Author: Melody Tsai
Despite only having been in Cyprus for less than two weeks, the culture here on the island has already made quite an impression – the similarities and differences to American culture have been somewhat surprising, but I have been conscious about keeping an open mind about them. In particular, lifestyle practices related to the third Sustainability Development Goal (SDG), promoting the health and well-being of people of all ages, have stood out to me. Upon exiting the Cyprus airport, one of the first observations I made was about how the bus parking area was filled with people smoking or vaping. Within the next few days, it became clear that smoking and vaping are much more prevalent throughout Cyprus, with very few “no smoking” signs in sight. This is a stark contrast to what I am used to seeing at home and on campus, where smoking is prohibited in nearly all indoor spaces and many outdoor areas. It has been difficult to reconcile this difference because of the known health risks associated with smoking, but it is just the norm here. However, other aspects of the Cypriot lifestyle counterbalance the effects of smoking, per data that shows good health of Cypriots compared to the rest of the European Union and the United States.
Walking and good diet are factors that appear to contribute to higher life expectancy and lower occurrence of disease among the Cypriot population. On the second day in Cyprus, I walked over twenty thousand steps, which is more than the total number of steps I had taken in the two weeks before departure. A couple of days later, the historic field experience we had in central Pafos further exemplified the regularity of walking – while there are many cars around, there are sidewalks everywhere and many people are always out walking. It seems that the area’s walkability serves to promote a healthy lifestyle and preserve the millennia-deep history. Aspects of the typical diet in Cyprus were evident throughout this experience as well – on the walk, we saw many fruit trees grown around homes, such as lemons, papayas, and pomegranates. Then, we ended this trip with dinner at a restaurant specializing in Cypriot souvlaki, which was served in a pita bread with cucumbers, onions, cilantro, tomatoes, and lemon. Although these aspects of diet aligned with my expectations of a Mediterranean Diet, other meals I have had on this trip surprised me. For example, fries are one of the most common sides for Cypriot dishes, as they are in the US, likely due to British influence. Despite this, fresh fruits and vegetables, seafood, and olive oil prevail, as shown by the health and longevity of Cypriots. While the prevalence of smoking is high here in Cyprus, the integration of physical activity and healthy diet in the typical lifestyle here has positive effects on the health of both Cypriots and tourists.
