Originally published: August 2017
Note: I wrote another article about Malta in 2022, sharing my latest views and feelings about the situation there.
A few years ago I decided to leave my home country and try my luck abroad. This wasn’t a spontaneous decision at all, rather it was the result of many years during which my disillusion and frustration with Malta had been growing and growing until I felt I had to take action or I would fall into a very negative perpetual state of mind.
Of course, I have many friends and dear family back in Malta, but honestly, I don’t miss living there. I make it a point to visit at least once a year and I usually have a good time catching up with friends and spending time with my family, but I don’t feel like I would like to go back and live there.
As you can imagine, several friends and family members ask me why this is so. I’ve finally found some time to really list the reasons for my moving away from Malta and why I don’t feel as comfortable living there as I do in other places.
While this post will be very honest, I’m afraid that some readers will find it too negative or downright offensive. Please keep in mind that is an honest outpouring of my thoughts and feelings and is no way meant to attack anyone or show any lack of appreciation. I did grow up in Malta and received many good things, I was blessed with a great family and a good education and also had lots of great experiences. However, as I grew older I started to feel that this was not the place where I wanted to spend the rest of my life in, and this is an attempt to describe why.
Malta is described in propaganda as being an idyllic “paradise on earth” island in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. Surely life is incredibly good over there! Not to mention it’s a tax haven!
First of all, Malta is no tax haven if you’re Maltese. There are a few schemes designed to attract business and executives from abroad. These schemes have been widely used and abused, and that’s where the reputation for being a tax haven is coming from. The island is also famous for housing a great number of online gambling companies. These companies came to Malta due to the fiscal and regulatory incentives and they are by and large doing extremely well.
Online gambling is not something that interests me and in general, I don’t like the vibe that they have about them. I’m sure many Maltese will disagree with me on this, but this is my view on the topic. The gambling companies pay very well and usually provide attractive offices and perks to their employees. Due to them, property prices in the Sliema and St Julian’s area have risen to incredible levels (many would agree that it’s bubble stage already). A whole financial services industry has grown to support these companies.
The downside? Apart from the moral doubts of working at these companies or even incentivizing them to move to Malta, I see a lot of dependence on them. If another country were to offer better regulations and tax incentives, it is likely that many of these companies would leave, as they don’t have any significant ties with Malta. They are merely using the country. In the eventuality of them leaving, we will see serious repercussions on property prices and the financial services industry. Whether this situation ever plays out is anyone’s guess, but it’s definitely something that has always bothered me.
Now I don’t mean to turn this into an attack on gambling companies. They do well to seek out the best environment for them to operate so I don’t blame them for anything. I certainly didn’t leave Malta because of this, so let’s explore some other more important reasons for me leaving.
If I were to describe Malta in one word, it would be frustrating. There is no doubt that islands are (were?) blessed with natural beauty, great weather and beautiful sea. I think the small size of the islands is, however, a big problem for people like me. It is clear that you can find idiots in every country, but in bigger countries, you can mostly keep away from them. You can frequent different places, live in different areas, and generally live amongst people that you like. Not so in Malta, every time you step outside of your door you are bound to experience some kind of ignorance, be it illegal construction, irresponsible driving, and unprofessional behavior. There is no deeply ingrained culture of doing things the right way. Rather it’s more of a “whatever, if it barely works then it’s good enough”.
I acknowledge that I have trouble really describing what it is that frustrates me and pains me so much about living in Malta. I also know that most Maltese genuinely love living in Malta, and whenever I have tried to speak out against the way things are done, the usual reaction is to try and shut me up and tell me that things aren’t so bad.
I inevitably realized that there was no way I’m going to change the culture of a country. One of the best pieces of advice was given to me by a Bulgarian builder in Malta. In one of my moments of frustration, the builder, who was fixing some stuff in our office, overheard me complain about things in Malta. He calmly came up to me and told me “my friend, if you don’t like the menu, change the restaurant”. It was a seemingly joking and simple comment, but it rang so true for me that that was the moment that I decided to leave for good, and sure enough, two months later I left.
Living in Malta, at least as a local, involves sustaining yourself (whether you want it or not) on a constant stream of local news. You can’t escape the latest political mess, and the smallest incidence can make front-page news. It is really an environment that discourages you to think big and expand your mental horizons. For many years I found it very stifling and I harbored a lot of internal anxiety, frustration, and anger due to this situation over which I had little control.
Since moving abroad, all these effects instantly disappeared and I finally felt free to be what I really want to be and rapidly increase my knowledge in the areas that interest me, such as investing.
They say that a person is the sum of the other people that are closest to him. In Malta, I always struggled to surround myself with people who would constantly inspire me and drive me to become a better person. Due to the small island mentality, there seems to be a lot of jealousy and people try to keep you in line. You’re best just being an average Joe behaving like everyone else if you want to live a good life there. Do something significantly different than the rest and you’re going to have a very difficult time indeed.
But come on Jean, you might say, what about the lovely “best in the world” weather that Malta is blessed with? Well yes, Malta does indeed have very hot summers and mild wet winters. The problem is that the vast majority of houses have zero insulation and in the winter months you can feel really uncomfortable due to the insane levels of humidity and cold inside. Although I always felt bad during the winters, reality really struck during my first experience of winter in the UK, when I realized that I was much happier in winter there than I had ever been in Malta. Like many other countries, buildings there are well insulated and have good heating, so you can stay in your flip-flops and shorts inside in winter. In Malta, I would be wearing jackets, long johns and a beanie and I’d still be uncomfortably cold.
One other big pain point: the roads. Malta’s road surfaces are among the worst in Europe and are more befitting of a third-world country than a country that presents itself as being a hub of innovation and being on par with its European counterparts. I once tried taking my Brompton bike to Malta to cycle around during our holiday but ended up walking back home after 200 meters. There are way too many potholes, bumps, and uneven road surfaces to be able to ride a bike like that comfortably without damaging it. Not to mention the challenge of staying alive when riding a bike in Malta.
Some of my friends have been severely injured due to irresponsible driving or bad road surfaces, and one of them even died by the roadside after being run over by a youngster driving without a license. I won’t even get started on the Maltese judiciary, but I’ll just mention that after eight years this man has not been sentenced yet. See here and here for more great examples of Maltese incompetency where justice is concerned.
A related aspect is the lack of good pavements. Unfortunately, Malta is not a walkable place at all. We grow up getting accustomed to getting out of our houses and into the car to get whisked to wherever we need to be. This leads to people exercising less and the resulting obesity issues. Malta has the highest child obesity rate in Europe, and Maltese adults are the second most obese in Europe. This fact is evident to me whenever I land in Malta and have a look around. I believe the walkability issue is a significant contributor to the problem. Owning a car is almost a necessity and gives you the independence to go wherever you want, while public transport is of average quality and mostly consists of buses and taxes (an underground metro system would be a game changer). Of course, we can all see with our own eyes that traffic has increased exponentially during the past twenty years, to the point that you are now guaranteed to get stuck in a traffic jam every time you go for a drive, at any time except during the night. Given that in general people tend to keep their cars far longer than the European average, we have a lot of pollution from vehicles and that affects everyone’s health.
