Monochrome Friday: Coffee First

This is Sjors (pronounced Shorsh), a Dutch web designer who lived with me in our flat, “Batavia Mews” in London last year. The place was bleak, even for English standards. At times the whole building had no heat, it was constantly infested with mice (other parts had rats and cockroaches, and our flat had pigeons roosting in the walls after I left), and the complacent management conveniently blamed everything on us students.

But despite it all, we had fun together. We escaped when we could, to places such as Cambridge and Epping Forest, and fought off the blues with games, chocolate, and exotic drinks. Despite the difficulties, I am very grateful for the wonderful people. I think this photo captures the mix of bleakness, stark lighting and sterile walls, and humanity with Sjors’ smile and the coffee mug that reads “coffee first.”

Following my friend Bodhipaksa into the world of Monochrome Friday…