Author: Gabrielle Gies              Majors: Political Science, Psychology 

Kyrenia Castle in TRNC

In the past year, we have all realized how crucial healthcare is for a successful society. No healthcare system is perfect, and each approach has certain benefits, like a wide variety of options or fast service, but a balancing mix of costs, such as high tax rates or long wait times. I was excited to travel to Cyprus, a member state of the European Union, to see for myself how different a more socialized system functioned. I came to Cyprus planning to just learn about health systems yet found myself entranced in a rather complicated international relations matter as well.

Although I am still exploring careers, I am interested in using my political science degree to somehow work on healthcare policy, minimizing inequalities within our current system through legal changes. One of my favorite courses I have taken as part of my degree has been international relations. My favorite part about my political science classes is that the information is directly applicable to my everyday life. Just by reading the news, I can see real world examples of nationalism, tariffs and embargos, and globalization. I came to Cyprus expecting to just learn about healthcare but had the chance to learn more about the tense sociopolitical situation between the Greek and Turkish Cypriots, the two primary ethnicities of the island.

When I read about Cyprus before going, I was surprised to see that the country was divided, with the northern part occupied by Turkish forces and separated by a United Nations buffer zone. I could not have been prepared, however, for the sight of the buffer zone from my dorm nor the visual of the Turkish flag painted miles away on the side of a mountain, facing the Greek side. If I stood on my balcony, I could see the painted flag. I was shocked by how real the divide was, how present it seemed.

To give an incredibly brief and minimally biased account of what occurred, let me say that Cyprus was a British colony until 1960, when they became independent and began to plan the future they wanted. Turkey soon became concerned for Turkish Cypriots and claims they invaded out of protection for their people. The UN peacekeeping foreces were sent to intervene, and until 2003 the border was uncrossable. Recently, the border opened and allowed people to  cross to the other side by just showing your passport.

One of the classes I took through the program was European Cultures, which acted like an anthropology course. There were only two other students in my class, so it was very discussion-based compared to any class I had taken before. As part of our class, we were to pick a topic regarding Cyprus and take an ethnographic, or observation based, study of the topic. I chose to write my paper about the Cyprus Problem, as it is called, and public opinion surrounding it. I had the opportunity to speak with two program directors and my professor for my other course about their views on the issue.

This interview experience was completely new to me. From my first interview, I learned that certain direct questions about opinions on the issue were problematic for some Cypriots. I had to adapt my questions so that I could still get a sense of feeling toward the issue without offending or pushing the people willing to speak with me. One thing I found particularly interesting was the divide between generations. Younger generations frequently visit the northern side and have many friends from there, but the older professor I talked to had not gone back since the war in the 70’s. Her reason, as well as some of the family members of my program director, was that they refuse to show their passport to get back into their own country.

I had the chance to visit the northern side with friends and was amazed at how beautiful that side of the island was, with mountains and castles and harbors. The buffer zone crossing was very interesting and required all visitors to show their passports. In the buffer zone were active military forces, even though the checkpoint that we crossed was only thirty meters or so wide. Graffiti with political messages scattered the walls. It was crazy to see how different the two sides were, just within several meters of the buffer zone. In the south, streets were lined with churches and people dressed very modern. In the north, people were more traditionally dressed and there were mosque minarets at every corner. The island was divided into two unique cultures.

My experience with Cyprus was valuable because of the unique insight into a complicated political issue it provided me. I learned what field observation was and will be able to apply that to future studies or research that I want to do. My advice to future students is to keep an open mind about what you will learn the most about during your program. My health class provided valuable information about the system I want to improve one day, but my cultures class paired with my actual experience is what made the trip so valuable.