Moreover, Maltese people in general tend to overeat, with typically huge portions being served in families, while fast food has gained in popularity. The famous mediterranean diet is not really present in Malta, instead people tend to consume large quantities of bread, junk food and pasta. Kids are given sweets abundantly. This is coupled with a sedentary lifestyle and other bad habits like smoking and alcohol consumption, and you get the resulting obesity situation. A visit to the country’s main hospital will also give a clear indication to where all this is leading to, with crowded waiting rooms filled with people who could clearly used a better diet instead of being given more pills.
Back to the lack of paving. In other countries, I got used to walking a lot, but in Malta it’s impossible to run any errands on foot except if you’re going around the corner from your house. Pavements seem to be an afterthought and come in all shapes and sizes. Some are tiled, some have rough surfaces, some are super narrow etc. What this also means is that we have a big problem with accessibility. One of the main highlights of my trips to Malta is spending time with my 93-year-old grandma, and I would love to be able to take her out for a walk while we chat about our lives. Alas, it’s pretty much impossible given the state of the pavements and the very close proximity of cars and trucks belching out fumes.
Lastly, let’s come back to the idyllic island thing one more time. During the past thirty years, there has been way too much indiscriminate development. Many ugly buildings were built and a good part of them were built in areas that were meant to remain in their natural state. The result is an overexploited island where very few green areas remain. As a kid, I used to go out and play soccer with my friends in the fields nearby. This was commonplace wherever you lived in Malta. Nowadays there is no chance that kids would be able to do that.
A Times of Malta showing illustrating over development in Sliema and St. Julian’s.
Everything’s been built up, and as I said, it’s been one huge land rush with developers making big money while they exploited every inch of the island. Of course, this constant development has also brought with it a lot of air and noise pollution, apart from visual eyesores. We are now seeing an increasingly high rate of respiratory diseases, and frequent complaints about noise due to construction. Gozo, the other island, is currently at a very nice balance between nature and man-made buildings, but I’m afraid that the developers will turn their greedy eyes there next.
Over exploitation (umbrella rentals) of one Malta’s iconic spots – Blue Lagoon
How about the famous Smart City? Rather than attracting all the big IT companies and making Malta another silicon valley, as was originally promised, it’s been sitting there mostly empty. Moreover, it seems likely that it will soon be turned into another luxury apartment complex. This land had been given to the Smart City developers on the condition that it will be used for ICT purposes, but it seems that the new fashion is to completely disregard such contracts. Real estate agents are already selling apartments on plan even though it is still technically an IT office center and there are absolutely no building plans in place to turn it into an apartment complex. Something similar happened just last year with the former ITS complex in Pembroke. Such free-for-all practices are very common when it comes to building and development.
It’s not only big developers who are the problem though. Many individuals have also constructed illegally while the authorities have turned a blind eye. There is a whole village of illegal properties in Armier bay, and no political party has done anything to remove them over many years.
Armier bay illegal construction.
To make matters worse, much of the remaining countryside is taken up by hunters who occupy whole swaths of land. Yes, in Malta bird hunting is a very popular pastime, and incredibly just a few years ago a referendum to ban this barbaric practice in spring failed to get a majority backing. Any walk in the countryside is sure to be accompanied by the sounds of guns as the hunters try their best to blast every bird out of the sky.
A protected bird illegally shot down in Malta.
No wonder you will hardly see any birds in Malta. Illegal hunting is a widespread and serious problem, with poachers specifically targeting raptors (birds of prey) and Herons as well as rare migratory birds such as the Greater Flamingo, Black Stork and Eurasian Spoonbill, among others. Moreover, as I mentioned, hunters occupy a lot of public lands and block off access to hikers, mountain bikers and the regular folk who are out to enjoy a bit of countryside.
In line with the selfish nature so prevalent in Malta (a so-called Catholic country), we find the issue of smoking. Smoking was banned in enclosed public places and workplaces in Malta on July 1, 2004, with the implementation of the “Protection of Non-Smokers Health Regulations.” This ban was extended to include bars and restaurants in 2005, and in 2018, Malta introduced a comprehensive smoking ban that prohibited smoking in all public places, including outdoor areas like beaches and parks. The ban also prohibited smoking in private vehicles when children under the age of 18 are present. The implementation of the smoking ban in Malta has been enforced in restaurants and offices, which arguably already had arrangements for smokers before the ban, but it is a miserable failure when it comes to clubs and many bars. If you don’t believe me, go have a look for yourself, pick any club and you will most likely see the bouncers, DJ and other people in management smoking, so it is little wonder that patrons also feel at liberty to smoke. The ban in outdoor areas is another complete joke, again just visit any park and beach and see for yourself. As a health-conscious non-smoker, I find this to be another prime example of the selfishness and short-term thinking of the Maltese.
Sometimes people will challenge me by posing the question: “If Malta is so bad, why do so many foreigners fall in love with Malta and want to live here?”. I think that’s a very interesting question that merits delving into.
First of all, Malta is a very very unique place, for many reasons. It has a rich and varied history having been under the rule of several nations and cultures. Its size and geography is also unique, as is the fact that Maltese people have their own language. I can definitely see how these exotic qualities can be such a strong attraction for foreigners.
They would have never have experienced such an environment before, especially if they come from a big city/country where things are much more impersonal. Landing in Malta you tend to feel very welcome as people are very friendly and ready to help out, it feels like everybody treats you like family. This leads to foreigners saying hey, this is an awesome place to live in. Back home I’m just a number and nobody cares about anyone, but here everybody is so involved in each other’s lives, this is something special! I totally see why a foreigner would feel like this. I myself sometimes wish I were a foreigner so I could feel that way. If you don’t speak Maltese there is a better chance of insulating yourself from the daily gossip and mannerisms that end up getting on one’s nerves.
Here’s the thing though. While I acknowledge that some foreigners do move to Malta, love it and enjoy living there for many years, many others try the experience and leave after 3-4 years because they just can’t take the way things are done there. It’s one thing living a life of work-beach-party (Malta is the best place for that) and quite another when you decide to settle down, start dealing with the authorities, buy a house and try to get contractors to deliver quality work, etc etc.
People who are used to not having to struggle to get simple things done will start to get pissed off at how much time they’re spending dealing with seemingly innocuous tasks, and eventually end up leaving the island. Of course, the passage of time also amplifies the feeling of living in a very small place that acts like an echo chamber and innovation is stifled by the local way of life and culture, and that can also lead to one deciding to leave and live in a more open environment.
I guess I’ve written more than I meant to, the reality is that I really struggle to put my feelings into words, and that is why I don’t frequently share my thoughts on the subject. I prefer to focus on the positive things I have in my life rather than acting all pessimistic. My feelings about Malta at the end of the day are genuine sadness for what was once really an idyllic place that has been destroyed over the years. I would love to say that I hope to one day return, but I really can’t see how the culture can change and the harm due to construction undone.
P.S. While in this post I focused on the negative things about Malta that led me to leave, there is, of course, the flip side. There are many great things about Malta, and I do still think that it is a very good place for digital nomads to spend some time in.
2019 Update
It’s been more than two years since I wrote this post, and I’ve interacted with many people about the subject both in the comments section as well as over email exchanges. Unfortunately, not only has the situation in Malta not become any better since I wrote this, but things took a nasty turn for the worse.
The obvious big news item was the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia in 2018, followed by several scandals in the political scene. During the last few months of 2019 we’ve seen Malta in the worldwide news for all the wrong reasons, with several top members of the governing party being forced to resign due to their misdeeds and connections to the murder.
