by Grace Kusta-Nasralla

Created on: September 18, 2008   Last Updated: September 22, 2008

NURTURING CULTURAL DIFFERENCES

My first exposure to a different culture was when I first visited the Island of Cyprus back in the 1980s.

Cyprus is an island in the eastern Mediterranean that was divided into a Greek southern side and a Turkish northern side after a coup instigated by the dictatorship ruling Greece in 1974 and a subsequent Turkish military aggression. The island is close to Turkey, Syria, and Egypt, but both Greek and Turkish Cypriots prefer to think of themselves as living close to Europe rather than Africa and the Middle East. Greek Cypriots are taught at schools and employ, in writing and orally, standard modern Greek; on the other hand, Turkish Cypriots employ standard modern Turkish. For informal oral exchanges, each community employs what could be called the Cypriot dialect. Cyprus has a high degree of literacy, and much of the population can communicate in English, especially the younger generation(1).

I landed in Larnaca, located in the Greek Southern side of Cyprus, and the weather was very warm then. I enjoyed the warm breeze as it brushed my face while I walked from the plane to the airport terminal. The customs there stamped my passport and with a smiling face welcomed me to the Island of Cyprus. That was my first encounter with a Cypriot and he struck me as being friendly and welcoming. I took a cab to the hotel, changed into my swimming attire and rushed to the beach that was just across the street from the hotel. My plan for my vacation was just to enjoy the sunny weather and the beautiful beaches of Larnaca.

A part of the cultural traditions in Greek Cyprus is the afternoon "siesta". I come from Lebanon where the workplace culture is relatively aggressive and fast paced. And here I find myself in a country where if I need bread I have to make sure I either get it before noon time or after 3:00 o'clock in the afternoon. What a leisure! I guess that's why you find Cypriots friendly and hospitable!

Another cultural tradition that struck me was the "Vespas", the mini motorcycles that were zooming beside and in front of the vehicles that were drive the roads of Larnaca.

Food in Greek Cyprus is everywhere. You can never run hungry walking the streets in Larnaca. The food kiosks were spread along the long street that lied across the beach that I enjoyed most. After a long day in the sun, I would walk that street and enjoy a Souvlaki Sandwich with a drink. Another very common dish for the Cypriots is fish and chips. Every restaurant had

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