Evarist Bartolo, Shadow Minister for Education and a lecturer in communications at the University of Malta, writes about how the education curriculum in Malta is struggling with bi-lingualism.

Malta has two official languages: English and Maltese. Thousands of Maltese children are being brought up in families where English is not spoken regularly. We have also thousands of children living on these islands whose first language is not Maltese. Although we are officially a bilingual society Maltese and English are taught in our schools as if these are two native languages that our children acquire automatically through schooling and socialization.

We have a one-size-fits-all language policy for all our children and schools. This has not worked as on average only 56% of our students walk away with passes in the Secondary Education Certificate (SEC) in English Language and Maltese. At least 44% of our fifth formers still do not manage to become competent in English Language and Maltese after at least 12 years of schooling. SEC and Junior Lyceum examiners still refer to poor spelling, weak grasp of grammar and syntax, poor reading habits and lack of imagination and creativity in their year reports on students’ performance in English Language and Maltese SEC and Junior Lyceum examinations.

To change all this we need to design appropriate curricula, examinations, syllabi, content and pedagogical methods in the teaching and learning of English and Maltese.

The Maltese SEC and MATSEC examination needs to be split into two different papers: a language component and another in literature. Our students should be given the option to choose one of these papers and a pass in the Maltese Language SEC and MATSEC exam should be enough to qualify them for a course at the University of Malta. Steps should be taken to modernise the teaching of Maltese and choose content that is more relevant to the young people going through their education now.

Forcing thousands of our teenagers to do a Maltese SEC syllabus that is closer to a pre-industrial Malta 80 years ago than to their daily life makes them hate Maltese literature and gives them the sensation that Maltese is a strange and remote language.

We have very good writers who are creating literature that is very relevant for young people growing up today but this literature is kept away from our schools.

Teaching material and methods have been developed to help foreigners learn Maltese but our schools do not make any use of these experiences. The same goes for the teaching of English where the success we have achieved in teaching the language to over a million foreigners has not been transferred to our schools to teach our own youngsters.

We should use the know-how and experience we have built in the sector of the teaching of English as a foreign language to improve the teaching of Maltese and English in our primary and secondary schools.

Evarist Bartolo, Shadow Minister for Education and a lecturer in communications at the University of Malta, writes about the need for critical distance. And the need to sail away from our comfort zone.

Most of us Maltese know very little about the Maltese Islands.

We do not know much about these islands because of the way we have been brought up to look at our past. Most of us look at our past with a set of ideas and assumptions immersed in myths, legends and mostly lack of information that give us a poor picture of ourselves and our ancestors: that we have always been Catholic and nothing but Catholic since St Paul converted us nearly 2000 years ago. This way of thinking about our country and us is such a poor caricature of our rich past and identity! We need to discover our past and ourselves.

But to do that we must stop hugging the old familiar coast we know. We must sail forth … away from the comfort zone we have created. It will be worthwhile as the Maltese Islands we will discover, will equip us to feel more at home in the diverse, borderless and multicultural world of the 21st century.

If we explore our past with new eyes we will discover what a multicultural and diverse identity we have: that we were Muslim centuries ago; that several Maltese were persecuted, even burnt at the stake, for spreading Lutheranism in Malta; that perhaps for centuries these islands had no people living in them and we are a nation of immigrants; that we have Maltese and Gozitans living in every corner of the globe and we have many amongst us whose ancestors come from many different countries with a diversity of cultures and religions and that even three centuries ago you could walk up Valletta’s main street and hear people talking to each other in many different languages.

As Andre`Gide says: “One does not discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore.” Are we ready for it? We now have enough serious historians who have researched and discovered our past but their work has still not reached our schools and media and so we still look at our country and ourselves with the same old eyes.

Photo: Aron Mifsud Bonnici

Anyone who has holidayed in continental Europe in August, especially in cities, will know that many bars and restaurants are shut, sporting notices such as ‘Ferie’ or ‘in Vacanza’ in Italy, for example. Just as you, the unsuspecting tourist arrives, those who should be making a buck out of you at this peak summer holiday time of year have chosen to go on holiday too. So what happens in August in Malta, holiday islands in sun?

What to Expect in the August Shutdown
The next two weeks are Malta’s peak, local summer holiday time of year. If the father of the family hasn’t taken a break yet, he will now be shipping himself and family somewhere like a holiday flat or second home in Gozo or up North to St Paul’s Bay, abroad, or if very lucky, aboard a motor cruiser island hopping to Sicily. Mid August often sees a change in the weather to humid, sweaty, still grey days that promise rain. We can see the odd freak flash flood storm as a taste of autumn rains to come.

The summer recess in Malta moves in mysterious ways. We might not have ‘Chiuso per Ferie’ on our windows as our Italian neighbours do, but the habitual two weeks’ shutdown does leave its mark. Here’s how:

The good news
Everything a tourist needs stays open. Local businesses know that this is the time of year to make almost all their profits if they rely on tourist bucks from sun, sea and sand seeking visitors. None of the habits of Italian city restaurateurs here.

The bad news:
If you’ve moved to Malta recently, you might not know that a lot of firms – even those in service industries such as advertising, and retail businesses such as kitchen and bathroom showrooms, for instance, will be firmly shut for almost two weeks either side of 15 August. So, if you forgot to order that spare part for the washing machine, or need a new tap, like I do, you will have to wait till well after the 15th. Even then, next deliveries after the summer recess can take often until end September or longer to materialise in Malta. You will notice too that supermarket shelves may run out of favourite brands as shipments slow in August.