As we close off the year, prime minister Joseph Muscat has been named ‘Person of the Year’ for organised crime and corruption by a consortium of investigative journalists.
It was a busy 12 months in the world of organized crime and corruption. But without further ado, here is our 2019 Person of the Year: https://t.co/oDVXs9EZYI#occrpaward #CorruptActor2019
— Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (@OCCRP) December 27, 2019
Dr Muscat joins a list of previous winners of the OCCPR’s yearly prize that includes strongmen such as Russia’s Vladimir Putin, Azerbaijan’s Ilhan Aliyev, Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro and the Philippines’ Rodrigo Duterte.
“Under Muscat’s leadership, criminality and corruption have flourished — and in many cases gone unpunished,” the OCCPR said.
The organisation highlighted the way Dr Muscat had acted throughout the investigation into the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.
I had intentionally avoided politicising things with my original post, as I don’t consider myself a supporter of a particular party in Malta, but things have really gone to new extremes with the Labour party in government led by Dr Muscat in recent years.
Not only have things become worse in Malta, but the country’s reputation overseas is at an all-time low due to this government’s shenanigans.
What is quite impressive to me is that the Maltese population by and large has been quite passive during this whole debacle. Not to mention that probably around half of the population still doesn’t think that anything irregular has taken place in the past few years, as you can witness if you open any article on local newspapers reporting cases of corruption. The kind of brainwashing on display is at least on par with what you would expect from people in communist countries with no access to outside information. To see people defending the prime minister and his cronies while hurling abuse at any detractors, Maltese or foreign, is just sad.
One would hope that the Maltese will choose better people in leadership, independently of which party they’re from, and avoid further damage to the country. It’s worth keeping in mind that right now, the Maltese economy seems to be doing very well, however I am of the opinion that this boom has not been very organic nor is it built on solid ground.
If we take an honest look at the last 15 years of growth in the Maltese economy, we would find that the big driver has been an artificially favorable tax system designed to attract foreign companies to relocate their business in Malta and thus gain huge tax benefits. That drove an influx of foreigners needed to staff the relocated companies (most of them online gaming companies), which in turn drove up property prices and helped build an impressive financial industry to service these aforementioned companies. If one of these pillars were to be affected by the scandals rocking the political scene, all the pieces will fall like dominoes causing a serious crisis in Malta.
Taking the Decision
Over the years since I’ve written this post, I’ve received many emails from (mostly young) people who identify with my feelings and are struggling with taking the decision.
I want to make it clear that while we live in an era where travel is very easy and affordable, uprooting yourself and moving to another country is still a significant psychological and logistical challenge for most people.
Here’s a copy of an email reply I sent to a person who reached out to ask for advice on how to approach the decision. I hope it can be of help to others in the same stage of their lives.
Every person who decides to leave their home country will have the fears and worries that you mention, that is perfectly normal.I had the same concerns myself when I was in the same situation. What I did was to sit down in a quiet place for an hour or so, take a pen and two sheets of paper. On one list the pros and the other the cons about moving. Take your time and let your heart and mind both outpour onto those two pages. When you’re done, you should have a clearer picture of what you should do. If it’s still not clear, assign a rating of 1-5 or 1-10 next to each point that you list, with 1 being of least importance and 10 being essential for you. Then add the scores up and hopefully one should be significantly higher than the other.Know that you can’t control what you’ll find on the other side, but you owe it to yourself to at least seek a betterment of your situation if that’s what you need to do.I have yet to come across anyone who regretted leaving a negative environment that bothered them (job, country, etc) but I have met plenty of older people who have significant regrets about not taking a chance on a better future when they were younger.
Further Reading
- Bloomberg – Why the EU is furious with Malta – covers problems that I mentioned in the post and other big issues that surfaced in the past year since I’ve written this post.
- Only in Malta – Facebook group showcasing daily unbelievable occurrences in Malta
- Malta New Reality – More shenanigans in Malta
- The Shift – Daily updates on scandals and corruption in Malta
- 70% of Malta’s young people wish to leave.
I’ve read your article a couple of months ago, before I went to my fifth visit to Malta. As a tourist who stays for a week, the matters you mentioned get barely noticed, except for the building problems Malta always had (e. g. half finished and then abandoned to look like ruins). This is what meets the eye.
I just returned last week from my last holiday in Malta and as we usually stay in Sliema and take our daily walks around The Strand up to Balluta Bay in St Julians, the new contructions on sees there are plain speaking ugly. Dark concrete with several stores which ruin the whole landscape of that place which was years ago a very nice place. Tigne in Sliema is a matter to itself. All new Buildings of which not less have already been there eight years ago when I have been to Malta the last time before this yeas holiday. From following the maltese media (in English language, like The Times of Malta and Malta Today), I noticed what is planned in Sliema around the Villa Drago on Tower Road in Sliema. This house is also an old building from the period of the 19th/20th Century and was, when I visited Malta for the first time in December 1998, the embassy of Lybia. Five years later, that house was abandoned by them as they moved to another place and the area was left for straying cats to dwell in the garden.
What is very striking with this excessive building issue is that once finished for sale or rent, the local people can’t afford to either buy or even rent a flat in this high storey houses. When you walk around the streets in Sliema or other Valletta and stop for a while looking at the prices for flats (buy or rent), one wonders what the average employee in Malta earns a month to afford such prices. From what I have gathered through the above mentioned Maltese media in related articles over the past couple of months, the many of them can’t afford it and worse than this is, that developers have become more ruthless and the safety standards on building grounds are that neglected that it not only led to almost incessant harassment to the neighbours but also led to the collaps of walls on three houses adjancent to the building ground in the past four months. The latest occured in Mellieha the week I was in Malta and when we got back from Mellieha Bay by bus, we passed the street in which that happened and saw the damage on that house right from inside the bus while passing by.
When in Malta, I usually buy me a copy of the Times of Malta to have something to read and Keep me informed on what is going on. Back home, I use the times of malta online. As I did before we went on our holiday to Malta this year. From what I have noticed in regards to the aforesaid, I was very cautious and avoided walking narrow streets in Sliema when I could spot a scaffolding from the distance. Not too long before we went, I noticed that some pieces of a balkony in some street in Sliema crumbled down and damaged a car parked beneath it, luckily no person was injured as no one was passing by the moment it cracked down.
Well, I really do like Malta and have interests in the history of it and from reading about it I have some basic background built up on literature and from my visits from this period of 20 years. It is very sad to see that apart from Valletta, old buildings are rather let to rott for speculation purposes to replace them with new concrete ones of which one looks like the other and there is no beauty in architectural style like with the old ones.
Castille Place in Valletta used to be a nice place with trees and flowers around. Now it is all flattened and turned into a large space for events of various arts. The Valletta bus terminal is by now much safer than it was before but somehow, this time if felt even hotter there (already in the morning) when walking across that place either to get into Valletta or to a bus bay to change the bus route to other places to go. I think that the kind of stone (I don’t know what sort it is but it looked like marble to me) which has been used to path the place is reflecting the heat because there is barely a tree left around that place and the sun burns down there the whole day.
