Guest Blog from my dear Friend Jse-Che

Below is a guest blog from my dear friend Jse-Che

Farewell for now and happiness to you both

One of the most difficult aspects of friendship is seeing your social circle shrink as members relocate because of school, work, or marriage. This is just one of the realities of globalization which has changed the nature of migration patterns, often for very intriguing reasons.

My friend, Dave, is now a newlywed expatriate living in Turkey-a married man of several weeks. We said goodbye at the end of September, doing what we always seem to find ourselves doing whenever we meet-dining at a cheap and cheerful restaurant in Chinatown.

I'll readily admit that I had some apprehensions when I first heard that Dave was in a relationship with a young woman who lived thousands of miles away. A friend can't help but be a bit worried in such a situation. After all, Kevlar and Teflon were never intended as emotional shields against heartbreak. I'm certain that Aysegul's friends felt the same-at least until Dave showed up with offerings of Canadian candy and snack items.

Nothing says "Hello! I'm friendly" like junk food!

One can never predict how globalization will influence the ways people will meet their future spouse. I know of one Canadian who met his wife during a Vancouver to Sydney, Australia flight and who now lives in Melbourne, awaiting the birth of their first child.

If there is someone for everyone, Dave and Aysegul have travelled great distances in order to find each other. Everyone knows that French, Italian, and Spanish are known as the languages of romance but who would have thought that the early stages of love could bloom in a German language institute located in Berlin?

Anyone who has experienced a long distance relationship, knows that one must be prepared for the challenges and difficulties that come with the territory. Phone calls are crucial and thus Skype and long distance phone cards now become the glue of these relationships.

Did anyone know about Dave's watch (actually, it might have been Aysegul's), set to Ankara time? These days, when you ask him what time it is, you'll only get one answer rather than two.

I know that these newlyweds have overcome some immense barriers-mostly geographical-in order to be together at last. One compelling confidence that Dave shared at his farewell dinner: there would be no difficult goodbyes this time because he would be going to Turkey and staying on after the wedding.

I would have enjoyed listening to Dave's serenade to Aysegul at the wedding reception. Is there anything more touching (or more courageous) than singing a Turkish love song to his wife? No pressure in a room filled with in-laws, your family, and celebrants looking on!

Regretfully, I wasn't able to attend the wedding celebrations and sadly, it's going to be at least half a year before I will be able to offer my congratulations to the happy couple. On the eve of their wedding, I was abroad in Europe, enjoying dinner at a Turkish restaurant with my Dutch hosts. Coincidentally, there was a wedding party toasting the happiness of their friends in that very same restaurant.

When the owner came to our table, I asked, "Could you tell me what time it is right now in Turkey?"

When he told me, I said to my friends at the table, "It's official. My friends must be celebrating their great day right now."

Well, Dave. You're now living in a country that I will want to visit one day. Scout out the Chinese restaurants in Ankara and report back. I'll be there as soon as I can get away.

And as it should be, the final word goes to Aysegul. Congratulations and well done. I look forward to seeing you again so that we can continue our talks about movies, culture, and belonging.

Şerefe!