For those of you foreigners, who think that I’m missing out because I’m not living in Malta anymore, I thought i’d give you a bit of a feel of what Maltese people are really like. Stick to living in Malta, not visiting the country for a couple of days or weeks, and you will see what I mean.
The Good
You can get all the help you need
Are you lost? Do you need an extra 5 cents for your bus ride? Most people are ready to help – to give you directions and answer your questions; to take a photo of you and your loved one next to a historical monument. We do believe that the tourists are a big part of the island’s revenue, so we all learned at some point in our life to be well-mannered and pleasant to those who provide us jobs.
Too hot, weather – Beach times and night life!
Although shade is out of question in summer, there are plenty of beaches to cool off in. You find ice-cream vans in every street corner and pubs and bars opening early in the morning, or afternoon, and close at around 5am in the morning! If you are a music lover and/or a drunk, you will love it here! If you’re 17 years of age, you can drink as much as you want, as long as you don’t drive! And if you drive, it’s usually not a problem.... police are most of the time home and sleeping with their wives at 5am anyway!
The use of the English language
Kids are taught English in-line with Maltese at a very early age in their life, usually ranging between 3 to 6. Most of the pensioners can also hold a decent conversation in English, which means that wherever you go, you are never going to be alone. Traffic signs and directions are also in English and usually helpful (unless vandalised).
Food Delicacies
Food in Malta, is possibly one of the best things you will ever experience. Being in the Mediterranean and an island, the variety of dishes is extensive. Pizza, pasta, fish, salads, chicken, rabbit, horse meat... Anything you want... And when comparing prices to other countries, it is very affordable. Food is one of the things I miss. In the UK, you need to pay a lot of money to get food half as decent as the ones you get in restaurants in the Maltese Islands. And traditional food, sweets and liquors are to die for!
Free High-Level Education The Maltese children have the opportunity to go to school up to university level, without paying a cent. The level of education is very good in most of the towns. If the teen decides on going to a technical college instead of to the university, one has to pay for the diploma, however the price is at a maximum of 1,000 Euros for the whole course which when compared to foreign institutions, it is a very good price. When I was studying at the University of Hertfordshire, I was paying £1,000 for every module, and I was studying online. So I didn't even have the benefit of a physical university, library and tuition!
History
For all you history fanatics, Malta is the place to be. With the number of wars the island has participated in, and with the different governors from different countries we had, you can find so many buildings and museums to view and drool over. Looking at the language itself, you can see for yourself the influence history had on it. Our language is based on arabic, italian, french and lately English.
The Bad
Come local council elections or the general elections, and people will start wearing blue or red (never both!). These are the colours of the two main political parties in Malta. Before we know it, we start fighting for our own political party, as if they are paying us for our loyalty and determination! In Malta, political fanatics, are equivalent to football fanatics in the UK, those fans who never miss a game, who go abroad to support their team etc.
People DIE for their party here. I am not even joking; a local study was made and issued on one of the local newspapers on January 1st, 2012 (The Sunday Times). Medical specialists have confirmed that elections in Malta are harmful to our health, especially in the heart region.
Worshipping the Village Feast
Is it summer yet? In Malta, there’s at least one feast every week in summer. Mind you, the village feast usually takes a whole week of celebration, and the next Monday we have what is known as ‘Xalata’ (phonetically: sha-la-ta`). Xalata is about getting up early, prepare some sandwiches, wearing your swimming suit and on top of that the colour chosen to represent your saint and go to the beach... usually screaming, loud music, booze and traffic are involved.
In the bigger towns, there are usually more than one feast, and so, as part of the celebration during the week, the saint supporters go to the other side of town to scream out their lungs, about how their feast is better and so is their saint!
Having said that, I'm quite in favour of such rituals as feasts are considered to be a cultural thing tourists are interested in.
She’s on holiday, make her pay more
A lot of idiots in shops treat tourists maliciously and claim it is alright to do so because they are on holiday and they afford it. Little do they know, that taking advantage of tourists will only results in them not coming back!
The Ugly
Religious Obsessions
Born and bred in Malta, is usually a detriment in terms of religion. We cannot choose for ourselves whether we should follow any religion or lead our own way in life. When a Maltese citizen is a couple of days (or weeks) old, he is baptised. The Roman Catholic religion claims him and there is no turning back! At the age of 5, we have to go to Museum and religion classes apart from the Sunday masses. If you’re lucky enough, you’re registered to what is know as a ‘church school’ and you can benefit of a mass every day, apart from your teachers most likely being priests.
Close-mindedness
Walking hand in hand with religion, the Maltese people are close-minded and most of the time scandalous. Are you pregnant and not in a marriage? You are doomed! I’m not saying that it’s the ideal situation,as I do believe that children are better off born in a loving, married relationship. But two wrongs, don’t make a right... So why make a single mother feel miserable. Just help her, support her! Another example of closemindedness which I had to deal with on a daily basis is, the idea of: ‘if you listen to heavy metal you are a satanist’ and ‘if you were leather or pvc you are a whore’. When will the people in Malta learn to not judge a book by its cover?
Living in Malta, can’t speak Maltese
Apart from Maltese taking advantage of tourists, the foreigners who actually decide on moving here, tend to have their own issues and abuse from the Maltese. First and foremost, if you are etnically different (not caucasian), you might have trouble in renting in Malta. Agents tend to find it easier to rent a place to someone who looks ‘normal’, and is not coloured. If you can’t speak Maltese, people sometimes take advantage and misinterprate what you said as to make more money. Cases of which, I know plenty as I have lots of foreign friends living in Malta.
How much Maltese are you?
Having lived in Malta, for the first 23 years of my life, I have to admit that I share some of these characterisics. The lack of things to do, drive you towards doing things you never thought of doing and most of the time, without even realising. Although I don’t reckon taking advantage of anyone as I’m too kindhearted for my own good, I do tend to take part in the whole political party craziness. The idea of a general election taking place if the government fails to agree on things next week, gives me a new reason of getting excited. Oh and I miss eating pastizzi!
Share your experiences here, and if you think I'm being too controversial, just add on to my list. I don't mind being challenged, and I'm always up for discussions.
