Most recently, I have begun leading Valentine’s’ Day lessons with my students. Valentine’s Day is not a very traditional holiday here, although it is celebrated by some couples. However, unlike in the United States, schoolchildren do not normally celebrate Valentine’s Day. Can you imagine a Valentine’s Day without exchanging Valentine’s with your friends? I couldn’t, which is why I decided to share about American Valentine’s Day traditions with my students! Afterwards, we made and exchanged cards decorated with conversation heart messages. You can’t buy conversation heart candies here, so I printed paper ones for my students to decorate with. What do you think their favorite conversation heart message was? “Best friends forever!” And indeed, this “season of love” has been filled with many reminders of all of the kindness and friendliness I’ve been shown since I first arrived in Cyprus. Τo αγαπώ! (I love it!)
And I have certainly loved our Reach the World journey together. You’ve joined me as I learned to drive (and survive!) on the left, settled into my new home, taught English at my new school, practiced speaking Greek, attended Greek Orthodox church services, cheered along at a national parade, tried surprisingly tasty new foods, celebrated a traditional Cypriot Christmas and New Year’s Eve, visited the country of Georgia, skied in the snow-covered Cypriot mountains, led my students in making Martin-Luther-King-Junior-inspired dream catchers, and shared my own American Christmas, New Year’s, Groundhog Day, and Valentine’s Day traditions with my students and colleagues. Each of these firsts was an adventure in its own right, and each brought with it a whirlwind of emotions, from nervousness to anticipation to excitement.
