How I Wish Everyone Knew About Malta

When something is so emotional, it’s hard to find the words. They only came to me as I was sitting quietly having my Shisha, and listening to Joss Stone “Son of a Preacher Man” as the background, all the words started pouring through…. Remarkable.

When I first told people I’ll be working in Malta for a bit, most people were not all that supportive. More than anything, I listened to assurances that ‘it would never work’ or ‘it won’t last’. Well, after exactly four months, I think I can confidently say that they were all wrong and that whatever happens now, I can look back on those years and now I did the best I could. I firmly believe that something doesn’t have to last forever to be deemed a success.

After you’ve been in Malta for a while, whenever you meet new people they almost demand to know if you’ll be staying forever, and whilst Malta has felt like home since the day I stepped off that plane, it’s not a question I’ve ever been able to answer. Yes, not long, few months have absolutely flown by, let alone forever. Forever is a long time and there are a lot of things about Malta that make it hard to consider a ‘forever home’. Most people leave at around the 2–3 year mark, so I think I should try it? Will challenge for me.

But, however many things I may miss when I’m in Malta, or however many things I wish would improve, when, like now, I’m leaving Malta for Singapore, I don’t really enjoy all those things that Malta is missing, as the overwhelming sense of missing Malta is much, much stronger. Malta really and friendly country I’ve discovered. In my heart, it’s the place I’ve long for, perhaps? Not sure about living, but I always see Malta “That silly little country in the Mediterranean” .

I live in Singapore and I have work in UAE and other region and I don’t have the choice to see as much as possible and I always have an amazing time catching up with everyone, but whether I’m here for 3 days or 3 weeks, I spend my whole time missing Malta, missing that someone. Strange, yet, as soon as I land in Singapore or other part of the city, I just want to go back to Malta.

Malta, I love your climate. I love that even on the coldest days, it’s still bearable than most of Europe and the sun is almost always shining. I love that it doesn’t rain for most of the year, and when it rains, it’s hard and fast, not a long, drawn out drizzle. Malta, I love that I don’t have to wake up in the dark, go to work in the frost, and come home after sunset. Malta, I love that I am never far from the sea, whether it’s calm and swimmable, or crashing 5 foot waves. I can enjoy it basically whenever I want.

Malta, I love that I can get superb cappuccino and delicious croissant for €2.50, or dine out without breaking the bank. Malta, I love that, whilst not as lush and green as other countries, your landscape is still beautiful and diverse. I’ve yet to discover new places, new sites, new interesting facts and history. Malta, I love how parts of you remain so charmingly old-fashioned and quaint, whilst other parts are catching up with the modern world and give me some ‘vibe’ and choice I miss from the rest of Europe.

But most of all, Malta, I love how you’ve allowed me to become the person I was always supposed to be by providing me with somewhere that feels like home. Somewhere I feel like I belong, so I’m glad that, in just a few day’s trip is done, Malta always brings me good fond of memory. I may leave you sometimes Malta, but rest assured I will be back soon.

Originally published at http://fizzawrite.com on February 7, 2020.