Nowhere Native
A Mosaic Identity -Pieced Together Across Borders
About Me
Nowhere Native is more than a phrase - it reflects my experience of being foreign and finding a sense of global belonging through different cultures.
Born in Turkey, raised in Germany, shaped in China. I don't belong to one place, I belong to motion. Movement is not just a part of my story, it is my story. Each place I have lived has left its imprint, not just on how I speak or think, but on how I exist in the world. Every culture I enter does not just teach me something new, it redefines something old. It shifts my perspective, challenges my habits, expands my language and sometimes it's even the one I use with myself. Thats why being foreign isn't a phase, it's my cultural identity, which is not tied to borders or to passports.
Feeling foreign twice
Feeling foreign is not always about distance. Sometimes, it's also about realizing how many versions of "normal" exist. As someone who was born in Turkey, spent my whole childhood there, and later moved to Germany, I thought I already knew what it meant to live between cultures. But my semester abroad at Shenzhen Polytechnic University in China taught me that "foreignness" can take new shapes, even when you think you're used to it. It´s not just about unfamiliar places, it´s about confronting unfamiliar versions of yourself, brought out by new surroundings. What I thought I understood turned out to be just the surface.
Belonging in between
Growing up in Germany, I often felt the weight of being "different." My Turkish background sometimes made me stand out in ways that weren't always positive. People's curiosity could turn into distance, and their questions could carry quiet judgment. It taught me to be careful with how I presented myself, to adapt quickly and to read rooms before entering them. I became skilled at adjusting, at blending in when needed, at avoiding conflict through subtle shifts in tone or behavior. But beneath that adaptability was always a search for belonging, not just acceptence, but resonance.
From Mittweida to China
I had to do a mandatory semester abroad and was already thinking about where to go. A close friend of mine, a Chinese student who studied in Germany for one semester, encouraged me to choose China. Her stories and her support made the decision feel natural.
I picked Shenzhen Polytechnic because it was very international-friendly, especially in terms of language. Studying there was challenging at times, but manageable. It wasn´t always comfortable, but I managed to find my way through it and grow from the experience.
shift in perspective
In China, everything felt reversed. The experience was hard at times, adapting to a fast-paced city, a new language, and unfamiliar routines but I was constantly met with warmth and curiosity. Local friends were really kind and attentive, and strangers treated me with genuine interest. Ironically, despite this openness and care, I found myself longing a lot for Germany.
I realized I want to continue living there. I spent the first few years in Germany always wishing to return to Turkey, until one day the shift came, out of nowhere, and I felt I truly belonged in Germany.
Shaped by everyday moments
One evening in Shenzhen, I was sharing time with local friends at a tiny Hotpot restaurant near campus. While we waited for the food, a friend explained why certain dishes were served first and how small details like that reflect care in Chinese culture. Some dishes come early not only because they need more time, but also because it is their way of taking care of me in a gentle, quite way. We ended up talking about everyday habits, small cultural signals and the little things that shape how we connect. We laughed about misunderstandings and tried to translate jokes from our own languages.