It was exciting to start exploring the beautiful city of Nicosia, starting with the tour of the University of Nicosia (UNIC). The tour consisted of visiting the main cafeteria, a brief orientation, and an introduction to the rich culinary traditions of Cyprus. The University featured mostly white buildings with a very clean layout. I appreciated how open the cafeteria was, allowing for natural sunlight and the nice weather to flow through the area. After a quick water break, we entered a lecture room in the main building for the orientation. The orientation reviewed the main points that were covered before departure, but I also learnt some new facts, such as the history of cats in Cyprus. After the orientation, we entered another room to learn about the traditional Cypriot dishes. Cyprus’ food revolves around Greek and Middle Eastern cuisines, typically having spices and ingredients such as cumin, coriander seeds, and mint for savory. I found the Cypriot Meze, or a traditional meal with many small dishes, to be the most interesting out of the entire cuisine. There are assortments of many hot appetizers, like grilled Halloumi cheese, and cold appetizers like Melintzanosalata. The main dishes like Sheftalies and Chicken Souvlaki are the highlight of the meze, with desserts like Galatopoureko to end the meal. I had the opportunity to step inside the kitchen to help prepare some of the food and serve it to my group. It was a nice way to begin this journey and set the tone for the rest of the program, leaving me excited to continue exploring the rich culture Cyprus has to offer.