My last visit to Malta before the recent one of this year was in 2011, Right before the public bus system changed from the private run to Arriva. A tour with the old system was always an experience onto itself and it always dependet on the mood of the driver whether he picked you up or left you stranded there (even by giving hand signs to stop at the bus stop). So, I gladly missed the whole Arriva experience which I have been following for months via the maltese media on the internet. Now as the public Transport is run by the Maltese State, it has improved but alas, when waiting for the bus from Mellieha Bay back to Sliema, the one who came by (which was on time) and despite giving hand signs to the driver to stop, he simply drove on without stopping. Maybe the bus was already full up as ten minutes later another on of the route came by and we got it. One could see from far when a bus was full up by the old ones, that isn’t so anymore with the new ones as they have dark windows and of course are airconditioned. All in all, it wasn’t that bad like other people like to post on TripAdvisor.
I visited places where I have been before and saw the developments as well as I visited some which are new like the MUZA in Valletta. All modern standards which every Museum needs today to attract Visitors. Just like the Fort St Elmo which is now accessible to the public since it has been opened with the new National War Museum. I liked to see that at least in Valletta not much has changed, apart from the City Gate and the new Parliament Building and that place around the Triton Fountain in Floriana.
Malta has never been a place for me to move to, as I certainly can’t cope with the heat during the sommer months. When I was there the first time in December 1998, it felt like spring to me as the temperatures were very mild like we use to have here in Germany where I live. Sure, it is a difference whether one stays in a hotel for a week or lives in flat or house in Malta. I didn’t feel cold back then like you said you always had to endure cold winters in Malta and that you’re now happy with your new home in England where you just get the heater going and feel comfortable.
As for the social matters in your article, regarding the gossip (which I also avoid like the plague), I am sure that this is a thing you find in every country. It is a matter of the environment in which one dwells to either have the chance to avoid that by having people around who appreciate the annonymity and therefore mind their own business.
I can only say that I have read your article with interest and that I regard the content of it as a very personal matter you have shared with the many people. I also noticed that comment of some fellow Maltese commentator who simply wrote ‘now that you have left, good riddance’. That’s some sort of a typical comment I often come across when I read the comments on Maltese online media outlets. Such people appear to me as sad and grumpy people who seem to have no other purpose in life than to begrudge others and try to insult and annoy them. That’s nothing to do with the Maltese in particular as you can find that sort of people around the globe, in every Nation and on every internet page which has a comment facility.
I’m sorry for the Long read and I appologize to you for taking that much of a time of you (given that you read it all) and I hope that things will stay well for you, in spite of the Brexit idiocy which has ruined the international reputation of the UK during the past three years accompanied by the long time in which the in the UK residing EU nationals have been left in limbo in regards of their residence status after Brexit.
I once liked this modern UK very much, as it was world open and progressive, but since the (as I call them) ‘post-imperial nostalgia-infested radical far-right to right-wing and racist Nationalist Brits have taken over the place, after watching this charade for three years, I turned away from that country in disgust and partly in a sense of utter contempt. Even bearing in mind that 47% of them voted to remain, the Brexiteers did and still all they can to drive the UK off the cliff.
At least, when things are getting worse for you in the UK, you still have an EU passport that either enables you to move to another EU country, or if nothing else fits, you still can return to Malta, with all its faults.
Good luck to you and have my best wishes and kind regards.
Thanks for sharing you thoughts Thomas, appreciate you taking the time.
Typo corrections: Lybia means Libya. Instead of ‘infested’ it must read ‘infected’.
Thank you for writing this article. I have been unable to put these frustrations into words without feeling like I’m constantly complaining, and you verbalised it all a factual and sensible way. Despite of the subject matter, I found your writing objective and collected – I’m sure it takes great skill to do so when the topic is likely to be emotional for you given the fact that you are writing about your homeland. I will also be leaving this country, precisely because of the reasons listed above. But ironically, by your being Maltese and addressing these issues so openly, your piece makes me appreciate Malta more.
Thanks for your kind words Alicja, I hope you find your ideal place to reside in.
Interesting read. I am also someone who left 15 years ago (and still out there) for greener work pastures. Unlike you, I realized quickly that each country has a stinking backyard. And one can either live with it or do something about it (no complaining is not enough unfortunately).
Quoting JFK..ask not what a country can do for you but what you can do for your country.
Great article, very interesting. Finally visiting Malta this summer for a week.
Best wishes with your future endeavours.
Mark
P. S. We met in Athens on a very rainy day in a temple (?). I am the guy from Gibraltar who walked most of the way to Jerusalem and cycled the Balkans.
Oh wow Mark hope you’re keeping well! Hope you enjoy Malta this summer, ping me if I can help you with anything.
I moved to Malta for work only 4 months ago but everything you’ve said are things I also dislike about the country. Especially the hunting, I love to go out walking and birdwatching but when I tried in spring, I encountered a lot of negativity from men with guns. Abuse hurled at me and I’ve even been chased from part of the Limestone Heritage Trail, when I reported it to the police, the response is non-committal acceptance that hunters can do what they like and the rest of us just have to deal with it. Got barely a year left here now and can honestly say I will not be renewing my contract, I like to go out where I don’t have to worry about being shot by a madman!
Hello Jean,
I am curious to know how gambling industry in Malta. Why so much negativity? Are people in this sector reconsidered?
I think the negativity stems from the fact that it’s not considered to be an industry that is very fulfilling and helpful to humanity, so there’s the moral aspect of it. Some people are also of the opinion that the general feel of working at a gambling company is that everyone is there for the money and nothing else.
Then there are also the economic effects of gambling companies in Malta. Basically, these companies are mostly in Malta because of favorable regulations and tax benefits. Their employees tend to have higher wages than the rest of the Maltese population, which drives up prices in certain parts of the island.
What a great read and absolutely spot on. After three years as a Brit living and working in Malta and don’t get me wrong I’m grateful, I clung on to every word and every syllable resonated. Now I don’t feel guilty about how I feel about Malta.
Hi Jean
What you said about Malta is spot on!
I emigrated to Scotland in 2002 after I married a Scotsman. After 12 years I had to return back with my family as I was suffering from severe homesickness and thought that by returning to Malta it would heal me. It was the most stressful period of my life! It wasn’ the Malta I grew up in or the Malta I left! So after a year we decided to return to Scotland where life is so much easier and less stressful for us as a whole family. Plus there’s no future for my young boys.
I still go to Malta regularly to visit family and meet up with old friends but it saddenes me to see the Malta that I loved and missed dearly is changing right in front of my very own eyes, unfortunately for the worse. Everything in Malta is so political and so many people are politically blinded and justify wrongdoings. So many cars on the island and everywhere you go there’s construction going on which is contributing to air and noise pollution. The last and not least – there is no respect towards the environment or little nature that is left!
Well done on your article.
Naqbel perfettament mieghek. Jien ghixt barra u nsiefer hafna. Ghandu kuntatti mat-turisti u jghidulek li l-hmieg, it-telqa,l-arroganza u fuq kollox li ahna polu indixxiplinat ma jergghux jigu. Se nieqaf imma mill-gdid nifrahlek ghall-analizi tieghek.
Hi Jean thank you very much for this article it’s absolutely true. Me and my husband moved here 10 months ago, because of his work. The last 10 months is the most horrible 10 months in my life, I totally hate to be here because of the things what you write it down on your article as well and every single day I can’t stop thinking about that, that I don’t want to be here, I want to leave . Unfortunately we can’t do that yet but we already planning that by the end of the year leave the island and never ever come back ! It’s a shame that the people are so arrogant, it’s bin bags everywhere, low rate of salaries,high prices on rent. Thank you very much again that you write down perfectly how is Malta in the real life!
