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Cyprus
Culture & Identity
Cyprus's Personality
Cyprus is the epitome of when east meets west goes wrong
and defines the Christian-Islamic communication issues, yet somehow manages to be
an extremely progressive and thriving economic and cultural center.
Cyprus has benefitted from their Greek and Roman ruins,
beautiful mountains, and incredible coastlines and beaches. Adding to this, a colonial
history under the British rule has made the island
a well-known, friendly, and relatively inexpensive English-speaking tourist destination.
However, unlike the slowly recovering relationship between Greece
and Turkey, tension here between the two ethnic groups
remains high and don't seem to be progressing well as both sides of the divided
island remain committed to their demands.
Identity
Cypriots are energetic and wholly committed to their identities, which tend to be
either Turkish or Cypriot. The Turks differ on seeing themselves as either rightfully
in Cyprus or captives on the island due to
Turkey's politics demanding they remain on the island. Cypriots are
the Greeks and get angry when you mention visiting the
north or helping the north's economy in any way. From the time of the Byzantium
and Ottoman wars, the people of Cyprus, in both the north and south, cling to those
differences and thrive on them.
This page was last updated: February, 2012