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Two Chinese travelers hitchhiking in Ankara were invited into a local family's home, where they tried homemade Turkish dishes, drank traditional coffee and learned the halay, a group folk dance commonly performed at celebrations across Türkiye.
The encounter was recorded throughout the day and later drew nearly 3 million views on social media, where the travelers' warm interaction with their hosts attracted widespread attention.
Ismail Akdag was driving through Ankara when he noticed two people hitchhiking and pulled over to help them. After learning that they had traveled from China and wanted to explore Türkiye, he invited them into his vehicle.
As their conversation carried on, Akdag offered to take the travelers to his mother's home for a meal. They accepted the invitation, and the group used translation applications to communicate despite the language barrier.
Akdag's mother prepared manti, small Turkish dumplings usually served as a homemade meal, along with several other local dishes. The visitors enjoyed the food, while the female traveler was also given a yazma, a traditional patterned headscarf, as a gift.
After the meal, the hosts served Maras ice cream, a well-known Turkish ice cream associated with the Maras region, before sitting down for Turkish coffee and further conversation.
Akdag later introduced the visitors to regional music and showed them how to perform the halay. The group danced together and shared several lighthearted moments that were included in the video.
Akdag said the translation applications helped them hold warm conversations, learn about one another's cultures and build up lasting memories despite speaking different languages.
"Although we came from different cultures, we once again saw that sincerity and friendship are a common language," he said.
Before leaving, the travelers said they had been deeply impressed by Turkish hospitality and hoped to visit the family again.
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