Before arriving in Cyprus, we had been told numerous times by Dr. Olson and Dr. Stephens how welcoming and excited the people of Cyprus were to interact with Americans. I was a little skeptical of this. Over the last two weeks it has been abundantly clear that this is completely true. Cyprus is very far away from America. It takes at least two, sometimes three, plane rides to get here from the States. So, many Cypriots are not used to seeing Americans here, so much so that they often assume that I am from the U.K. or Australia. Due to this especially, the Cypriots that live here and many of the people that have immigrated here are very excited to see an American.

            This plays out in a variety of ways, from servers bringing us extra food or free shots at the dinner table to storekeepers being very excited to tell me everything there is to know about Cyprus. They wax poetic on the lore of the cats on Cyprus to the lace making on the island. I had heard that the hospitality here on the island was extraordinary and it is true. The people of Cyprus go out of their way to show kindness and hospitality. The other incredible thing about Cyprus is there are so many people from so many different places here. I would argue that in a restaurant full of people you could find people represented from at least 20 different countries. People are here visiting, or very often they immigrate from places like the U.K. and Greece. Today, as I was wondering around Larnaka, I met a lovely man who owned a shop with his wife where they sold home goods like decorative items, light fixtures, and even the famous Cyprus lace. The man was so delighted that we were American, my roommate Paris and I spoke to him for forty-five minutes about life in Cyprus. He told us about many of the wedding traditions that are seen in Cyprus and Greece, including that a small wedding in Cyprus is 300 people and that all of the people going to the wedding help pay for it. Another encounter that filled my soul was with a couple at the farmers’ market. They set up a farmers’ market on the boardwalk from around 6pm to midnight. A couple was selling cutting boards and other kitchen tools that they did resin work on. I decided to buy some wooden spoons for my mother as a gift. The husband started talking to me about where I was from and we discussed that I was from America and they were delighted. They asked where specifically in America and I told them Colorado. The husband then hugged his wife and said, “Baby, your spoons are going to Colorado”. That moment felt so surreal and special that I could help bring someone’s work halfway across the world.

            Cyprus itself is incredible and I feel so lucky to be able to be here working on archaeology, exploring the history of ancient peoples, and learning about their culture. However, hands down my favorite thing about Cyprus is the people. The people here are so kind and willing to share their culture and who they are. That feels incredible. Also, the fact that so many people intersect on this tiny island continues to amaze me. It makes me think of how many people have passed through Cyprus over thousands of years. So many ancient peoples must have come to this island whether it be for trade, military, or a new start. That thought often occurs to me when I am having an interaction with a Cypriot and they break into a smile and say, “ You are an American! What are you doing all the way out here?”

Madi Barber