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.
Interesting post. Been living in Malta for 9 months now, with my Maltese partner and new born baby. I think it’s human nature to moan about the place you grew up in with your fellow countrymen, whilst at the same time defending or promoting it to others. Ones view is always coloured in this way. I have to agree with all of your comments, but for me the positives here in Malta, for the time being outweigh the negatives. I am lucky enough to have my business in the UK and benefit from the low taxes, which makes a huge difference. If I were to come to Malta, in the hope of finding work and living the dream I wouldn’t of lasted 5 minutes. Without doubt the most annoying thing I’ve found is a total lack of manners compared with the UK. A queue is really not that difficult – I’m still amazed that if you pull over to allow an oncoming car through the driver NEVER puts even a pinky up to say thank you. But the. The Brits are too far the other way, constantly apologising for their own shadow. Hopefully my son will be somewhere in the middle!
I read your post with interest, I left scotland7 years ago to live here,and I agree with every thing that you have said.when someone posted about how beautiful Malta was,I replied,you didn’t mention the const noise,building work rubbish in the streets,and screaming motor cycles on a Sunday on the coast road and other places,all I got was go back to your Scotland, I like motorcycles, oh and also all the rubbish thrown on the beaches.
Hi Jean , I commented on your blog in September 2017. Things have turned out worse for me in the time that has passed. I have had job opportunities closed due to a lack of familiality with government appointees and unfortunately over the last months some of my friends from university have left for a better life in the eu and beyond. It seems like I am destined to follow in their footsteps. The deterioration of civic life and the normalities of society in Malta are mainly due to people like you and me that are just packing up and leaving. There are other issues, but I think after we got into the EU, so many good people left that the country ended up permeated with feral youth and a demography of deliquents. If all the people I deal with lack integrity my place is not here. The best people in Malta at the moment by and large are not Malta-born…and we have to thank the lackluster economy of Italy for them.
I just came across your article. It is good to know that I am not alone in this feeling of helplessness, as I see my country’s deterioration. Thankfully, two of my 3 children had the good sense of moving abroad. Only my advanced age stops me from following suit.
You are exactly correct, I feel the same. I moved here from the United states only because I had too. My husband is Maltese but has been gone for most of his life and gets even more frustrated than I do. We have been here nine years now and still feel the same although since we are retired we do not have to deal with all of the idiocy on a daily basis. Since we have grown children still living in the US and they have only vacationed here they are interested in retiring here also. I miss them terribly but don’t think they would be happy here but they are still young enough to move back if they wish. On the other hand my husband thinks that life is much better for them here. I disagree in most cases. I know that I would miss going out to the beaches almost daily but that is about it. The lack of central heating and cooling thru ought the house is the killer for me. Other than that I can take it. I don’t really communicate with the Maltese, have tried but few people I know I have nothing in common with them, maybe it’s me, I don’t know. If I had to work here I know I would go out of my mind, there is virtually no customer service, it amazes me when the island depends so much on that because of the tourism. Anyway, I hope you are happy wherever you are. Your article hit home with me and I’m not Maltese.
Very interesting article. From my expirience I think that if you believe that you can’t or will not leave Malta then you may not actually see how bad it is, especially if you always find the positive in life/things. That may be why people can’t see the ever increasing negatives here. Once you think that you can actually leave and have a better life elsewhere it all changes.
One crucial thing which wasnt mentioned is the ever increasing prices of property. Here you dont get value for money in property, and worst is that there s an ever increasing bubble environment, and if something goes wrong such as for example tax harmonisation in the EU which seems to be looming around us then it may result into disaster, especially for those who bought property now. Further to this, I dont see it as reasonable to spend Eur300k for an apartment with people living under and on top of you…with less money you can get a house that would be considered a Villa in Maltese standards in some other countries in the EU, which would equal an above Eur1Mil price here. Again on property, me and my GF have an above average salary but still can’t afford a house here, salaries are remaining low when compared to the ever increasing costs of living. We re planning the move in a couple of years, hopefully we wont be faced with most of the common issues that are found here…
I otherwise agree with most points mentioned, though to say that illegal hunting was a factor you considered is far fetched, I dont know when you left but nowadays illegal hunting became more of an inevident exception, up to 10 years ago it was different..
