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Author: Jess Brunner

Being educated on the culture and history of a country that you wish to visit is incredibly important. As I researched the history of these mosaics I came across a stark difference between the United States and Cyprus. American history education, and what I have been taught during my American History classes, starts in the fifteenth century when native peoples populated the North American land. Conversely, the history of Pafos, has ties to biblical times and even before then during the Hellenistic Period (325BC – 58BC). This time difference (which is over 2000 years) is incredibly significant because Cypriot history goes into much more depth than the United States. It involves the origin of many parts of society including religion, mythology and is the location of some of the first civilizations built. All of which are so fascinating, however, can be easily overlooked without sufficient education and cultural awareness.

Often, when American’s travel to other countries, they are unaware of the history and significance of where they are standing. It may come off as thoughtless, ignorant, or ethnocentric behavior. This type of syndrome has become a global phenomenon of global American tourists and is called the “Ugly American.” Unfortunately named as well as unfortunately defined. This syndrome describes American citizens that are abroad or even at home that are ignorant in cultural awareness. As I have studied abroad I have found it so incredibly important and valuable to have knowledge of cultural customs, language and history because without it, I may start to have characteristics of an “Ugly American.” A typical “Ugly American” tourist will often be loud, use little common courtesies, and not be understanding to the different ways people celebrate their culture. Personally, I have found such passion for deepening my cultural awareness and expanding my global citizenship. To avoid coming across as an “Ugly American” I will try to learn the local language, ask many questions on the norms in their society, and, most importantly, understand that no country is like America. Every country has vast differences in culture, food, norms, so as global citizens we cannot have expectations that things to always be just as they are at home.

As I mentioned before, Cypriot culture dates back to the Hellenistic Period so ancient cities that were once alive and stood as an example to all future civilizations became buried. Fortunately, in 1962, after a farmer ploughing his field accidently unearthed one of these beautiful mosaics that now are part of a UNESCO World Heritage site. This mosaic is located in the House of Dionysus and dates back to the 2nd-5th centuries AD. This mosaic depicts everyday life and practice of the Greco-Romans. They are made by embedding tesserae into mortar which is a cube of stone or glass. Often these ancient mosaics depict violent, erotic or methodical scenes, however, this one serves more as a symbol of wealth, status, and objects used in everyday life. The material does not fade easily and has proven to be sustainable as it has lasted all this time. There is something to learn here about how the Roman’s valued the longevity of their cities and art. Research as shown that Romans took a sophisticated and extremally careful construction approach. This ties directly into our Sustainability Development Goal (SDG) of industry, innovation, and infrastructure. Despite limited technology, the Romans had built resilient infrastructure, and sustainable industrialization which fostered innovation, ultimately leading to the way society is today.

Author: Jayden Behnken

The above image demonstrates a component of studying abroad that has had a profound impact on me: the importance of personal and community health, having an open mind, and taking advantage of new experiences. Throughout this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to study and live in the ancient coastal city of Paphos, Cyprus, I’ve developed an enhanced understanding of the power behind a friendly smile and the willingness to connect with others. Due to my innate curiosity and respect regarding foreign cultures, understanding the perspectives of those whose cultural lenses differ from my own has always been an intrinsically motivating factor in my life.

However, and unfortunately, this approach to traveling abroad hasn’t been historically expressed by Americans, thus contributing to the preconception that American tourists are disrespectful, arrogant, ignorant, and entitled. Although this stigmatizing perception of Americans exists for a valid reason, I have found that showing a genuine willingness to cross-culturally connect with and learn from the locals can expunge the preconceived biases and prejudices they may have towards Americans. Whether it’s saying “thank you” in the local language or showing a genuine interest in their culture, I’ve learned that, setting cultural differences aside, we humans are not all that different from one another. On a fundamental level, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, religious beliefs, etc., as human beings — we seem to instinctually recognize the familiar warmth of kindness, respect, love, authenticity, selflessness, community, and gratitude. These seemingly universal values not only facilitate cross-cultural engagements, but they’ve personally shown to enable the creation of lifelong memories with others who speak a language that differs from my own.

Although I’ve only been in Cyprus for less than two weeks, I’ve fallen in love with the hospitable, friendly, and laidback milieu that creates a culture centered around kindness, reciprocity, community, and enjoying the simple pleasures of life. This is embodied in many of the local Cypriots I’ve smiled, waved, or spoken to throughout my time here, as I will always receive a friendly gesture of acknowledgment in return–something I don’t routinely experience in Columbus. Lastly, I’ve come to deeply appreciate the pro-health lifestyles of the Cypriots, something that’s displayed in many facets of their culture. One of myriad examples of this pro-health disposition is their version of the American/ English “cheers.” In Cyprus, we say “Yamas,” which means “to our health” in Greek. The expression “yamas” is heard prior to sharing meals, drinks, or in moments of celebration with others. It is also embodied while eating healthy, locally sourced meals, when sharing laughter with friends or family, and, as depicted in the image above, when going for a long, spontaneous sunset stroll along the seafront with a group of friends who were merely strangers just a few weeks before.

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