My first day in Cyprus was filled with many spectacular views and lots of good food. Obviously I had to start off with a killer outfit and so I choose a nice little sundress with my matching bag and heels. It was a classy fit for a classy city. As someone who often wears heels, I knew I would be able to make it through the long day of tours, however matt decided to place a bet on how long I was able to stay in them. Thankfully, as I guessed, I fared well throughout the whole day and won the bet.  It was nice to spend time with the Cyprus 2 group as well, however we looked like a giant group of tourists anywhere we walked. I noticed that people in Cyprus do not really wear shorts. Especially the men, even in the high heat of the afternoon all donned long pants. All the boys in our group, and even girls, stood out as tourists in the city.

We started our day with a nice tour of the new part of the city. I was surprised to see how modern it was but was able to draw many connections between the architecture I saw and that of many other mediterranean nations. There was an abundance of greenery in the apartments and decorating the insides and outsides of the buildings. As a coffee lover, I was so happy to see the streets filled with coffee shops on every corner. During our break, I had the opportunity to try a traditional Cypriot coffee which was very strong but refreshing. For lunch, I had this traditional Halloumi bread. This was my first time trying Halloumi and it was actually pretty good. I was very happy to learn about the histories of the different parts of the cities. I love the freedom square and the way that it is modern but still symbolizes a connection between the two parts of the city.

During our first visit to the University, I was excited and nervous to see how it was. It was cool to see how it was very similar to universities in the united states and all the students attending classes and such. The cafeteria food however, looked much better than the Eatery food. I hope that in the coming days, I am able to meet actual students who attend the university and learn about their experiences at the university. It was cool to see such and interesting blend of international students all learning together.

My favorite part of the day was the evening tour of the old city that ended in the large Mezze dinner. I loved leaning about the history behind the changes in architecture. It was cool to see how as different nations took over Cyprus, the architecture changed to reflect how the citizens felt about the occupation. For example when the Ottoman empire was there, the windows were high so that the soldiers could not see in. I loved walking around those streets because it made me feel like I was in a different time. It was interesting to learn about how the Turkish invaded and took over and the green line division. I was surprised to be so close to the line but we saw the soldier guarding it. It was interesting to learn that all Cypriots have to serve in the army for at least a year. When we were passing by the soldiers quarters we heard them playing some nice music and chilling on their little balcony. They waved to us and it was kind of cool.