Agreed on the points you mention. With regard to hunting, everyone has their own reasons for not liking or leaving a place, and it’s not up to anyone else to say what is a real factor or not. As a person who works flexible hours and loves mountain biking, I can assure you that it is very easy to come across illegal hunting if you venture into the countryside on any given morning, when most people are working. The fact that most people are in their office and so don’t see the illegal hunting doesn’t mean it’s gone away.
I’d also say that hunting in general is very detrimental for Malta. Even if it’s legal hunting in season, there is still the problem of having parts of the countryside cordoned off illegally by hunters, making it a problem for ramblers, mountain bikers or just families out to enjoy the countryside. I don’t think anyone can feel really relaxed walking in the countryside with gunshots sounding from all directions, whether it’s legal or not.
Well, your point which is everyone has thier own reasons and factors is the most valid. I don’t know how long you ve been away from Malta but I assure you that the situation changed, of course you still find rotten apples who dont care about the law. With regards to widespread gunshots, it happens only on a few days in October, and you cant pretent to enter private property either. Then again, hunting is practised world wide and in much better conditions then in Malta as here you barely get anything anyways. It all goes down to how over populated this small island is. One of the factors which pushed you away from here is one of the factors which is attracting me elsewhere, and that is, to practise hunting properly. Although for me, that s more like a perk rather then a main factor.
I would respectfully disagree on this point. I still visit Malta and I haven’t been away that long anyway, apart from that I have friends and family so I’m not disconnected from the situation. In my opinion hunting and trapping are still a big issue and are compounded by Malta’s small size and a significant bad actors who break the law year after year. For the benefit of anyone else who might be reading this, you can take a look at Birdlife’s news section for examples of recent episodes.
Well everyone has thier opinion, but rather than only following those who s interest lies in pushing and exaggerating any illegal case to tarnish everyone s name for thier personal extremist propaganda, I suggest you can try follow like someone Natalino Fenech, which in my opinion is of the best Malta best ornithologists which has written several books about the situation in Malta and its progress. His main page is “The Birds of Malta – Public Group” on FB. There you might be able to appreciate the change in mentality thats happening, of course you ll always find close minded people running around, but these weed themselfs out.
I’m not familiar with Natalino Fenech’s work so I can’t comment on that. I do hope that it is true that things are improving. At the end of the day, it’s not about statistics but about actually going out into the countryside and experiencing reality. Until that experience improves, I stand by my thoughts that illegal hunting and cordoning off of public land is still an issue in Malta.
I live in San Francisco, and it looks like a lot of the Cryptocurrency tech. companies are moving to Malta, which will most likely turn it into something similar to SF (except SF has high crime, high homelessness, high taxation, high prices – especially on housing, terrible roads, etc..). Malta is around 2.5 times bigger than SF yet has half the amount of people (so more room in Malta than SF), you’re a tax haven (unlike SF) and you guys have similar weather. I was thinking I could get a home there for cheap and when prices go up, sell it. I’d like to live there for awhile too, but after reading this, I’m not sure I could live there forever. Any recommendations on which particular city is the BEST to live in for a foreigner?
Malta- the island without the ‘island life’ pace.
Lived away from Malta for just under 9 years, spending time in Scotland, Canada and England.
Yes, we do have the sunshine and the sea over here, but there is no way this is a relaxing place to be.
Agreed.
Agreed
I am on holiday here for first time. I have read your article. Couldn’t agree more with the bits relevant to me. It’s like holidaying in a building site. Terrible island. Wish I had done my homework. Can’t wait to go home, never to return. What a shame! Makes me upset to be part of the human race spoiling things. At best do a 3-4 day trip to take in valetta and mdina. Thars it. Everywhere else is spoilt.
