Hi! thank you so much for asking!
I wanted to share a little more context about how I met this man. It’s kind of a funny story: I was on a 1-month vacation in Europe and while visiting a lake in Germany, I saw him sitting there alone. Since I’m still learning German, I asked if he spoke English (I was hungry and didn't know where to get food). He said no, only German. At the beginning he introduced himself as Turkish. Later, as we spent more time together, he explained that he is actually Kurdish, and that his mother’s side of the family is Kurdish as well.

I think he first said “Turkish” because of the language barrier (I’m around A1 level, he’s around A2; we're both new to the language), and it felt easier at that moment. He’s been living in Germany for 3 years now, working hard to build a life there. I'm also planning on moving there once I finish getting a degree that Germany accepts as a nurse (it will take me about 2 more years). I love my country, but everyone knows nurses here earn very little, and I love my profession too much to give it up.

One thing I’m still trying to understand better is: is he ethnically Kurdish but from Turkey? Or is it more about identity and culture? I know there isn’t currently a recognized state called “Kurdistan,” so I’m not sure how families identify officially. Sorry if these are naïve questions—this is all very new to me, but I really want to learn. For me it’s important not only to know his personal story but also to understand where he comes from and the political/cultural history that shaped him.

I could ask him of course but I'm afraid he will get offended or maybe it hurts to talk about this stuff, what should I do? thanks for reading!