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I recognize the negotive things you mentioned.
Can imagine you left his island whilst you want to spread your wings and are still young.
My husband and me are Dutch and moved to Malta after retirement 3 years ago.
We rent a very nice flat in Marsaxlokk and are very happy here. We left Holland because we did not feel happy and free there anymore. Maybe it goes that way when you lived at 1 place your whole life?
Ofcourse there are things that are not really good, but that is no issue for us.
We have a lot of good friends among the lovely Maltese people and our children and grandchildren are visiting us a few times a year. We just love the easy-going way of life here which is so different from Holland and the lovely caring people who are like family for us…..
We stay here for good…..we love Malta!!
Glad it’s working out well for you Mettie, different people search for different things and there’s nothing wrong with that.
But how has climate change destroyed your island? I thought you would be underwater by now. Probably got off just in time.
I totally agree regards the infrastructure of Malta. I’ve just been for a holiday and I was appalled by the shoddy workmanship, the pavements are a death trap and the driving is horrendous.
I found the Maltese rude and arrogant. If you asked a simple question, you were spokeken to rudely. I won’t be returning. I loved the beautiful buildings and history but the aggressive attitude was very upsetting
Hi Jean,
I just can agree with you.
I came in Malta 6 years ago for a job in a multinational EU company… My wife and I were “so happy” of discovering this nice little paradise.
Now after being retired, we were thinking about investing here in a flat and spend our retirement on the rock, which is finally not that far of our mother country.
But within these 6 years, we saw gradual but quick changes in constructions, corruption and short term minded business people.
We also realised that the local sport was to avoid the respect of the laws and the lack of enforcement… We finally became affraid about crazy increase of traffic, and the “no” answer of the local administration keeping their poor public transportation system, giving all privilege to the private cars. Of course all the latest news about the MEPA choices to validate a huge amount of crazy constructions all over the island (St Georges bay, Marsaskala, etc…etc…) …
The fact that this country is progressively accepting the idea to have a minimum salary of not even 800€ when the price of a rent for a 2 bedrooms flat rushes to above 1000€, shows how much they run to their loss: A country which is not taking care to maintain a proper balance between its workers and the level of live will , one day, collapse.
To finish, the prices of nearly every goods, and particularly the restaurants, is becoming crazy, in all cases far more expensive than in many countries in EU for a clearly less quality food… and a poor service.
Air pollution is also going crazy, dust, cars exhaust, food pesticide usage doesn’t seem to be under a real control…
So finally i will one day have to “gobeckt to [my] country” as I heard sometimes to my attention as I was trying to discuss about fireworks pollution and non-respect of local laws regarding this particular point… 😀
We feel disappointed to have to take this decision, and highly disappointed to see our friends buying flats at such a crazy price… The bubble will one day explose, and owners will probabl be ruined… sorry for them.
Last but not least: how can I stay in a country where journalist can be bombed and that 2 years after, the inquieries seems to be at a standstill?
All true points unfortunately. It’s also quite characteristic of a bubble to see the participants perpetuate a distortion of reality to suit their dreams of an infinite upwards curve in housing prices that is obviously not in line with local salaries nor the island’s environmental constraints.
This concerns me too. I have been seriously considering leaving the UK, due to mixture of brexit, and the collapse in living standards (stagnant wages, the collapse of social welfare, dsiregard for human rights etc) and have been looking around Europe for more civilized existence. Malta came up as a thought to me due to having a common language, and seemingly a lot of work in my sector (IT), being in the EU, and having been there on holiday as a kid, seemed like a nice quiet place to live out of the way. But one look at the housing situation really is making me think again… The price of housing seems ridiculously out of proportion to wages for anyone who isn’t an “executive” (corrupt rich guy?) and the amount of countryside that’s been swallowed up or severely degraded by urbanisation is heartbreaking.
The sad thing is all of these things are fixable, but it sounds like there is no political will to do so, nor much pressure from below to force something to be done. It seems the government doesn’t understand that land is a *very* finite resource, and that the “infinite growth” of neo-liberalism will very soon run into the reality of check of the anything but infinite land area of the islands.
I agree 100%..i used to live in malta and was conned buying property.. left and right by a Maltese ……as soon as they know you’re interested in buying… they take advantage and love your money….
The way of life was challenging for a woman….they like to suppress her in every way..plus i got ripped off too…
I tried speaking Maltese but was told to speak in english as it was better for them..lol…i used my fractured Maltese and got good prices at the Monty..loll
The winters chilled you to the bone …..nowhere was comfortable…even to sit in a cafe to keep warm,there were smokers who ignored the no smoking sign ..if there was one !!
I developed coughs and constant chest infections..some thing i never had before…and no longer have!
.The over head constuction with no safety area for pedestrians…the constant noise and dust were unbearable…
I left Malta in 2006 after 16 yrs …i went back for a visit in 2013 and noticed that since joining the eu.. had given malta a face lift..it had class?! ..i got better service from the foreigners workjng there than any Maltese…..
..
I noticed how built up St. julian’s had become and immediatley felt dizzy and claustrophobic!!
The traffic was unbearable so were the rude bus drivers…i noticed in some areas maintainence was not being kept up…yet on the whole things looked cleaner and brighter..
I was there for the month of october 2013..it was cold .everywhere damp ..
the flooding at msida.. which has never been solved was dangerous .
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The over hang wiring is so 3rd world and dangerous…the sidewalks are a death trap..i tripped many times even keeping my head down to see where i was treading….
I can’t get over why so many cars are still being brought into the island?.
There’s no capp on anything over there…
I revisited in 2015..sure enough, those areas that needed maintaining were still left in the same state…no repairing of anything… just left as a dump.
.I’ve been many times to a 3rd world country and accept it for what it is…
Malta isn’t a 3rd world country but can take a bow at being one …which makes a genuine 3rd world country better looking by far….
I’m from the uk and the Maltese don’t like us !!!!!
On .social media we’re told to” go back “if we didn’t agree on something with filthy language to follow…..there’s so much hate…
When they complain “there are too many foreigner we want our island back”
I let them know its the workers your government has brought in to do what you won’t do..its these workers who have boosted the economy never known to you before,…. while you’re enjoying the perks you rant on about them ..treating them abominably….
This is my rant over …about the island that was once a beauty…..
Feel so sad for you. Malta can be many things. For us, it has been the most pleasant ones. Nowhere is pleasant through and through, unless it is the spiritual world. We love Malta, with its flaws. It has given us shelter. Hope you’ll find your ideal place.
Hi.
I have been offered a job in Malta, what can I resonably expect to pay a month for rental of a small apartment and Living expenses.
Thank you
I agree with you 100%. I empathise with your frustration tremendously and since you said you’re struggling to describe your thoughts and feelings, here is my take- it is a complete misalignment of values that you as an open-minded person, thanks to your good education and upbringing, have managed to develop. What seems to be important for you are deeply lacking in Malta, and you’re in a situation where the bad outweighs the good, where for example, the good weather does not matter more than anything else. You prefer a walk in the park in a clean solitude environment, than the overcrowded beaches of Malta in 100 degrees August. You prefer braving the ice cold weather for 9 moths than have a Maltese winter for 5. I could carry on all day… it is rather sad yes. But the ideals of my quality of life do not fit this restaurant. Thank you for taking the courage to post this, like many things (politics the most), one cannot argue objectively about Malta in Malta, as you have said, you are usually shot down as being a pessimist. Lastly, just because Malta gave you a good life growing up, does not mean we owe patriotism back to it, as many people put forward.
