-I’m studying abroad this semester.
-Ooh Where!
-Nicosia, Cyprus. It’s in Eastern Europe.
-Oh. Ok so that’s in Greece, right?
-No, that’s Crete. But it’s just a bit further East than that.
-Ok cool. Well uhh. Have fun.
I will admit, I knew very little about Cyprus until I started looking into my program. Cyprus is a popular spot for Europeans to travel to, but few Americans ever visit the island country. To the best of my abilities, I will answer the questions I’ve gotten most frequently.
So, where is it?
Cyprus is an island country located just about as far East in the Mediterranean as you can get. It’s about 75 km South of Turkey, 105km West of Syria and Lebanon, 200 km Northeast of Israel, 380km North of Egypt, and 280km East of Greece. So no, I am not in Greece, but I will be visiting there! To put it in perspective, click here.
Although it is part of the EU and uses the Euro, some also consider it a part of the Middle East or Western Asia.
Whoa, is that safe?
Ahh, so you stopped listening when I said Syria, Lebanon, Israel, or maybe you lost me when thinking about the financial crises in Greece.
Cyprus, like most other countries, has a significantly lower crime rate, violence rate, and imprisonment ratio than the US. The Republic of Cyprus is not involved in the conflicts occurring between the US and the countries that surround it. There is a high theft rate, which to me seems like a crime of opportunity given the high tourist volume in the country. Yes, I’m safe.
There is a UN boundary on the island, though. It sounds dangerous, but I firmly believe that my university wouldn’t place me in an apartment within walking distance of the edge of the boundary if it weren’t safe. I will be on the UN side of the border, which comprises about 2/3 of the island. The other portion, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (Orange on map) is only recognized by Turkey, and is considered by other countries to be occupied by Turkey. Again, I wouldn’t be able to live there if the boundary area were not safe.
What are you doing there?
Studying. Or not studying, whatever ;). Here is a link to my itinerary (Spring 2014).
My university, University of Nicosia, is the first to accept Bitcoin as payment, over 90% of my professors hold their PhD, and UNic provides classes to hundreds of study abroad students each year.
I’m doing an international business program that will take care of most of my second major. As a means of developing a deeper understanding of global culture, economics, and finance, I will be traveling to Salzburg, Vienna, Brussels, Prague, Paris, Strasbourg, Berlin, Dachau, Dresden, Luxembourg City, Amsterdam, Bratislava, Athens, Florence, Rome, Venice and major cities in Cyprus. We will do site tours of major institutions, as well as the usual tourist activities in these places.
How do you even begin to pack for that?
Start small. My packing list:
Suitcase
Bottoms: 1 pair jeans, 2 pr shorts, 1 pr sleeping shorts, 1pr yoga capris
4 dresses
Tops: 2 tank tops, 2 tees, 1 sweater, 1 long sleeve tee. All can layer together or be worn separately
Shoes: 1pr toms, 1 pr chacos (for showering, walking, hiking, traveling) 1pr boots (they’re falling apart, so I will wear them when we travel north then throw them away for extra space later), 1pr vibrams, 1 pr sandals (also falling apart, but I’ll probably replace them there). = 5. I think that’s pretty good!
Underwear for 2 weeks, socks for 1.
Accessories: shoe fresheners, samples of detergent, yoga mat, backpack, toiletries and makeup, candles and incense, chargers, a few jewelry items, belt, 2 scarves,
=48LBS.
Carry On:
Computer, phone, kindle, notebook, charger, snacks, headphones, travel pants and sweater on me, heavy jacket, converter, toothbrush, face wash, extra shirt and leggings, glasses and case, sunglasses, passport, wallet, DSLR camera (NEW! It’s red and sexy and I love it!!), Pre-departure guide from GLS that I should’ve read months ago, a book about Cyprus.
The upper lefthand picture is ALL MY CLOTHES. Four months.
I feel like I’ve overpacked.
However, I strategically put my big backpacking backpack in my suitcase for now, so I’ll have a ton of room to bring things back!
How can I get a hold of you while you’re gone?
I’ll miss you! I want to hear from everyone too! Even if I don’t have time to respond, I love knowing what’s going on. If I am too busy to respond or pick up, I won’t, please don’t worry about ‘bothering me’. So… (underlined are links)
samantha.burmeister@gmail.com
Comment on this blog!
Snapchat
Samantha Burmeister / P.O. Box 27931 / Engomi, Nicosia 2434 / Cyprus
…basically anything except texting or phone calls.
Where are you living?
An apartment, with 3 other girls, about 4 blocks from campus. We share a parking lot with a mall and a supermarket- score!
When will you be back?
May 17 is when I’m scheduled right now!
I think that answers the basics. Further posts will be shorter, and more fun! I will post stories so I don’t have to explain everything to everyone I meet, pictures because they’re worth a thousand words, and links to awesome events or locations! Thanks for following, and let me know if there’s anything you think I should include!
Comment below, follow button is in the upper right hand corner 🙂