My experience in Cyprus began almost 5 weeks ago when I decided to leave for an island about I didn’t knew so many, on a development internship. I am doing market research on the educational field in Romania. I am in Famagusa-Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, searching for Romanian universities, educational foundations, high schools and their contacts, so that they will be invited to Cyprus for an educational partnership, exchange of students, summer schools etc. People in Cyprus are most of them Muslim, I am refreshing at 35 degrees daily and eating mostly vegetarian food with rice and of course tavuk doner (kebap) I have noticed that men were the first ones served when we walked in a restaurant; this is part of the religion habits; and every time you order you are served with Ayran first of all, a tasty tin yogurt with salt and mint. And of course men smoke water pipe a lot, also called narghile or Shisha. Besides that people are most kind and welcoming.

I was skeptical at the beginning regarding the cultural habits, people, how will I accommodate but fortunately things turned out to be just great. The people with whom I am living are simply amazing and I can proudly say I am living an amazing experience. Every day I live at maximum the diversity thanks to all the other interns from all over the globe and the local lifestyle.

It’s wonderful to be surrounded by so many cultures every day, it’s wonderful to learn from them every day, to discover a little bit of each corner of the world every single day. The decision to go in exchange was a quite challenging one, with the desire to see how far I can go, how open minded can I be when it comes to religion, life vision, daily habits and people. What I have learned in this internship and I continue learning is that no matter how different people are, nothing stops us in being together and fighting for that one thing that makes us all the same.

I love you China, Iceland, Algeria, Poland, Estonia, Cyprus and all you amazing countries and people that make my experience one of a lifetime.

Oana Burlacu

External Relations team leader

External Relations department

Exchange Participant – Cyprus