Agreed Kelly, thanks for sharing your thoughts. Also worth mentioning that I actually found a place with significantly better weather than Malta so I’m not missing that aspect at all.
Hi Jean, what place did you find with significantly better weather?
Barcelona.
Thank you very much for writing this article. I have been living in Malta for a year and a half and a feeling of dissatisfaction and uneasiness never left me. All the arguments listed by you in the article are absolutely true and I agree a 100% with everyone of them. Sadly I have to admit I do not feel like Malta could be the place where I could live till the rest of my life.
Hi Jean. I loved your article about life in Spain. I am actually thinking of relocating there myself. My grandson will be enrolling at a sport school in Barcelona in a couple of years as he’ll turn 16 he is into waterpolo big time, so since I have been thinking of moving out of Malta for like all my life and pretty much for your own reasons and more I thought what better place is there than Spain! I would be able to visit him and visa versa. On your piece about why you left Malta I can honestly say that I truly relate to you. Mind you I must say that since you left things had only got worse. My reasons to get away are the following…The traffic is increasing by 50 new registerd cars per day. That’s some 18250 each year which in turn increases the level of pollution big time! I have three dogs which I’m forced to have to walk them in the streets for lack of open spaces in the countryside. The poor dears start to sneeze their heads off from all the exaust fumes which lays heavily close to their noses from the moment we venture out until we return indoors. I myself can taste the poison. And of course walking my dogs is not a pleasure to neither of us but a torture. Last Saturday the Shift news published photos of thick and heavy fog over Gozo and Comino and other parts of Malta and no-one bat an eyelid about why this fog is decending on our islands, the news only said that it was a “strange phenomenon”. Strange my foot….it is due to pollution! Anyway I agree to all that you said and of more stuff that you couldn’t say! So my question to you is this…..which is the best region for me to purchase a property with land (for my dogs and other animals) in the country side yet a short drive to civilization and not too far from Barcelona ( I can’t afford to buy there)
Jean I must say that you saved me from thinking that I must be the only Maltese person who complains about my country as I never met anyone who shared my views about the pitiful and disgraced way of life on this rock!
Thank you and God blessing be with you.
Regards
Dolores.
Glad this post resonated Dolores. With regard to the Barcelona region it’s best to come here for a month and explore it for yourself. I am much more familiar with the city and have only visited the surrounding areas on day trips. Sant Cugat, Castelldefels and Maresme are all fairly popular with expats and they would be the places I would start from.
Good for you for having the courage to pack up and leave. I wish I could do the same mostly for many of the reasons you mention. But I can’t, at least not until it’s time for me to retire. Here’s my rant.
I never felt at home here. The people who thrive well are the ones who couldn’t give a hoot about anything, the so called “I’m alright, screw you Jack” clan which, at the risk of generalising, seem to have become the majority; moreso lately.
In time, I’ve grown to hate local politics and religion with a passion. In my opinion they are the 2 topmost reasons why entire generations are unable to think for themselves.
The ingrained busybody mentality peppered with a holier-than-thou attitude brings out the psychopath in me as do the idiots who can’t stand criticism where due; go back to your country, good riddance, rubberjolly, bla, bla, bla.
I also hate with a passion the “hawn tad-donuts” and “bigilla” street hawkers blasting away their idiotic “catch” phrases at 120dB. And don’t get me started with the Eurovision / Juve / Manchester United crowd.
Equally jarring is the inability of many to talk normally. No need to shout. Not everyone is deaf. Yes, I can hear you neighbours. Shouting and swearing day and night; winter and summer. There’s a reason why windows and doors can be closed shut!
Annoying trivialities such as those who refer to a car instructor as a learner, a commentary board as a blog, a sprayer a sprainer, pertrol as petlor, air-conditioner as aircondition; try convincing them otherwise. Maybe it’s the OCD in me.
Buying something locally entails project planning at its finest because it’s either out of stock, damaged, overly expensive or simply not available which is why I buy almost everything online. I recently ordered a baby gate for my dog. 60E incl. shipping. Same item from Malta; 130E+ and even then available only on order!
Getting someone to do quality work is almost impossible save for those few rare occasions; and yet they all expect to be paid handsomely and in cash obviously.
Another daily reminder of what I have to live with are the idiots with the 150k km on the clock BMWs and Mercedeses. A 5-7 year bank loan for a second or third hand imported car while on minimum wage. But hey, who am I to judge!
Sure, the weather is nice but only from April to June. I also can’t deny the history that make these islands enticing, the beautiful views and such but it’s all going down the gutter and fast. Cranes have replaced domes. Lego block buildings have replaced what were once elegant houses. The very little trees left are butchered.
There are no open spaces, nowhere to savour some peace and tranquillity, ignorant people with a sense of self-entitlement wherever you look, a demoralising sense of futility knowing that things will never change.
Noise and pollution are at the order of the day and yet most people are impervious to it all.
Sure, no country is perfect. Then again no other “civilised” country is as highly overpopulated as ours coupled with an abysmal record of hillbilliness; for lack of a better word.
To most, ours is one big paradise; the envy of the universe. Pretty ironic considering that most are oblivious to our existing other than perhaps for the wrong reasons or the occasional tourist pamphlet.
Blissful are the ignorant. Wish I were that much.
Well written, I agree with everything you said.
Wow! You and Jean have covered all my thoughts! I’m glad I’m not the only Maltese person thinking this way!
Dear Jean,
I read your review of your motherland and well I can’t discredit it nor go against it.
