Now that I’ve come back to Malta, after four months of living in another country, the painful process of "readjusting’ has started. While some things are easier to get used to than others, below are the top five things that will be the hardest to get used to, no matter where in the world you head off to.
1. The weather and the temperature
My first thought when I woke up the morning after I arrived in Malta was "Why is there so much sun in my room?’ Upon opening my ward robe to pick an outfit for the day, my next two thoughts were — "Why do I have so many clothes in my wardrobe? And why are they summer clothes?!’
Living somewhere that isn’t as warm as Malta is definitely an experience — coming back home and not having to wear about 5 layers and a vest over your top half to keep warm is really something to think about. I can’t remember the last time I left the house without at least two jackets on. You also get stunned with the lack of rain and clouds all the time, especially when the sun is out.
That being said, you’re much better equipped to dealing with the cold now. My last night out in Paceville, I walked around with my coat in my arm while my friends stood there shivering, listening to me loudly proclaim that "it’s not that cold!’
2. The people
Becoming used to seeing and hearing Maltese people around you all the time is a bit weird. It’s nice to see friends again, and to not be the only person speaking Maltese in a group of friends, but it’s also very strange when you suddenly hear people swearing in a language you actually understand.
It’s also very weird when you hear English being spoken brokenly, but in a way only the Maltese know how to do.
Also, I’ve found that the Maltese are not as polite as the Irish, especially when it’s about wishing someone something as simple as a "good day’ as you leave the shop you’re in, or saying "thank you’ to the bus driver.
Seriously, why doesn’t everybody do that?
3. The way you speak
Inevitably, picking up colloquialisms from wherever you’ll live will happen. Your accent might have changed slightly if you went to an English-speaking country. Certain words will come out the way the locals would have said them. It’s a thing that happens. Just fully expect that people will point it out to you, even if you’re fully aware that you’re doing it.
Not the first time my friends have turned to me to say "That sounded very Irish of you’. Truth be told, I kind of like it!
4. Travelling
A huge relief was the fact that I didn’t have to spend EUR1.60 every single time I got on a bus, instead of EUR1.50 for a day ticket and calling it even. Finally, a bus system that’s a bit shoddy on running time but hey, at least it’s cheap!
Although, I must admit, I do miss being able to walk into Uni and not having to get on an overcrowded bus to do that.
5. Living with your parents again
Parents, if you’re reading this — I love you. I do. I’m so glad to be in a house that has more than one floor and a fully stocked fridge, and that I can sometimes come home to clean clothes and warm food without having to do it myself.
But it is such a shock to go from living in your own little hole-in-the-wall to suddenly sharing a house with your family again. It’s especially a shock when you go from a tiny apartment to a normal-sized house. My first day back, after taking a shower, I asked my mother if the sink had always been that deep. She looked at me as if I’d gone insane.
(It was a genuine question!)
Although, trust me when I say that parents will also have to adjust to having you back. My mother recently told me she hadn’t been doing this much laundry while I was away, but that now I’m back she has to do it way more often. On the plus side though, she finally has another mouth to feed again, so maybe it’s not all that bad? (I mean, I like to be fed!)