The moment you've all been waiting for! Cyprus!

Greetings from Cyprus! So I have been here about a week now. It has been really fun getting to know the area and the people that we are in the program with. There are 73 of us, and only 15 of them being males. haha. We are living in an apartment across the street from the University of Nicosia. There is also a big grocery store across the street from us as well--sweet!! Madge and I have two roommates, Devon, from Kentucky and Brittany from Virgina. We also have girls that live across the hall from us that are all really fun. We all seem to think we have a good set up here in the Intercollege apartments. This whole past week we have done orientation. We have learned A LOT about Cyprus. I feel like I know it better than I know American history at this point. All of the Cypriots really want us to learn about their culture and the history of Cyprus. Since 2004 they have been apart of the European Union, and just this month adopted the Euro for their currency. 1974 was the year of the Turkish invasion. Turkey came in and took the northern half of Cyprus. The Greek Cypriots that once owned property in the North, were driven out and lost all that they owned. There is a town, Famagusta, which was one the the most toured cities in Cyprus, that is still to this day a ghost town. But the Greek Cypriots bounced back really fast and housed everyone that lost homes fairly quickly. (Not having to put their citizens in refugee camps). The Green Line (which separates the Turkish from the Greek side) was closed until 2004. Since then, there has been no fighting between the two sides, and according to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, war between the two sides will probably never be on the agenda again. Both sides are peaceful with one another. Turkish Cypriots cross the border everyday to work here in Nicosia. I think that they said about 20,000 people cross the border daily. There is a huge lit up flag that you can see from this side that is on the Turks side (on a hillside), and under it says, "It is great to be a Turk". However, their side is not recognized as a country by any one in the world. So now that Turkey is trying to join the EU, they have been put off because of their occupicy in Cyprus. The Greek side, is recognized as a country, and would like Turkey to join the EU. All in all, Cyprus is very safe, and crime rates are like 60% lower here than in the US. So for all of you worryers, you can stop worrying!! Okay, so now that I have bored you to death, here are some pictures!
A street in the Old City of Nicosia (also known as the walled city). Very very old. There is an old city, and a new. The New being the more posh, shopping streets. The two are separated by a wall and a moat. (These both being on the Greek side.)

Waiting for our dinner after going on a Scavenger Hunt through the entire city. We found most things, but it was hard! We were exhausted and hungry. The winners (out of 17 groups) got a gift certificate to a nice place for dinner. We were sad we didn't get it, but not really.

Lisa, Meghan, Madge and I at a Greek restaurant, right in the middle of Greek dancing, with Greek people! Students from our program attempting the traditional Greek dance. opa!!!

It was really fun.

Me at the fresh fruit market.



The fresh fruit market that is every Saturday morning!!

A gigantic statue of one the Archbishops of Cyprus.

What our apartment looks like, with all of us and the girls from across the hall.




The roommates--Madge, Devon, and Brittany. Our program took us out to a really nice restaurant for dinner, and it was very delicious!

Tomorrow we are going up to the North side! The program is taking us up in two big buses, and we are going to one of the prettiest places in Cyprus, says the program director (Antonis, who has traveled to over 240 cities and 40 different countries---really smart) So should be fun! There will be more pictures to come!! Hope everyone has been enjoying all of the snow! It is only like 70 degrees here, so not that great.....HAHA.

When in Sutri, Italia!

This past week, I ventured to Italy!! It was so fun, I didn't want to leave! I flew into Rome last Wednesday and got in at about 4pm. From there I hopped on a bus that took me to the big train station in downtown Rome, Termini Statione. There I hopped on a undergroud Metro and went a few stops and met Susan! (I think that fact that I had taken the underground in Rome before, really benefitted me!) From there we got on a train, and then another bus, and finally got in Susan's car and soon after arrived at her house! (Long trek, I know!) She and Andrea live in the village of Sutri, just about an hour outside of Rome. Sutri is an old Etruscan Village, which you will soon see pictures of!

The first full day I was there I went into Rome with Susan, and walked around, while she had a meeting. I went to the Spanish Steps for a bit, and then walked around and saw other old statues and monuments. Since I had been to Rome before, I had already done much of the touristy things, so it was nice to wander around a see some other new places. I went to a little pizza place for lunch, and got a Pizza Margarita. The waiter then asked me if I wanted something to drink, and I said that I would have a diet coke. He said, "ah diet coke, the Champaign of America!" I thought it was hilarious, and true!

Alright, on with the pictures! This is a lake by Susan and Andrea's house, Lago Di Bracciano, and the Italian countryside!