Regards peter
Sad but true, so check out Gozo too apart from Mdina and Valletta.
This is one of the most nuanced and best described “Why I left Malta” articles I’ve read and you pin pointed exactly every aspect of what I found infuriatingly troublesome that made me leave the island after 3 years.
One thing I can add as a foreigner living there is, if you dare to hint any of the above in even the most apologetic tone, you will get slammed with a “Go back to your own country” and “if we are so bad, why do you live here then”. Frustrating.
Thing that scared me the most however was and always will be the corruption. Every chance people had, they would try and pull one on you and there ain’t nothing you can do about it especially as a foreigner as no judge or public tribunal would ever rule in your favour, so all you can do is bend over and ask how far up does the bat goes this time around
Well done on the article
Thanks for sharing your experience. As many other commenters shared, the “go back to your own country” attitude exists, although many Maltese deny it. The sad thing is that if they were more open to accepting criticism and different views, Malta would be a much different place.
Of course, the people are a reflection of the top brass and vice versa, and it’s hard to see sensible progress when a country is fueled by corruption.
Just returned from Malta. The last time we visited was 7 years ago. Definitely has lost its charm. Stayed in Sliema, have never seen so many cranes. St Julian’s is being turned into an area for hen and stag parties, on one small stretch we counted 5 lap dancing clubs. Buses were always crammed full and we found the drivers very grumpy. The chaps who manned the Sliema to Valletta ferry weren’t able to raise a smile either. Such a shame, a completely different experience to when we were last year, shall not be returning.
That’s been my experience too in the areas you mentioned, it’s the sad face of Maltese ‘progress’.
I appreciate your candor and honesty. There are always good and bad things about living in a place, and it is more common to see people gloating about how wonderful a place is to live, rather than focus on the real issues that could arise. Thanks again! This has been very helpful! 🙂
Well written Jean and couldn’t agree more. We have decided to leave Malta after living here for 6 years. The description frustration is exactly what we feel aswell. We also miss SPACE and nature…
Well written Jean and couldn’t agree more. We are leaving now aswell after almost 6 years on the island.
*move, of course, not movie 😉
Barcelona.
Where did you movie? How do you find living there?
I’m currently spending my holiday on Malta and I’m already glad that I’ve chosen only one week.
Maybe it really is a place to party, but it is definitely not a place for me to relax, to rest, to live.
Great post. I’d like to talk to you more deeply. Actually, I agree with everything you wrote but, if we compare Malta against countries such as Brazil, is it better or worse? I’m asking that because I’m a Brazilian citizen (with Portuguese citizen) and I want to move to Malta next year. I think Malta against NY or UK is not that good….. but against Brazil or other “sub” countries, should be much better (sorry about my English). Can we talk through WhatsApp or email?
Brazil is a huge country and one’s lifestyle and conditions vary widely, Malta comparatively is quite homogeneous. You’ll probably find it a pleasant place to live based on what you’re tellling me. If you have the chance to spend a few days or weeks there before moving I think that would be a good idea as you’d be able to get a clearer picture of things.
I am a Brazilian in Malta. DON’T COME! You will be hated as a foreigner, there is no green, the food is awful and is 10 times more polluted than Sao Paulo. You can’t die by bullet, like in Rio, but you will slowly loose your health and “alegria de viver” when being confronted to the harshness and rudeness of Maltese people. I came here to study but I will leave before the end of my degree. I might choose to leave in the Amazon forest, but I’ll never again step on this rock.
sorry but is not really all the truth the maltese acting that they never eat before i dont afraid to say i am against gambling to be honest it is a curse and my advice never start gambling, gambling is sickness like the companies who operates this filth, i am maltese i am sick of my country i am feeling betrayed by my own country i am feeling disgusted by what is going on here dictatorship are on the highest levels ever, the salary remain the same while the prices are exploding. this is crazy dust everywhere cars too much , no manners the maltese are sick people now more then ever i have no voice at all.
