Aysel, who owns the house we stayed at from March to July of 2022 has suggested we meet for coffee at Tatlı Hayat, (literally sweet, or dessert, experience) a fairly classy coffee place just inside the walls of the old city. When we first stayed in her place she was in Ankara undergoing a bone marrow transplant. Then, four days after we arrived the border closed and instead of two weeks we stayed for five months, most of it at Aysel’s.
Had very nearly lost touch as emails seemed not to connect and now it transpires that she’s been having a hard time. Her husband gets coffee for everyone and we catch up. Cancer has come back twice and she is now beginning her third round of chemotherapy. Husband spent six months working in the South and she’s hoping to be able to get medical coverage through his work, would be a major benefit as her doctor is in the South. She also has a ten year old daughter who we met very briefly two years ago. Interestingly, Aysel spent time studying in Winnipeg a few years ago and loved it. Misses the snow, although she agrees it lasts far too long. Much of this gets translated for her partner, who also gets a look at our fairly impressive snow photos.
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