It has been almost a week since my arrival in Malta. Most of my time has been spent battling the exhaustion of travel and 6 hour jet lag, however, I have also had some opportunity to explore my new surroundings and experience a different lifestyle than I am accustomed to.
On Thursday as part of our orientation we visited Mdina, �The Silent City�. The region contains history dating back to 1000 B.C., when the Phoenician�s settled and built a protective wall surrounding the city. A great wall still encompasses this unique city. Here we had chance to visit St. Paul�s Cathedral, a baroque style Church built in the early seventeen hundreds. Later that day I accidentally blew my first electrical fuse while attempting to plug in my high voltage hair straightening iron (Oops!!!). Why can�t all countries share the same voltage systems?
On Friday we basked in the sun at Paradise Bay, our first trip to the coast. I soothed my skin with my first swim in the Mediterranean Sea. The magnificent beach is one of the few sand beaches in Malta. From Paradise Bay we could see Comino and Gozo (the other two islands that make up Malta). It is amazing how small this country is!!!
My exploration continued on Saturday when I ventured into Valletta (the nations capital) with two new friends. We found ourselves crowded by hundreds of other tourists looking to find deals in Valletta�s large market. A quick reminder that we were in the Mediterranean occurred as 1:00 p.m. approached and the whole capital city closed promptly to take pleasure in siesta. We too relaxed for an authentic meal in a quant Maltese restaurant. We savoured appetizing cuisine and tasty local wine, yet I was not yet ready to sample rabbit (a local delicacy).
Saturday night we partied at a local pub where I engaged in several conversations with local residence. Here I learned that tipping in the bar is not a custom in Malta! A huge birthday cake arrived for a Maltese woman at the pub, and pieces of the delicious chocolate dessert were distributed to most patrons! Later, I met a woman who knew a lot about diving in Malta and she instantly gave me her phone number to share further information on scuba diving here. It is clearly a very welcoming society!!!
Sunday, the day of rest, actually exists here. No stores were open, forcing me to resign my busy lifestyle and enjoy some rest and relaxation. A group of us walked around our town (Lija) and soon discovered an exquisite garden nearby, �San Anton Palace Garden�, the official residence of the Maltese President. Most plants in this 17th century estate are not native to Malta, but have been brought as gifts from various countries.
Malta�s appearance is dissimilar from all I am used to. There is very little greenery, and most buildings are made of one type of stone found on the island. The structures are all generally the same peach color. There are very interesting styles of architecture here as there have been numerous cultural influences on the civilization for thousands of years. There is an abundance of stray cats constantly roaming around and I even saw a man walking his pony down the street.
It is easy to make friends in the International Residence. I have a single room, with 4 suite mates: 2 Russian�s, 1 American and 1 Austrian. I was lucky to receive an upper room where I possess a large roof-top balcony with a great view!
I am looking forward to experiencing life abroad in this unique country, everything here is very laid back (accept for the insane drivers, I actually think I am going to die on the buses here)
