After having a great first day, day 2 was even better. During our visit to Vassos Eliades, the company’s strong ethical and family values were immediately palpable—from the thoughtfully prepared gift bags to the engaging, interactive presentations. Unlike many companies in the United States that often feel disconnected or overly corporate, Vassos Eliades demonstrated a genuine sense of community. The way team members interacted with one another clearly reflected the company’s identity as a family-run business. It was also interesting to observe their office and distribution center; the office layout closely resembled those we’re familiar with at home, and the department name tags above the cubicles were all written in English rather than Greek.

Attending Dr. Solomou’s lecture on The History of Cyprus was a unique opportunity to experience a different academic approach. While his slides and teaching format were structurally similar to those used at Pitt, there were notable differences. At Pitt, professors often use fewer words and more visuals on their slides, and even in large lecture settings, they tend to encourage student participation by asking questions. Dr. Solomou followed a more traditional, lecture-heavy style by quickly and continuously clicking through the slides. One particularly interesting takeaway from the lecture was learned that picking the colors for the Cypriot flag was not an easy process, which included forms of rational that I typically wouldn’t have thought of. I also learned that Cyprus is a popular retirement location for those in the UK and other EU countries.