During the early years of the Syrian conflict, Mersin was considered “the best place to be Syrian in Turkey” and thousands of middle-class Syrians fled to the port city. With few allowed to work and their resources now exhausted, most now struggle to survive. Mersin is the second stop in our series "Route Mediterranean." MERSIN, Turkey – Leila Ahmad still wears her wedding ring, a shiny silver band on the third finger of her left hand.