So far, I have been spending almost all of my time in the Greek-Cypriot community, so I’ve been using only euros. However, Cypriots are so hospitable that lately I feel like I’ve practically forgotten what the euro is since I’ve hardly been spending any money on groceries. Why? Because throughout winter break, my friends, colleagues, neighbors, and new acquaintances kept inviting me to their homes for dinner after delicious dinner— on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, Epiphany, and random days in between, and most times they sent me home with lots of leftovers to enjoy. It was very generous of them! Euros? Who needs those when you are blessed with Cypriot hospitality at every turn! Okay, okay, maybe I do still need euros to pay my rent, but I think you get my point!
My neighborhood supermarket sells six packs of 1.5 L bottles of water for just over €2.00, which is equal to about $2.30. However, savvy Cypriot shoppers (who have water dispensers in their homes, like the kind found in some businesses back in America) will buy massive 20 L bottles for about €1.00, which is about $1.15. They can then refill these massive jugs for about €1.00 at water refilling stations on street corners. It’s quite a deal for Cypriots, who typically avoid drinking the not-so-tasty local tap water.
