A Cypriot Graduation

As Monday rolled around, the need for rest was palpable throughout our apartments.  Ayia Napa had been an exciting weekend for many in our group, a chance to enjoy the night life that doesn't exist as much in Nicosia among people that spoke the same language.  The resilience of the young never ceases to astound me.  A large portion of students enjoyed the night life Friday night, after a long day of traveling and sight seing.  Then, on Saturday, they turned around and attended an all-night party on the beach that lasted until 9 AM.


I know that I had that kind of energy at one point.  Have I really aged that much?  There have been several instances during this trip that I have felt the age difference, almost painfully, between myself and the other students.  Many of them were born in 1990.  I was legitimately asked: "Aaron, what were the 90s like?"

Really??  Wow. Haha.

But even 21 year olds need rest and time to recuperate.  So the first part of Monday was relaxed with just a few people editing video footage throughout the early afternoon.

We had received an email from Laura early in June about a photography competition among the study abroad students.  The rules were simple, submit up to five pictures you have taken during your trip and the top three photos/photographers will be chosen by the study abroad team.  The prize was to be determined by them.


But with so many things happening on a daily basis, all of us forgot about the competition until Laura sent an email reminder that the competition ended Monday at 5 PM.  I suppose I have a competitive nature, I can admit that.  I like to win or, if I don't win, I like to at least know I have given it my all.

So I submitted my five photos.  I've never taken photography courses and I've never had faith in my picture taking abilities.  Being surrounded by students who have really nice, expensive cameras with removable and interchangeable lenses certainly didn't do anything to boost my self-confidence.  But what did I have to lose?  I'd be sharing my pictures and, at the very least, I wouldn't get any sort of reward for doing so.  So I really wouldn't be losing anything; I just wouldn't be gaining anything.

The winner of the photography competition would be announced at our graduation ceremony that same evening.

Yep, that's right, I graduated while in Cyprus.  A week and a day before we departed the country.

I almost wore my suit to the graduation ceremony and now I'm glad I hadn't.  It turned out to be much more of an informal event than I expected.  I knew there would be no cap and gown or much pomp and circumstance.  But I guess I thought there would be a little more respect, particularly self-respect from the students who had worked to earn a good grade, than there actually was.

The graduation was slated to begin at 6:30 PM and we were finished within 45 minutes.  Thanos said a few words, thanking us for not getting arrested and for being an enjoyable group to work with throughout the month of June.  Then they called our names and we received our certificates of completion for the time we've spent in Cyprus.  Finally, before dispersing, they announced three winners and two honorable mentions for the photography competition.


I won first place!!  Among students with fancy cameras and pictures that were artistically color corrected and enhanced, my picture of a monument at the Green Line in Nicosia won.  For winning, the top three photographers received a 20 euro voucher for the meal of our choice at a local tavern that the study abroad coordinators chose.


I called my picture "the language of war" because I believed that the name of the monument was "Warphabet."  It's a powerful monument in general, with the Greek words scrolling around, spiraling towards the center where they are disrupted violently by metal poles that poke through at angry angles.

Apparently I imagined the title.

It's actually called "Resolution" and was created in 1995 by a man named Theodoulos.  To the best of my understanding, it is a statement of resolution by Greek Cypriots to remain free in the face of the continued Turkish torment.  Still a powerful message and monument if you ask me.

In celebration of our graduation, we headed back to Presilio for dinner at 8:30.  At this point, my time in Cyprus felt as if it had officially come full circle.  Presilio was the restaurant we ate at on the first Sunday we were in town as a sort of "welcome to Cyprus" from the Dean of the University of Nicosia.  And here we were, this time saying our thanks and goodbyes.

This would be the last time the Tennessee group would see some of the other study abroad students who were heading to Greece and Italy the next morning.  It was the bittersweet revelation of newfound friendships that must part with the uncertainty that we would ever actually see each other in person again.

I can safely say that, while I did not become best friends with every study abroad student on the trip, there are a few that I am glad I met.  They are the handful that I know I will maintain some sort of contact with, even if I don't get to see them very often, if at all.

They are the footprints on the sandy memories of my brief time in Cyprus.