The Turkish Cypriot
people are not only warm-hearted and welcoming but also very generous. They are
friendly, helpful and will invite the visitor into their home, not just for cay
(tea), or cup of coffee, but also share whatever food they may have. They have
a courtesy hardly found elsewhere and enthusiasm in the company of new-found
friends.
Even though Turkish is
the predominant language, Cypriots have their own version. Cyprus was a British
colony for many years, so it is most likely that you will here some English
words when people are speaking their own dialect of Turkish. Many Cypriots have
returned to the island after living in Britain , Australia or America for many
years so, English is widely spoken and understood with many Cypriots. The
locals are harmlessly inquisitive. Don't be shocked if a total stranger asks
you where you are from, questions about your family, where you live and can
identify the nearest landmark to your house. It is quite normal for a
shopkeeper to offer you a coffee or a cold drink. Etiquette says that it is not
polite to leave before the coffee cup gets cold. It's not surprising that one
of the most well known Turkish expressions is “A single cup of coffee is
remembered with respect for forty years”.
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