In one of the villages that surrounds the lake. Picturesque Italy.

Another lake by their house, Lago Di Vico. This was just at sunset, so there were some pretty colors!

The geese that started to come after us, I ran, and Susan kicked sand in their faces. HA!

Me at the Lake, like you couldn't figure that out....

This is another village close to Sutri, I forget the name. But just so cool how old it is!!

This is the view from the arch I am sitting under in the previous picture.

This is Lago Di Bracciano again, but from a different side of it, and it was a beautiful 60 degree day! You can see the sun reflecting off of my white face. HA!

Look at the water!!

Love this picture.

An old Etruscan amphitheatre in Sutri. Right down the road from Susan's house.

It is so cool how it has kept its shape from the Etruscan ages. (before the Romans, if you were wondering) Susan said they still have concerts in it in the summer. People don't sit in the seats though.....

A great photo of the old village of Sutri.

An old Etruscan tomb. There are 60 tombs that surround the amphitheatre. I couldn't find any dead "Etrusconian'' people.

Where the woman of Sutri used to wash their clothes back in the day, and gossip! A typical woman thing to do still to this day--I am talking about the gossip! ha!

A beautiful Sunset.

Susan and I at the mountains...there was snow, but not a lot, and the sun was warm! I even got a little tan line!

There were tons of people there with their kids. Kids only get Sunday's off from school here! ah!

The flat area is really cool, and they said there is usually more snow that covers the area, and that snowmobiles fill it!

The wall of sugar cubes, soaked in all kinds of alcohol.

Sugar cubes soaked in alcohol!! Gross, but I had to try them! This place is famous for them!

Susan, Me, and Andrea at lunch in the moutains! There was a couple next to us, the lady from Australia, and the man from Italy. She was celebrating her 51st birthday (same age as my mom, who has a birthday coming up!!) and they bought a bottle of champaign and gave us glasses for all of us to toast her! It was the most eventful meal of the trip by far!!

Well, that was Italy, and now I am leaving for Cyprus tomorrow!! My travels have been amazing so far, and I am really excited to meet all of the people we are going to school with! Madge and I have two roommates we will be meeting on Friday as well. We are living in an apt. right across the street from the University of Nicosia, where we will be studying. I actaully just got my address, so here it is for anyone that wants it!

Barbie (or Barbara Rosie) Solbakken

c/o The University of Nicosia (Intercollege)
Student Affairs
46 Makedonitissas Avenue
1700 Nicosia, CYPRUS

I hope everyone is doing well!!

Some highlight photos!

Madge and I were jumping in front of the favorite pub of Portarlington--The Anvil Inn!

I lost my arms! Just kidding, I was just very cold watching Bobby's Rugby game! Gotcha!

Booter! Bobby and Francie's dog. He is quite the puppy! We take him for some good walks, and we even bathed him the other day!

A tired Booter.

Playing Snooker!

Outside the Snooker club, where we played Snooker! It's a way harder version of pool with a bigger table and way different balls. Too hard to explain for now. But really fun!

This is the best. We walked out of a bar and all of these guys dressed in Disney costumes were there, so we had a photo shoot! This one was with Shrek.

Madge and I at a bar in Edinburgh.

From the castle looking down on the city. Sir Walters Scott Monument (which we climbed) is the tall dark building behind the ferris wheel!

Starbucks in the snow! It was like being back in Spokane, but not really. Ha. There was another Starbucks we went to that was on a second floor and had massive windows that looked out on to the castle. It was great! And the coffee wasn't half bad!

Edinburgh Castle is behind us.

New Years Night, our heels were KILLING us, so Bobby stopped this man and we got a ride to a pizza place where we got our midnight snack! We laughed hysterically the entire time because we must have been so heavy! On top of that we were going up hill! Bobby ran along side us. The guy looks totally creepy in this picture.

Top of the Mornin' to Dublin!

Our third day in Ireland we went into Dublin for the day. It is about a 40 minute train ride from where we are staying in Portarlington. Isabel came and stayed the night in Portarlington the night before and then the three of us went into Dublin the next morning. This picture is of Isabel and Madge walking down Grafton Street--a popular tourist attraction, with many shops and places to eat.

Isabel and I at the big city park.

Yet another photo shoot!

The famous Temple Bar, where we stopped for a beverage.

Grafton Street at night. If it rains the slightest here, everyone pulls out their umbrellas! It is a crack up, I got nailed a few times--you really have to watch it!