So far I spent in a total of 3-4 years of my life there, even married to a Maltese woman from a town Siggiewi. It was very beautiful after we met. Not before by the way. I had to face with a lot of trouble there. Especially with employers, who aren’t interested at all following the law. Example I later found out out of my 6 employer, only 2 of them registered me with the government. I worked in hotels as a waiter, also worked for two small accounting firm as a clerk. After me, and Zvetlana met, she was in a state as you were, leaving Malta. I wasn’t try to hold her back leaving the island as I was, about to make the same decision. At that time, I was working in the store Arkadia (Port Tomaso) in the vegetable section, where I sometimes literally being attacked by locals for taking their jobs away. Well, mainly they were complaining about people from Eastern Europe. Of course the level of their geographical knowledge was probably poor because when I tried to correct them about the location of Hungary, they even got insulted even they insulted/discriminated me in public. Of course, I care about them and almost immediately recommended to them to follow the British if you don’t like us EU citizens being here, after all we all pay into the budget. They used to asked me why are you coming here, to this island? They sounded first like they really curious about me, but it turned out it was an other way of figuring me out and later socially undermine me. It made me sad at some point, but because I lived 10 years in the US and some years in the UK (where I had to face with similar atrocities – going there as an EU citizen) I really did not care about them. I used to make 8k a month with out a degree, and so these minimum wage jobs I could manage to find in both previously mentioned places, wasn’t allowed me to crown these losers. Anyway, so I met the girl Zvetlana who had problems too that time. She come up with the idea to go to the UK. I told her, you are not going to like it there! She asked me why? I said because British people aren’t the same when you go to there country. She said it to me, with those big brown eyes ” I don’t care, I am an EU citizen and I have a right to be there”. I said okay, lets go than. We spent there some time, and trust me poor girl went through hell. She has a masters in public health and medicines as well a nursing certificate. They bullied her almost everyday for being genuine, made her do most of the things they weren’t interested in. Once they kept only her next to a N1H1 patient while the law only allows 2 days per week because it was dangerous (with out vaccinating her) They kept her there for the whole week(s) the patient died. We came back and stayed with her family in Siggiewi. It was nice at the time as well not so nice. I don’t want to badmouth her parents at all. I liked them, and understood they weren’t so expert in our things but always tried while it felt they were working against our happiness. Games, and manipulations and lies and personal life disturbance all at once. Than even all these obvious signs, we’ve got married in 2017 July. Not saying it was a bad decision but it could have waited as we had so many problems that time, due to external pressure. One of them was that she become obsessed with the RED team, and then started ignoring me because I hate socialism. Not because it isn’t good receive everything for free, but because very few of them know the cost of free things and the level of corruption involved in controlling the system. I remember helping her all the time, when she had problems mostly emotional as she believed too much of the Red Lies so tried to provide everyone. Sadly that was one of the reason I packed and left her in December 2017. Also used to accuse me with not finding a job (legal one) and wanted to live on her salary, while it was her idea to study and work on a flat she bought in Qormi. Due to living in the state I am very good with power tools and purchasing stuff for lot below the market price ruling over there. Saved her thousands of Euros and she still said all those bad things to me. After she started lying, having long conversations with a man she said was her boss, etc. Maybe she was a victim of her snobbish attitude or maybe she felt embarrassed of me doing the Aat at the age of 35+. Of course I could have started with Acca but I wanted to see if I like accounting at all. I can say now that I do, even though I could only manage to get a few position in the function, but the ones I did was based in Malta. So I am thanking god for it, and those offered me the opportunity. What I like about Malta is that the middle aged generation do work out as well trying to do different type of sports possible. I know the children eating way too many pastizzi and ravioli and obesity is pretty common as much as snob-ism (not in a bad way). Over all, there are good things happened to me on top of meeting Zvetlana, like getting baptized in the Saint Johns Cathedral by the Archbishop of Malta. He even done the ceremony for our wedding. And I feel so sad about it because he doesn’t do them anymore and it was an honor to receive his blessings that ended so badly (I heard later he was targeted by the Red Party and tried to be removed). Malta is a beautiful country, and has beautiful values in many ways but I think the involvement of money laundering, and the tax heaven concept, the political views does no good to this little island. I hope, the people will wake up and see the bubble before it’s too late and it destroys everything this little country has ever fought for, since the time of the beginning. Greed and stupidity also one of the disadvantages the country struggling with like many other, but because Malta is a mall country it annoys too much. Also, to many people it is impossible that anyone without a masters or a degree can be smarter (I’m talking about my self) I hope you are having some great success there, where ever you are living now! And don’t give up on Malta ! Change can happen !
What I dislike about Malta: Mentality of people. Constant rambling about politics.
The constant bickering between labour and nationalists-oriented individuals resemble the way teenagers fight about whos soccer team is the best one. What’s all the fuzz about, when every Maltese politicians suck big time. Unethical behaviour seems to be socially accepted in Malta. What’s right and wrong elsewhere in Europe, the Maltese tend to call red or blue politics.
Well you left, so GOOD RIDDANCE!!!!!
You are a funny one! Ever step out of Malta yet?
Completely agree with most of the things you mentioned. As a Maltese citizen (Maltese mother and Welsh father), living in Malta since 2004, Maltese people try to limit you at job interviews. They tell me I’m too old for particular jobs or over qualified. Jealousy is a big problem in Malta and people try to restrict you especially at job interviews. My Maltese grandfather and some of my Maltese friends warned me about it. I find that Maltese people can have problems being emotionally honest. Especially when it comes to sexual orientation and HIV status. When I lived in the UK people use to tell me their HIV status. Not here in Malta and we have at least 350 people living with it.
Same here. I’m not interested in working in the gaming industry, but they prefer to hire very young people and not people in their 40s. I use to work in the pharmaceutical company before being made redundant in 2014. Since losing my job trying to find work in the pharmaceutical company has become impossible because they prefer to take workers straight from MCAST or university. I have had a sting of jobs since with low pay and poor working conditions.
I’ve been thinking about retuning to the UK for a while and you have given me inspiration to get on with it.
Jean, I totally agree with you. My husband is English and we had a house in Essex. After 14 years we decided to spend the rest of our lives in Malta next to my family and our friends and as we owned three properties, we had to maintain them. Now I am from Sliema, and am 60 years old. The Sliema in the 60 and 70 s was the idyllic place. Swimming Exiles, Ghar id dud etc. Then I met my husband who owned a property on the front tower rd where I went to swim. But Oh my Gosh parking was and is impossible, construction, rubbish on the pavement, snobs thinking they are something special as they live in Sliema…they are the most tight fisted people we ever met in our lives…anyway moved to Mellieha. Now the Melliehin have their own republic! one told me where r u from when I went to tell her about her barking dog! the prune, who came out of the balcony told me that what dogs do, BARK! then Gozo, forget Gozo is paradise. We had a penthouse there. Gozitians similar to Mellieha people, and they only want to grab our money. In summer you can’t move for love or money. Bucket and spade tourists, lager louts…we live next to a hotel!! Traffic disgusting, pollution galore, shoppimg nightmare, and fireworks and petards are one of my biggest no no! If my husband was not 70 and myself 60 we would didsapear from here. But, problem is, he volunteers for sport events and is well loved. So in other words we are stuck in this God forgiven country. Noise pollution and all!
You did well good luck you had the guts to do it. BTW we sold Sliema and penthouse Gozo. Good riddance cant take it anymore.
my family is living in Malta now for two years. we have lived in several countries.. no country is perfect therefor always focus on the good parts of the place you are living in.. and enjoy this.. i know there are ugly buildings and bad roads but i do not notice these. my main consideration is the absolute size of the area which limits possible personal development.
Hi Jean,
Thank you so much for this article.
I am currently considering moving abroad (I live in Bulgaria) and Malta was one of the countries in my list. Last year I visited this small country and I saw something that touched my heart. I saw some young families with their kids (5-7 years old) taking care of small gardens of onion and other plants. This was so idyllic. It reminded me to my own childhood when everything was different, people were good to each other and I was helping my grandfather with the garden in the same way. Now this is not possible to happen again in Bulgaria. In that moment I thought Malta would be a good place to have kids, but after reading your article I am not so sure. I saw the problems with the terrible traffic and bad drivers, the cement jungle in some popular areas, the trash in front of the doors, but I could only say that it is still better than Bulgaria. This is why so many foreigners go to live there.
You might like Gozo if that’s what you’re looking for, it’s still relatively unspoilt.
Agreed. Out of all the bad and good decisions I did there was one decision that wasn’t bad. I got a place in GOZO in a very tranquil area. Where I am doesn’t feel like Malta. It’s like another country. If a tunnel is built or corruption reaches GOZO as far as it reached Malta then things will change. A metro line between GOZO and Malta should be positive.
