The funniest differences between Cyprus and Italy

... through the eyes of a student!

As an Erasmus student in Italy, I have noticed some very funny differences about the lifestyle of the young and the locals between Cypriots and Italians.

Let’s see the most important differences

ON THE FLOOR

In Italy you can sit on the floor or on the steps of a church (Duomo), even if you are all dressed up with your nice clothes and high heels. You can feel comfortable anywhere! In contrast to Cyprus, most girls in Cyprus will not leave their house unless they are very dressed up and if they walk (most of them drive) they need a red carpet to walk on.

YOU WILL NEVER WALK ALONE

…Because walking is another one big difference between the two countries. If you live in Italy, be ready for a lot of walking. You cannot pass by car in the centre of the old city, only if you are a permanent resident and your house is exactly in the centre and for that you also need a special permit. All other visitors or residents must walk. 

ALL DAY ALL NIGHT

In Italy, during the summer months, its is usually night by 10:00pm and the first day light is around 5:00am. In Cyprus you can sleep until 8:00am with your window open without worrying about the day light… and the most important thing is that you can leave the window open..and this is another big difference

JUMP FROM THE WINDOW

…because in Italy it’s impossible to leave your window open… open window is tantamount to open war ... with mosquitoes ... and we are talking about real war no joke.  Mosquitos are everywhere… even if you are walking in the streets or seating outside. In Cyprus, we have mosquitoes in the summer but to the point where you can tolerate them. The Italians, of course, have found a way to fight this bad situation, and this is another big difference..

SMOKER WORRIOR!

Smoke as much as you can my friend… because you can smoke everywhere in Italy, even in the train station… in every street you can find ashtrays in every 20m. That’s because it seems that mosquitos don’t like Cigarette's smoke. So if you are a daily smoker, you will be one of the best fighters in this war between Italians and mosquitos. Smoking for the common good!

MIA VITA MIA MUSICA

Music is way of life in Italy. You can carry your speakers with you, with your favourite music loudly and feel free to walk in the streets…This is normal. Also you can find people who sit down (on the floor) at squares and play music instruments together…so if for example you want to learn how to play an instrument, you don’t have to pay for private lessons like in Cyprus.. you have to only to sit with these musicians...  even if you don’t know them.. you will be more than welcome there… because this one is also another big difference.

UNA COMPANIA

Yes, and of course you will go sit down with a group of people playing music on the square, and without knowing them. Because that's how it goes ... You are welcome to any company you want to sit down. The people in Italy are more open and no one will misunderstand or judge you. In comparison with Cyprus, if you would like to sit somewhere with your friends… even on the top of a mountain, if someone else is already in the same place as you, you will leave and look for a new place insteafd of joinging them. And if there is any possibility that others choose to seat close to you, you will move with your friends because this is the normal thing to do. Leave us alone guys. Cyprus is too small for too many people in the same place.

PASTA-PASTA-PASTA…. BASTA!

In Italy, I think you must follow a healthier diet… you have to eat more vegetables because the meat costs a lot more than the meat in Cyprus. I paid 10 euro just for 1kg minced pork meat to make Cypriot meatballs to my friends. Note that with 10 euros you can buy 25 packets of pasta in Italy, this will; give you food for 2 weeks (especially if you are student). But it seems that nobody cares about that, because when you speak about Italian food you mean for sure Pasta or Pasta or Pasta (Βasta!-Enough). In Cyprus we eat meat daily, and maybe we have a kind of meat in each of 3 meals every day.

If you are a foreign student in Italy, you can easily perceive this article.

If you have never been a student in Italy, but you are thinking of studying abroad, Italy is your destination.

….But keep this advice in mind

Nowhere better than Cyprus