Cyprus, an island full of surprises! Blog

I am Giulia, I am 26 years old and I have been living in Cyprus for the last 7 months.
When I first read about the EVS project in Cyprus, I did not know what to expect. The project (working in YEU Cyprus and organize activities for young people) sounded interesting but there was not too much detail on what I was going to do. I knew I was going to share the flat and to work every day with three girls, but I couldn't know if I was going to have a good relationship with them or not. Moreover, I read a bit about Cyprus and it didn't look as the island of the dreams. It did not look so special in comparison to the Greek island and I didn't find too many exciting information from foreign living there.
But I decided to go, because it was an opportunity doesn't happen often, and decided to take the risk! And now that the EVS is almost finishing I understood why I am here! and I am happy for the choice I took!
Cyprus it is not an easy island. The political situation is very peculiar has it is still divided since the 1974 in North and South part. I leave in the South were people speak Greek. But when crossing to the Turkish part, that people here called "occupied part" you find a completely different reality. It is very interesting to meet and talk to people of both sides about what they think about this situation and discover that sometimes they have different version of what happened. And notice that most of the young Cypriot people do not talk about the situation too much. Cyprus is like a small village where everybody knows each other and for some things people are still very traditional and can seem not very open minded. But on the other side I discovered how people here are kind hospitable and ready to help!
Here I am really free to organize the events I prefer and focus on the activities I like, and now I am now organizing an environmental weekend. I have a radio show every week with my three housemates. I teach Italian (even if I ended up having just one elderly student and talking about her interesting life in English), I go to Caritas once a week to work with immigrants. I just play card with them and have a chat and at the beginning I felt useful, but then I realized that this is one of the things they need: people who spend time with them and make them feel confortable.
I haven't learned any Greek because here everybody speaks in English and they have a weird Greek dialect. But if you are really motivated you can! :)
The most important thing of this experience are the people I have have met.I had the luck to leave with three girls I am really close to and to meet very interesting and inspiring people. In particular many travelers, thanks whom I've rediscovered a side of myself that if I was still in my country would probably be still sleeping. Moreover I have an amazing mentor, full of energy that always encourage us!
So I really recommend all of you the EVS. Just try to chose a project you like, be open and try to learn as much as you can! In this case the magic will happen and nothing will be as you expected! :)

Giulia