Studium

Zypern - University of Nicosia (UNIC)

The life on an island

Anna Lena K., International Management in the Baltic Sea Region, 6th Semester, University of Nicosia, Sommersemester 2021

1. Study search

The search for a study program started for me already in September 2020 to start my semester abroad in January 2021. The Stralsund University of Applied Sciences offers a separate section on the website for the search for possible universities and partner universities, where you can also find other important information regarding the semester abroad. So that's where I first took a close look at all the possibilities and opportunities I had. However, in the previous semester, some friends traveled to Cyprus and spent their sixth semester in Nicosia. Therefore, I already knew how the semester abroad at the University of Nicosia could look like. For me, it was also clear from the beginning that I wanted to go to a warm country with beaches, so I put all my eggs in one basket and applied for a study place in Nicosia, Cyprus.

2. Application process

After the acceptance letter was confirmed, I could apply to the partner university. It took some time until the application process was finally completed, because many documents and papers were needed. In the beginning, you only had contact with the International Office of your university from home and later also with the office from abroad, which took a lot of time and patience, because you realize very quickly that the different countries also have different mentalities and estimates of time and deadlines. You had to be in constant contact in order to be able to hand in documents such as the letter of acceptance, the learning agreement and the recognition of the examination results with all signatures in good time. It is also important to remember that documents, tests and surveys have to be done before, during and after the mobility in order to obtain full mobility.

3. Preparation for the preparations

I did as much as it was possible from this point in time from Germany. I informed myself about the temperatures, the Corona situation, what I need for the university, if other students from my university are going to Cyprus and how my apartment will be equipped. Then I booked my flights and informed myself about the possible means of transportation on the island. In addition, I already planned my courses in the fifth semester with a foresight that I would be able to take the remaining courses in the sixth semester in Cyprus. I also had to give notice to my apartment in stralsund and move out. That was a lot of stress in the last weeks before departure.

4. Apartment search

My apartment search was quite easy. I simply checked the University of Nicosia's website for accommodations and found that the university has three very large buildings with apartments in close proximity to the university available only for their students. An email address and most of the information was on file, so I simply sent an email as a request and then was sent more documents for the lease. I chose an apartment close to the university, which is about four kilometers from the city center, because I knew about the security conditions and the standard of these apartments, so I felt more comfortable in a country where I had never been before. In some moments I regretted not living further in the center with other Erasmus students, but I also met people from my building, but much less, because the accommodations are mostly occupied by students who spend their entire studies in Nicosia.

5. Culture

Cyprus is the only European country that still has a divided capital. Thus, Nicosia is divided with a border to North and South Cyprus. The northern part is often called Turkish part, because after the occupation of Turkey, the part remained under Turkish leadership and stands out until today with many differences (currency, language, laws). I lived in the southern part of Cyprus, that is in the Greek part and was surprised every day by the friendly nature of the Cypriots and the delicious Greek food. Shortly before the end of the mobility it was decided to open the border to the northern part of the island again, so I had the opportunity to explore one or the other city. The border was closed for over a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which was a big problem for many families and friends living on the different sides, so the reopening was celebrated. Most of the experiences in this report, however, refer to the Greek part of the island.

6. Religion

The majority of Cypriots are Christian Orthodox, which has led to the fact that many holidays were different than in Germany or new ones are added, such as the Greek Independence Day.

7. Alltag

My everyday life mostly started with lectures, on Mondays I had most classes from nine in the morning until nine in the evening, but the other days were more relaxed. After the lectures I mostly prepared for the following ones, did homework and wrote papers. In the afternoons I usually met with friends for coffee and in the evenings, we cooked, ordered and celebrated together. On weekends I usually went to the beach.

8. Freizeit

I often spent my free time meeting other people from Erasmus, which quickly became friends. Most of the time we went on excursions, explored the island, lay on the beach and threw a party or two. I also took pottery classes and got my scuba diving license at Green Bay in Aiga Napa, which is one of my highlights. Because I only took five courses, I had a lot of free time to enjoy my semester abroad to the fullest.

9. Sprache

Greek and English are the main languages spoken, and most local people understand you well. In the tourist places like Aiga Napa or Larnaca, the English language is even better represented than in smaller places. My professors all spoke very good English and were easy to understand most of the time.

10. Infrastruktur

There are no trains in Cyprus, only buses and cabs. However, the buses usually come late or not at all, so not really reliable. But you pay with your student card only 0.75Cent - 2.50Euro (depending on the route). However, you can rent cars very easily and cheaply even before the season. There are also some apps where you can rent electric scooters or bicycles, which makes it easier to move around the city if you live a bit further from the center, like me.

11. Fazit

In conclusion, I can say that it was really the best semester I've had so far. Not only did I take away an incredible amount of knowledge from the university, but I was also able to learn a lot about myself, other cultures and people. In the beginning I was actually a bit skeptical and now I am so happy to have made this decision. I am much more open now and definitely ready to go to Erasmus again in my Master's program.