Agreed, Gozo is wonderful within its limits of course.
You forgot to mention one of the largest problems here. It’s the (radical) partisan ideologies that are shoved down our throats from when we are young. And also every one of these ideologies has two very radical opposing sides; PN/PL, Italy/England, kazini in the same parish, feasts, towns and to further show how much it is forced onto us at a young age you find rivalries such as those between schools such as DLS/SAC, JC/Higher. You also see multiple young people indoctrinated into the side their parents have. You can see children (sometimes even primary school aged) talking about ‘their’ political parties or any of the other rivalries i mentioned before. And to further shove this bipolar mentality onto us we have the political rivalries between pulse and sdm which for me is incredibly stupid to encourage students to pick a side. This radicalism is so ingrained in our mentality that if your party leader says something, no matter what (even if in the end it will harm them), they will cheer them on. This has made it very easy for the government to manipulate citizens that they are living in ‘L-aqwa zmien’ while any non politically biased open minded person can clearly see that the situation here is total and complete mess. But the people cheer on. In the beginning of the scholastic year the president visited our school and i was asked by the headmaster to write a speech highlighting my views of malta from a student’s perspective. (I ended up writing more positive things than i had intended for the sake of balancing it out). but the first thing i mentioned was that our countries greatest problem is this bipolar radical ideology. These are the first words i said after my introduction and stating that my views are not politically biased (if i didn’t i would have quickly been labeled as siding with a party by my peers). ;F’lopinjoni tieghi, il partigjanizmu u l-bipolarizmu f’kull ma nghamlu huma fost ;-ikbar problemi ;i ghandna f’malta. dan ghaliex s-sentiment ma jtikx il-liberta li tara r-realta kif inhi, imma jkun imcajpar favur min thobb u kontra dak li mhux mieghek. Dan johloq firdiet kbar fis-socjeta.’ Obviously no action could be taken about this but at least i gave my honest opinion. This ridiculously stupid ideology (along with everything else you mentioned and several others) is the main reason i want to leave this country when i am old enough. It is a sad thought that I, at only almost 16 years old, want to take this decision in my life. I am truly sick and disgusted of this country and every bit of political agenda or news of another massive construction in an ODZ area makes me want to leave even more. The only thing that might make me reconsider this is the fact that i have family and friends here. I think I’ve said enough and your article was great.
Dear Nathan, you are totally right and I think it’s a very damaging mentality. Someday I’ll also write about religion, but for now I’ll just also mention that I’ve also found this topic to be a very immature one in Malta. You’re either ‘religious’ or you basically don’t give a damn about anything related to spirituality. Both positions end up being very biased and totally miss the rich landscape that is there for those who actually take up the study of their inner beings through the practice of meditation, philosophy, etc.
Thanks for bringing this point up, now that I spent some time thinking about it I think it’s one of the gravest problems facing the youth in Malta as this way of thinking kills all sense of critical thinking.
Nathan, I’m impressed by your clear thinking and exquisite writing skills at such a young age. Whatever course you end up taking in life, I’m betting you’ll be very successful.
Thanks for your comments. I get your point about religion, however i don’t think it really causes to many problems. There don’t seem to be too many clashes between both sides either. But yes, it’s true many people are immature and either just have a view point without questioning it while many others also fall into religious fanaticism.
But i think that this immaturity is present in all we do. For example, i am involved in the environmental scene. me and my father have this fb group called ‘the grow 10 trees project’. In the past few days an article was written about us on the times of malta. The immaturity of the comments was unbelievable with many criticizing from information gathered only by reading the title without actually reading the article. And obviously a full on political war is inevitable in the comment section. Also last year a demonstration against unsustainable development was done in valetta and it was also featured in the news and obviously a large number of comments at the expense of this cause were posted (several were angry because we were demonstrating against their glorious party).
I dont know if this immaturity stems from the fact that we are an island and pretty much isolated from most foreign influence. Or if it is just the sheer stupidity possessed by many maltese. Again this immaturity is very disheartening.
The fact that it’s a small island with so many interpersonal relationships is definitely a problem. I don’t think that Maltese people per se are stupid or lack intelligence compared to other countries, it’s more the problem of insulation from other cultures and ideas and the friends of friends and ‘nirrangaw’ mentality where anything goes. Kids brought up into this pre-existing culture are bound to grow up with the same mentalities unfortunately.
Owing to the fact that my son has married a girl from Malta , my husband and I have been going there 3 or 4 times a year to visit and I have found it to be a very backward country compared with England where I come from. Renting a car in good condition has been a nightmare and the men tend to be boorish and machist.I have had many unpleasant experiences and the landscape is becoming one big eyesore.I first went to Malta in 1964 and it was beautiful in an untamed way but now it has become a cement jungle. Notwithstanding, once you escape to Golden Bay or its incredible archetectural sites, it is unbelievable. However, I could never ever live there¡¡¡
Yes, unfortunately the only remaining good parts are those that are untouched or have been built centuries ago, which speaks volumes about the kind of leadership and lack of vision the country has at the moment.
I,m Rhodesian,
We lost everything overnight!
Get where you’re coming from,so i guess move on and make the most of it.
Paradise lost,what a shame……
Pete.
Having just returned back from our first visit in Malta. We can honestly say how disappointed we were. We went to Buggiba and the rubbish, dog dirt and stuff strewn down the streets is appalling. No wonder the cats are fat. The whole place is a building site. Public transport is good and our hotel was excellent, but idillic views…no no no. We won’t be returning. Sorry Malta.
Having read your article I have to say, what courage it took to express your feelings and what I read into it is pure sadness at what has happened to Malta. I was born in Malta whilst my father was stationed at RAF Luqa and married to a Maltese mother. It was in the late fifties that I spent my formative years and grew up holidaying in Marsascala. It was an absolute idyllic childhood, where I was free, swam in clean water and was so happy. I experienced a return to the UK which was lonely and sad as I knew no one and so missed my Nanna and Nannu, two of the most wonderful people one would ever wish to meet. I still miss them today. However I agree with you completely regarding all that you have expressed, as I have returned to Malta on several occasions and have distant family still there. My heart wants to bleed and I always cry when I see what has happened to such a small land masswhich was so beautiful at one time. No room to even move, huge traffic flows everywhere, dangers of pollution, people who dont seem to have any say in what happens to the environment, increasing cancer rates that is beyond a joke and a nation morally in decline. When there are no rules that are obeyed and money becomes the centre of all life, chaos desecends. I always pray that the young people of Malta rise up against the corruption that is overwhelming in Malta.
Perhaps it would take a giant earthquake to topple all that has just ruined the island because it seems the very beauty of the original malta I knew and loved as a kid has disappeared and eventually so will all the tourists whose expectations are greater than what Malta has to offer. It has been the ruin of its own greed and eventually it will cause a lot of hardship for its people.
Thank you for listening.
Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts Jo. Your comments are spot on.
Hi jo you worded this so well I’m in sadness and disgust. My parents are Maltese and moved to Australia I’m the 60s we went back in 1973 when I was only 4 years old . But I still remember the magic and colours the real Maltese people . It effected the rest of my life . I have been back 3 times and every time o seem to loose the magic . Jean your topic and concerns are very real I hope we can do something to change this . Regards Tony