The Asım Account: Ankara at last

I found a cheap ticket from İzmir to Ankara. Burcu was very kind to drive me to the airport. It was an evening flight on a small plane. I sat next to two women who were enthusiastic about trying their English on me. Talking with them helped to pass the time. When we landed I asked around for the bus to Aşti, a large bus station not far from Ayhan-Teyze's house where I would be staying.

These traveling situations used to make me more nervous but they don't bother me so much anymore. Whenever I was alone in Turkey I used to feel like I was lost, but now I feel more and

more like I am just getting from place to place like everyone else. On the bus to Aşti, I sat next to a guy who looked to be right about my age. He was consumed with playing a soccer manager game on his laptop. I was silently cheering him on because he was managing Galatasaray. When they scored, I would say 'YES!' to myself and discreetly pump my fist. It was definitely entertaining. Toward the end of the trip, he asked me if we were at Aşti yet. I told him that we weren't. Then he guessed that I speak English and we talked for a while. He was a student in Michigan just coming home for the holidays. We carried on for a bit and then soon arrived at the stop. I shook his hand and wished him well, turned, and headed toward the taxi cabs.

After a short cab ride, I was dropped off at the apartment complex of Ayhan-Teyze. There were two buildings and I guessed that she was in the more distant one. I looked at the array of doorbells.

There was one named Ayhan and at that moment I wished I knew her married name. I was about to push the button when someone else exited and I entered past them. I took the stairs to the third floor and stopped in front of what I hoped was the correct door. I took a deep breathe and then knocked. When the door opened I saw Ayhan-Teyze's large smile greeting me. At that time I met her husband, Muhtar. They immediately sat me down for some delicious dinner. Shortly into the meal their son, Kahraman's cousin Cenk, arrived with his wife, Nurcihan. A translator by profession, she enabled easy communication between myself and the others, which was a luxury I told myself not to get used to.

The following day there was an epic football match between Galatasaray and Altay in the Tukish Cup in İzmir, to which I had been invited but

declined, because there was one even more exciting thing that was scheduled for that day: a long overdue visit with the elusive and mysterious B. This time, I told her that I was coming, and she had made preparations for some entertainment but kept me in the dark about the exact plan. I met her at school that Thursday morning and sat in class with her. I passed the time by trying to understand the lively discussion about topics in sociology all around me and also by writing down my thoughts about my adventures so far and my plans for the rest of my trip. The hours passed quickly, but by the end of the class my sheet of paper was covered with blue ink.

When school was out, B's friends all came together and we rode in cars over to her place. Final preparations were being made for a gathering. When we arrived at her apartment I paused in the

doorway for a moment. It was the exact place I had surprise-visited her one year ago and my emotions from that time returned though un-summoned.

We were hardly inside the apartment when the phone rang. Of all the people in the world, it was Sumaré, my beloved Brazilian friend. He was, of course, in on this whole plan and hence the timing of his call. It was awesome to talk with him. I remember describing to him how strange it felt to be inside B's apartment. I mean that if I had been dropped in her room suddenly it would have taken me but a few moments to determine whose room it was. Books that she had recommended to me and that I had read were on the shelves. Pictures of people I knew and

places I had been were on the walls. CD's of music and movies that she had inspired me to enjoy rested there. I was happy enough to be in the company of a great friend and her great friends, but to have Sumaré on the line just made it all the better.

Food and drinks arrived and were prepared, and everyone was either sharing stories or picking out music for everyone to listen to. I really enjoyed B's friends. At one point, one of the guys, Volkan, starting dancing in a very funny manner. It really

fit his personality, actually, and it made us all laugh for quite a while.

The night went late and so I returned to Ayhan-Teyze's late, but it was definitely nice to have seen B and so many of her friends. After that long and wonderful day, I took it easy for a couple of days by just spending time reading as well as going out with Cenk and Nurcihan.

We went for a long walk around part of the lake at ODTÜ, the Middle Eastern Technical University in Ankara. Apparently, it is a very crowded place to be in the spring and autumn seasons, but in January it was very quiet. We took a lot of pictures there and talked about many things as well.