Last night I went to Mado Cafe to meet a friend, Helin. Whilst at the cafe I met my boss’s daughters and their Grandparents, visiting from Izmit. I also saw Hakan and Mutlu, 2 university friends of Ali, my first Turkish flatmate back in 2001. Ali went to Atlanta a few years ago on an internship and is currently still there. Unknown to me, Hakan and Mutlu were also university friends of Helin’s. It turns out that Helin was also at Ali, Hakan and Mutlu’s university graduation almost 3 years ago! On the spur of the moment I decide to sms Ali. We had not communicated for months. A few minutes later, Ali telephones me. Although the line was very bad (he ended up calling 3 times) I could recognise that Ali had developed a strong American accent. Was wonderful to speak with him again, even if was only intermitenttly and accompanied by interference.

Before leaving Mado, I spotted Ertan abi, my neighbour from my second Mersin residence, Denizhan 2, and a rector at the university. Ertan abi is good friends with Umut, my second flatmate, who has recently commenced his military service in Adana.

Mado: the place not recommended for anonymity