A short summary

Here I am in Cyprus! I'm about to leave on a cruise for Egypt. I have never been on a cruise so I am very excited!

I and the other UT students on this trip have been here in Cyprus for about a week and a half. Everything here has whitish or taupe hue. There is a lot of imitation of the American lifestyle in advertisements and the shops. But the island has it's on unique culture beyond that.

Everyone here is very friendly, and their accents are easy to pick up! Males greet female friends with a kiss on each cheek, and females greet all their friends as such.

The food uses lighter sauces and more salt and vinegar type bases for their foods. So far I've had Halloumi cheese, a rubbery and awesome cheese you can grill and it wont melt, a meze, which is a large multi course meal of local dishes, and other interesting foods. The best place I've eaten is a nice restaurant on the Turkish controlled side of the island. It's a small mom and pop type place with cheap large portions of meat, salad, and rice.

40% of the Island of Cyprus is controlled by the Country of Turkey. In 1974 the Turks invaded Cyprus, in defense of Turkish Cypriots who were being persecuted. I've heard some mixed things from my fellow students about the whole issue, but all the Greek Cypriots here have a heavy patriotism for their island and an even heavier hate for those that have taken part of their island from them. And rightly so I think, the 40% of the island that is occupied has prime agricultural land, beautiful beaches, and numerous opportunities to bolster the economy of the island. You can't really talk to a Cypriot without hearing a little of the spite they have for the Turks occupying their land.

On the student side I've mostly been working with the documentary stuff, which we will hopefully be posting soon!