Today we had the chance to travel to Nicosia, the capital of Cyprus, and learn more about Cyprus, its culture, and its language at the University of Nicosia (UNIC). Our morning consisted of a fresh Cyrprian breakfast, including Halloumi (a Cyprian cheese made from goat and sheep milk), various meats, and bread. Once we arrived at UNIC I was first surprised by the main campus quad, consisting of an amphitheater. Compared to a university in the States that has a culture and lifestyle associated with it in the form of merchandise and traditions, the UNIC campus struck me as more of a strictly academic location.  

After we settled into our orientation, the director of the UNESCO chair and lecturer for the School of Law, Dr. Emilios Solomou gave us a lecture on the history of Cyprus. I was shocked by the diverse and rich history of the country. Only having gained independence a little over 60 years ago, the country has always been in high demand by the local ruling power throughout the years. Since various powers have ruled over Cyprus, each has left a significant mark of their culture on the country. Byzantine, Ottoman, Roman, Frank, and other empires have all left Cyprus with churches, mosques, and other religious architecture. As seen from the various meals, the food has a heavy influence of Greek and Turkish elements, yet is still unique in its own way. 

In listening to Dr. Solomou and other Cypriots speak about the country, the physical divide of the country between the Greek side and the Turkish side is fascinating. While the Turkish part of the country, north of the green line is not globally recognized, both cultures coexist with one another. There is certainly tension and a problem that needs to be resolved, but there seems to be enough diplomacy and respect between groups that people are still able to come and go from Greek to Turkish sides with proper identification.

We ate lunch and toured the campus, even meeting current exchange students from the U.S. studying at UNIC. When we returned back to Limassol, we explored the marina and city under the guidance of a walkable tour. Our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable and deciphered all of the complex architecture. We passed multiple churches, built by the Byzantine Empire with square roofs in earlier times and even dome-shaped roofs that came thousands of years later. We learned about the Ottoman Empire and their choice to turn much of the Byzantine structures into their own mosques, prisons, etc. I was so surprised about the fact that each of these historical sites had minimal security. Aside from a fence, it was clear these buildings were just a normal part of the community and there was minimal need for protection. 

For the evening, we ate dinner as a group at a local restaurant along the marina. The salads, pita, and main dishes were amazing. I never realized how centered Greek cuisine is around meat. Each dish fed two people and consisted of various types of pork, beef, chicken, lamb, and more. Thank you to the University of Nicosia for giving us a great welcome in Nicosia!