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.