I agree. Over the last 5 years it has become worst. I have been away for 43 years. I used to love spending a month there. Now that both parents are gone I won’t be visiting Anymore. It is so overcrowded it’s stifling. The majority of prudent people are the foreigners. Try lining up to board a bus. You are sure to be elbowed out of the way. The majority of public transit drivers are vulgar and rude and some exhibit signs of aggression.
So I agree. No thank you.
Experienced travellers we took advantage of a no-brainer offer and went to Malta for the first time. The absence of parking is staggering. Too many cranes. Cuisine? Has any rural pothole been attended to since the knights left!? Lots of negatives but the service was very hard-working and strangely enough we will come again if we find a similar offer!
Can’t agree more with you buddy, I came back after 25 years for various reasons, namely personal. But it’s a struggle, and every single day I feel uncertain, I hate the roads, the fear of not being able to park, the arrogance and the bureaucracy that controls everything in a place where ironically things are far from ‘clockwork’. It’s hard to express all this because people are deluded with our grandeur, wealth, weather and pace of life. And everyone takes offence to any criticism. I feel just like you, just keep hoping I’ll feel better over time, but not sure I will after a long time away in a much saner place.
Just came back from Malta. Been there for a week. Honestly, not even for ZERO tax would I want to live there. Horrible what they did to an ancient historic place. And the dirt everywhere, the streets, the rubbish, the pavements, the constructions, the abandoned buildings have finished enough to house all the 2 million refugees. Poor Maltese, everybody just looked so sad.
I counted 35 real estate agents in just 900 meters along St. Julians to Sliemma walk along the “promenade”.
I agree totally.
they want to be better than anyone else,specially authority ,they are joke.
thanks .
I was just about to move to Malta in a week.
Thanks for opening my eyes.
I will not move there anymore.
I have just come back, too, also 1 week.
I nearly freaked out when I saw the place.
I certainly won’t move their either. Never, ever.
big deal Thomas you is vary stupid
well written
ALL yous peoples are vary stupid. i lived before in Russia and in Russia you canne
find nice people or killers this is in eveery country. Malta is now my home and i likes it vary much, the best solution is all the people in Malta leave and you puts the Ruyssin peoples instead,
Honest article and so true. I’m a foreigner living in Malta. Been here 10 years now and I felt so welcome and excited about my new life when I first arrived. I feel disillusioned and unwelcome now. I saw a beautiful island that just needed a little TLC at first. I joined beach clean ups every year only to find Maltese people mocked the foreigners cleaning up their mess on social media. I learnt Maltese (not great but getting there), only to be laughed at and embarrassed when I tried to communicate in it. My neighbours treat me like I am an invading alien from outer space despite having lived next to them for years. My property is housed in a building that is falling apart because it was built on the cheap and consequently devaluing my property, every episode of winter rain causes more damage and the building owner does nothing/doesn’t care. The lack of environmental awareness saddens me greatly and if you attempt to do anything you get abuse and told ‘if you don’t like it, go back to where you came from!’ Malta will always have a special place in my heart, but I am finding it increasingly difficult to have a peaceful life here. I feel constantly on the defense and on edge. I am not in the position to go back to my country yet, but it will happen one day. I’ll come back and visit for sure, but I need to get out to preserve my spiritual health. Malta is not what I thought it was.
