When I sat down and thought about what to write about NCCT, nothing seemed good enough. How could I properly put into words what this tour had done for me? How it had changed me? While those 10 days were spent discovering Cyprus, a huge part of the trip was also about discovering myself.

Here is what I managed to figure out along the way. Being Cypriot goes beyond knowing how to speak the language. It also goes beyond knowing how to order a frappe, doing a zembekiko or being able to do the head tilt “tsou” as a way of saying “no”. That being said, I’ve always felt inadequate around my Cypriot family, and Cypriots in general, not being able to speak the language. This trip was the first time I didn’t feel that way. The reason? With everything I was learning and experiencing, I didn’t feel like a tourist anymore. The activities, the guided tours; they gave me what I had been missing all these years. The story. And not just from 1964 onwards. The WHOLE story – or as much as you can hear in 10 days. Knowing more about the island other than which beach to visit, or where to get the best sheftalies, made such a difference.

Once you start discovering the history, you can’t stop. The fact that Cyprus is known as the birthplace of Aphrodite creates an almost mystical air. Visiting places like Petra tou Romiou, the Baths of Aphrodite and the Paphos mosaics made me realize just how impressive the island’s history is. Seeing ancient mosaics that date back to second century A.D. fueled my imagination and awakened a thirst in me to know more. Thankfully, there is plenty more history for me to sink my teeth into.

NCCT 2017