I’m currently on the Europe Integration & Business Field Trip. At the beginning of this week, I spent three days experiencing the islands of Malta. I’m very grateful to have had this amazing experience and to be able to compare the cultural differences between Malta and the United States. My initial impression of Malta itself was how compact the cities are and how tall all of their buildings are built. Many locals would walk everywhere and frequently would eat at restaurants, because of how small their refrigerators and kitchens are. Additionally, I was very surprised by the landscape. It rarely rains in Malta, so they’re known for their Prickly Pear because they have cactuses everywhere you look. We didn’t see any grass or gardens, because everyone essentially lives in apartments. We stayed in Gzira for three days right by the water and during the day visited Valleta by bus and Gozo by ferry. Gozo had stunning beaches and many restaurants to eat at on the water. One of the many differences I have seen is how Malta’s restaurants are. All of the restaurants have outdoor seating and many people prefer to be outside compared to inside. The inside of the restaurants are very tiny and they use many levels to create more space. Further, at every restaurant you pass, a worker is standing outside encouraging you to look at the menu and eat at their restaurant.
Another large difference is all of Malta’s cars are very compact and the streets are very narrow. Our bus driver was very talented in maneuvering the streets, but on many streets, cars would have to reverse to let us through. The traffic laws were very relaxed as well and all the drivers seemed like they respected one another. There were some streets we would drive down and the bus would take up the entire street and would have to be careful to not hit the buildings on either side of us or people walking on the narrow sidewalk.
Moving on to my experience with Maltese food. Their food is a lot fresher and less processed. Their fruits were very rich and delicious. Similar to the United States they have large proportions of meals. However, it’s not as common to take your food to go with you. So at many restaurants, we would split meals, so we could finish all the food and not waste any. Due to the lack of rain Malta gets throughout the year, they charge money for water everywhere. So If you have a glass of water at a restaurant you will be charged and it’s not included in your meal.
Overall it was an incredible experience to see Malta and be the first study abroad trip to go there. I hope to go back soon.
