After another amazing breakfast at the hotel, the group headed to the Wargaming headquarters in Nicosia. During our tour, I was immediately enthralled with the design of the building and the business model of the company. With amenities such as a large gym, spa, and cafeteria, I can see why Wargaming has accumulated so many hard-working employees. One thing I found especially interesting about the company’s business model is that they exclusively develop free-to-play games. The way they actually turn a profit is through a system called microtransactions, in which players can buy skins and decorations for their vehicles, or buy a battle pass which allows them to progess faster through the game. I also thought it interesting that their company almost exclusively sells a product that has no distribution cost, but rather is a digital copy of the game that can be bought instantly from anywhere.

After our visit to Wargaming, the group hopped on a bus to Kakopetria, a town in the lushest part of Cyprus. During our visit, I learned that the name Kakopetria means “evil rock”, and is derived from a story about a couple who was crushed by a boulder on their wedding day. I also found out that many of the locals create their own jams and marmalades, some which even use roses to enhance the flavor and create a beautiful color. After our visit to the town, we headed to St. Nicholas of the Roof Monestary. I learned how the different wall paintings were from different time periods, and was given very insightful information about how the paintings differed from Roman Catholicism. I found it especially interesting how they believe Jesus traveled to the underworld in the three days before he was resurected.