Malta, Sliema, Exiles,

Sometimes it sucks

Hugh Clack Exchange view

Last year we had an interesting course, Intercultural Issues in Finland. Having spent a little over six months in Malta now, I find myself reflecting to that course a lot. Most of the time Malta is my personal paradise, but not ALL the time. Especially when I am sick or face an obstacle, I tend to get very annoyed and I admit it – then I just hate Malta.  

However, I understand that it is actually nothing serious and it is a part of this entire process of moving from one country and culture to another. The honeymoon is now over and I start to see things that are working very different to what I have used to and sometimes it gets to me. 

Sometimes it just all starts to annoy me at the same time: the terrible condition of pavements, the lack of proper customer service, the lack of even the most simplest manners, the traffic which is just insane and dangerous, seeing a mother hit her child for running around at the waiting room for the doctor’s, the noisy neighbours that won’t let me sleep, the cops that won’t necessarily come to tell the neighbours to shut it, things like that.  

So far I’ve had three days when I have been in a very dark place with myself – on those days I’ve been thinking that no, I don’t want to live in Malta for long but no, I don’t want to return to Finland either, so what the fudge am I supposed to do, where should I then go?  

But, then I decide to pull myself together. I’ve found a cure for those days: I grab a cappuccino, walk to the beach and just sit and watch the ocean. It calms me down and it makes me remember why I am here: it is already the end of November and I still don’t have to wear a jacket outside, we can stay out all day if we want. No snow, now freezing cold. Plus I have already made many great friends, I have a great job and a lovely new house, which I tell you more about later. 

Sometimes it sucks real bad, but in the end, life sometimes suck no matter the country or the culture.  

Hugh Clack
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