We will spend the majority of the day on the plane. A pain in the back, literally. But flying, for better or for worst, is a privilege. The floors of the airport, as you can see in the picture above, are red, white, and blue, a symbol of America. Airports have been a symbol of what America means for the past two decades. 9-11 did not only change the way airports operate but also changed the way Americas see each other. Walking through security was nerve-racking; people moved quickly, security guards yelled orders to each other, and people lost valuables. In all of the hassle, it is easy to form assumptions about the people around you, especially with the beautiful diversity of Pittsburgh. Both airport security and the beliefs of the people around us are necessary for American life, yet both can cause conflict.

As we enter Cyprus, we, as Americans, must remember the assumptions we will make about the people and the culture and how our assumptions can affect those people. Again it is a privilege to travel to Cyprus, and we must respect the people and culture that have opened their homes to us.

The flights have given me time to look forward to the journey ahead. I sat next to a man who was on his way to Syria, coming from Phoniex. It will be mind-blowing for me to see the number of cultural paths and backgrounds that cross during the trip. The number of languages I’ve heard already is incredible, and I haven’t even entered Cyprus! Cyrpus is the crossroads of the Mediterranean! Languages are daunting, though, especially the non-Latin languages, ie. German and Greek. But that is what this journey is for; growth, even if it’s just in an uncomfortable language.