spicy food. Interestingly, all of these students were from the southern region of Turkey. They pointed out that people in southern Turkey, especially in the Adana province, have a preference for spicy food, which draws a surprising similarity to the southwestern and Hunan provinces of China.
The day of the event fell on Teacher’s Day in Turkiye, and we further exchanged the customs of Teacher’s Day in China and Turkiye. The students shared that in Turkey, Teacher’s Day is highly valued starting from kindergarten. Students give flowers and write greeting cards to express their gratitude and blessings to their teachers. This is similar to Teacher’s Day in China, which falls on September 10th. In China, September is the beginning of the school year, and setting Teacher’s Day on September 10th allows students to remember and appreciate their teachers’ hard work right from the start of the new academic year. Additionally, the Chinese pronunciation of the number “ninety” sounds similar to the word for “teacher,” further strengthening the close connection between September 10th and teachers in China.
