Natraj and I now have a new flatmate: Levent. Levent originally comes from Mardin and is a train driver.

Levent brought with him a smaller but newer TV and accompanying satellite dish and receiver. We now have access to hundreds of TV channels, mainly in Arabic, Italian, French, Turkish and other languages but also including BBC World!

The last and only previous Mersin flat I lived in with an English-language television channel was at Denizhan 2, Mezitli in 2001-2002.

Levent moved to Mersin from Adana a few weeks ago and first met Natraj at the Bad-Lik Rock Bar in the Antik Han complex in Mersin’s centre.

Cousins Cigdema and Alev run Bad-Lik and the bar has a fun and liberal atmosphere. Every Friday and Saturday night a live cover band plays Turkish and foreign rock, although the band hasn’t played recently as the bar is changing their kit. Live music should return in two weeks’ time.

Every visit to Bad-Lik has been memorable. From the cover band playing Wicked Game, one of Mr. Bockleberg’s (my high school Tech Studies teacher) favourite songs to meeting the Philippino sailors to Peter singing and acting out Jailbreak’s lyrics last night.

I think I have found ‘my place’ in Mersin.