The first night

Although I was looking forward to moving to the UK, I must admit that during the last few days in Malta, I was terrified and slightly dreading it. Even though I had enough of everything the island had to offer, and I can say that my motivation in living in Malta was gone, I wasn't sure I can handle a life in a town I've never been before, where I knew no one.

Excited and terrified at the same time, I went to the airport, on the plane, flew for 3.5 hours and landed when the clock striked 9pm. A guy with a banner with my name on, greeted me at Manchester's Airport and then we started our way to Stoke, right to the Moat House Hotel. This is where I spent the first night. I remember, it was cold, yet cosy. The receptionist was very welcoming, gave me tons of coupons for free internet, which sorted out most of my night, as I was too excited to sleep.

Moat Hotel / View from Hotel / English Breakfast the next morning.

The next morning, a taxi took me to my place in Porthill. I was really happy with it, but I had no towels, no pillows, no nothing except furniture, glasses and utensils. Having no internet on my phone or at my place, I walked out of the house aimlessly until I found High Street from were I purchased some groceries and a towel. I was so glad that I took my fleece with me to the UK. And that was my first night in Porthill, sorted.

My house / Porthill / First Lunch

Meet the Gal.

The plan was, to start off a blog the first week I move to the UK, but back then, I had no idea of all the procedures that needed to be handled in order for me to have internet in my house, and a telephone line. But all's well that ends well...

Meet the girl, behind the blog: Steffi.

Red Haired

Well, I would never say that I'm a stereotypical girl from Malta, because I'm not. I might be rather shy, I might be too nice, or too good to people... but I don't consider me as one of the traditional Maltese girls. I don't listen to hiphop or dance music; I listen to rock, metal, gothic and industrial. I don't follow fashion, but create my own style. I'm not sun-kissed skinned but rather pale for a Mediterranean girl; I actually despise hot weather! I've had my hair dyed black, brown, red, blue and even with golden streaks! I'm a geek, love memes and other internet puns; I'm a programmer and as they call me: an SQL Goddess. Some people tend to label me as a rock/geek-chick, but in the long run, I tend to label myself as unique. I am my own person.

My dream of parting Malta and move to the UK has been lurking in my mind since I can remember. Having travelled to the UK since the age of 6, and being more amused by parks, mountains, forests, lakes and the general greenery, I knew that Malta, beaches and drunken night outs weren't the kind of life I wanted to lead.

And so, at the age of 23, roughly mid January 2011, I decided that I wanted to start a new life, leave the country for good, live with like-minded (or, openminded) people; where looks didn't matter, where people cared enough, but could leave you at peace, minding their own business. 

Red & Blue Hair

As such, I decided to look at various locations, and I knew that as tempting as it is to go live in London, I should probably stay away, as I didn't want to share a house, I wanted my own house with yard. I wanted to live near cities, but far enough to enjoy the parks and quiet. After much deliberation, I applied to the one iGaming job I could find (in my expertise), which wasn't in London and near the Peak District. The next day I got an interview... By end of March, I was looking for a house, and making my final arrangements....

It all felt like an illusion, or a dream... But on the 12th of May, 2011, I landed in the land of the Brits... and the journey started....