Dear Jean;
I have been sitting at home today trying to understand why my sister has been living in Malta for five years. I recently moved back to Toronto after two full years in Malta. Growing up In Toronto I hate to say it but I felt like I went backwards in life. I was in tears reading this because I couldn’t get my sister to understand why I left. The only thing I experience that you didn’t say, was everywhere I went the Maltese were rude to me in shops. No one says please or thank you or shows any kindness. People would slam the money on the table when you payed for something. Which is just nothing like Canada! Peace out ! I went home where it’s hot all summer( cool in my condo) and cold in the world tee ( hot inside ) and people appreciate kindness
Thanks for sharing Eliza. Many Maltese people are very friendly and helpful individuals, but in a great deal of shops and other establishments there is a sore lack of professionalism, manners and courtesy. Having experienced customer care in other countries I can sympathize with your experience.
I have worked in Malta for A company regarded as having one of the best Cc not Just in Malta but In the World. So after Being thought proper Cc and what not to do I cant stand going into most shops in Malta. Cc is not only about saying thank you its about building rappor with Customers aswell. There are shops in Malta that aint got A clue about sales and what not but then they are super friendly and help ful which makes you forget all their professional helplessness. Its more of the big shops or Enterprises that are the Worst. This guy I bought some Honey from which was 25 euros for a small Jar had 0 marketing and his shop looked like nothing you ever would step in. But as soon as I spoke to him I could see the passion about the creation of that Jar of Honey and all the Products he sells it was A brilliant exp from A shop I did not regard as much.
Hi there,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I had moved away from Malta for the exact same reasons you point out over 20 years ago. I would also add that there is not 1 meter of properly maintained area anywhere you go.
That really gets to me. Like peeling paint on houses, walls built with left overs, oil slicks everywhere, broken rusting metal contraptions.
Another thing that really is unique for Malta is that its the only country I have lived in where acting crass, crude, stupid and being ignorant is a grace not something to be ashamed of.
I had hoped that my generation would have made a difference. Alas I feel we have done worse. The generation that came after me has now sank it down to even murkier depths.
I have recently returned for personal reasons but suffice it to say there are countries that can prove to be a disappointment once one starts living there. Now I’m looking to where else I will be moving to.
Not to mention the recent murder of an esteemed journalist and her subsequent treatment to me has really hit the bottom of the pits. Now its quite clear that at no point was there a socialist or a conservative political view problem. Malta does not understand and never did understand democracy and politics, politicians included.
Brexit has put me off going to the UK. The reasons the Brits voted in favour of Brexit are short sighted and bigoted. True to be fair its that older generation that will not really live to see the results of what they did but I love the whole idea of the EU project and thats where I want to be. Preferably right in the heart of it.
Lets hope it manages to tackle the current problems and come out stronger in the future.
Otherwise nothing more to add and I dont see that there will ever be a culture change unless some economic disaster occurs. Then perhaps the people will realise finally that stupidity and ignorance is not something to be proud of and making money is really just something intangible. The value of money goes hand in hand with quality of life. It makes no sense to loose from one to benefit the other.
While I recognise there are literally a few thousand of like minded individuals we are too few on this island to make a difference. At least not while the construction industry keeps people feeling wealthy.
Good luck for the future
John
Thanks for your thoughts John, good luck to you too.
I have been reading your comments and me too emigrated to northern europe in my early twenties from Malta for mainly the same reasons. Nowadays I appreciate Malta how it is as it is a modern Arabic European country. You cannot compare Malta solely to European countries, because whether you want it or our culture has arabic roots. Behaviour of uneducated Maltese driving in their old cars is similar to that in North Africa, e.g. Libya. The mentality of throwing garbage outside is another issue. The fact of building without planning and the way of building (as in most Arabic countries or Israel). Reluctance to change. Seeing political party leaders as dictators. However, youngsters are brought up in believing they are only European and when they grow up the bubble blows up. What I mean is, the difference in Malta to other northern European nations is mainly cultural because of its Arabic origins, so (uneducated) Maltese people‘s attitudes, fiasco in planning or bad service are normal in Northern Africa. Of course the educated lot who travel want Malta to be more European, but this needs time and patience.
Very clear and interesting your point of view. Really usefull. Thanks a lot.