Within the span of three weeks I will have flown across the world three times. I was in Cyprus for six days when I found out that my dad passed away. Within a few hours I was back on a plane and headed for home. Things have been really sad, and it's really hard to lose a parent, but I think my dad is in peace now after suffering for a long time. On Friday I will be flying back to Cyprus. We all have to move on eventually; I feel like it's fate that I have this study abroad experience because it just seems like the perfect opportunity to help me move on. Happier posts from now on.

Rest In Peace
Love You Dad
9/29/1954 ~ 1/21/2009

CYPRUS!

This week has been absolutely insane. Staying up until 5 a.m., coming down with some 24 hr flu thing, skinned rabbits in grocery stores, chocolate croissants galore, and of course meeting tons of people. I flew into cyprus last wednesday on jan 14. The next day we walked around, got to know the area a bit, and went grocery shopping. Since then it's pretty much been orientation about cyprus by day and clubbing by night. We did go to an American bar to watch the eagles vs. cardinals game. So glad the eagles went DOWN.

The one thing i'm having a hard time getting used to is the bathroom/water situation here. Cyprus is in the middle of a huge drought so everyone has tanks on top of their apartments/houses. Water is delivered every Tues/Thurs/Sat and if you run out inbetween those days then tough luck. If you want to use hot water you have to turn on the water heater 45 minutes before hand... which means waking up an extra 45 minutes in advance (boo). Additionally, the amount of water/ the water pressure is so low it is literally the amount that comes out of a water fountain (absolutely not exaggerating... double boo). Oh, and they don't flush toilet paper here. They throw it out. very odd. makes trash bags necessary.


A few observations thus far:
1) Americans are totally spoiled. especially because in the US we have water pressure and automatic hot water. and can flush toilet paper.
2) There are stray cats everywhere
3) Wine is cheaper than water
4) There. are. no. dryers. here.
5) My eight years of french does me no good here
6) Skype is my new best friend
7) It's constantly in the upper sixties and sunny :)
8) Good internet connection is few and far between, hence why I can't upload pictures


More Later! xoxx

Cairo Int'l Airport

I feel like someone just shoved me outside of my comfort zone; oh wait, they did. I was sleeping nicely on my ridiculously long flight from JFK to Cairo Int'l thanks to Ambien when we landed. I've never walked off a plane before onto the runway. That was a first... Then we all CRAMMED into a tiny little bus and were shuttled to a little office thing where no one spoke English (only Arabic). It took me a while to figure out I had to take another bus to get to a different part of the airport. I tried to go sit in my gate but I was kicked out for now and I'm not sure why because I don't speak Arabic. I'm assuming it was because I'm a few hours early for my connection flight to Larnaca, Cyprus..

A few observations I've made so far:

1) Smoking is legal in public (whoa, time to dust off the old inhaler)
2) Wool socks in Cairo are aboslutely not practical.
3) Cairo Int'l barely has working bathrooms but they do have a Starbucks. Proof Sbucks is taking over the world
4) White women traveling alone are interesting.
5) I am NOT in Kansas anymore.

Let the culture shock, begin.

about to embark on a 24 hour journey to Cyprus. WHOA.

one & a half days.

i. hate. packing.

almost there...

leaving in three days. laundry not done. computer sort-of broken. not packed. predicted storm in NYC for departure day. super.