Although Malta has a dwindling number of manufacturing plants, the tradition of closing up the office still holds even if a firm doesn’t have a production line. The knock-on effect of the shutdown ripples through the economy. We’ve said before that the public sector is hard to reach on the phone after 12.00 from mid June to mid September, but I doubt you’ll get anywhere until September if you try to call a government office now with a query.

The other bad news is that we are all left to battle for the best places on the beach, best restaurant tables and best parking places as the islands teem with holidaymakers, locals and visitors. For some insane reason, we like to take our holidays now, altogether in a pressured two weeks. Malta’s schools don’t go back till around 24 September or later, so we’ve plenty more time to take a break.

The traditional August shutdown, while not strictly needed for most firms these days, is a habit hard to break. Maybe we can blame it on Malta’s most important public holiday, Santa Marija, which falls on the 15 August. The day is in Malta’s psyche; not only because Malta is predominantly Catholic, but also because it marks the end of Malta’s second ‘great siege’ when a small, war-torn convoy of Allied forces’ supply ships limped into Grand Harbour relieving the islands. More on that in our second August holiday article to come.

It’s peak summer, if we hadn’t noticed, which means it’s the season to be visited in Malta if you live here. Just as it gets really hot and anything but floating in pool or sea is tiring, emails from wannabe guests start populating your inbox. I’ve had a guest for almost a week which is why we’ve been silent in the past days. It’s also the reason for this post.

If you’ve lived in Malta as many years as I have, family and friends, far flung, have all been, seen and ‘done’ Malta at least twice or thrice and decided it’s time to holiday elsewhere. By now they’ve decided ‘the islands are so small’ and that ‘it’s far too hot in peak summer to sightsee isn’t it?’.

My list of guests has included a relative who wanted to see all the religious festas in an action-packed Easter, an Italian with a young son in tow who dug holes in my kitchen table, and a New Yorker who wanted picking up from the beach at will, generally in the peak heat.

As I waived good-bye, I made a mental note of the points that make for all-round easier, less stressful guest stay in Malta. The list is based on years of hosting experience. If you’re newly living in Malta, read this and be better prepared. The next few summers will see masses of repeat visitors coming your way. Do ask them to read this before they book the flights!

Hosts

Say NO!
If you’ve any nagging doubts about your guests’ stay (heavy workloads, kids sick, back from your holiday the day before they arrive, or you aren’t that close to them), just be brave and say a polite, quick reply, ‘NO it isn’t convenient’.

Be Prepared
Sleeping arrangements, extra beds and bedding, bathroom space, transport, car hire, sightseeing itineraries, food, ideal restaurants, kids’ activities, how to fit in with your routine, and a whole lot more needs working through before they arrive if you aren’t to feel like a stranger in your own home while guests are around. You will also be asked about medical things so make sure you know the times of a local doctor and how to guard against and treat mosquito bites and sunburn and sunstroke.

Guests

Please, please, please think about all this before you stay with a friend in Malta, especially in summer months..

Sun & Heat
June – August can easily see temperatures sore to late thirties and even over 40°C. Do expect to find that unbearable if you’re from northern climates. Do take precautions. Don’t expect your host to be sympathetic when you loll around at their house saying it’s too hot to go out, or because you got sunstroke on day one. Don’t ask them to pick you up at the hottest times of day – our cars are boiling! Stay put in the shade somewhere, then bus it home.

Electricity & Water: fans, showers, aircons and plugs
We pay among the highest price in Europe for our electricity in Malta, so please don’t leave fans, aircons or lights on when you’re not in your guest room. Do try also to save water and not shower four times a day. Plugs are UK 3-pin so bring enough adapters if from Continental Europe.

Transport – hire cars, buses
Our latest guest was supposed to hire a car but the two near misses as we drove on day one, within 100m of our house, was enough to put him off the idea. But do talk to your host in advance about how you intend to get around sightseeing or to the beach; don’t assume they can always fit in or want to pick you up. Hire cars are still cheap in Malta and a good way to explore. See our tips for safe driving. Buses are very hot this time of year but think about how quaint the journey is in our ageing vehicles!

We are not on Holiday!
While your hosts will take time to be with you, remember that they are likely to be working through summer except for perhaps the regular shutdown around 15th August ‘Ferragosto’ (to the Italians) and Santa Marija week here (15th is a public holiday). Don’t expect your host to be able to stay up late every night or be on hand to please all the time. Be thoughtful about their work routine and ensure they have space and time for themselves too.

Read up About Malta
My latest guest somehow thought that Malta would be far greener and lush – in mid July? Err…
Do read up a bit, at least, on the Islands so you won’t have the wrong expectations. Some guests seem to think that because they are staying with people they know, they don’t need to plan at all! This site might be a good place to start.

There is way more I could add to the list, but perhaps I am just too tired in the heat to pen the thoughts. Or recovering from the guest and catching up on work perhaps?

Photo: Gethin Thomas

I love Malta, my homeland. Yet I often find myself critical of it. Maybe because I feel that my country’s small size means it has the potential to be an environmental showcase. Maybe too because I feel we are such a nation of procrastinators, that we are quite happy to let things degenerate and then spend time finger pointing.

A friend of mine once told me that Malta was a great country to come up with world changing ideas – the UN Law of the sea, for one. Yet if Malta were to be trusted to implement and coordinate these ideas they would likely die on the drawing board.

The fact that we were one of the last countries to ratify that charter, which included the creation of marine protected areas (MPA), which we still dream about, and the statement that the sea is the common heritage of all mankind, may bare testimony to my friend’s opinion.

So here I am again in Bavaria as I write. This time in resplendent, verdant summer and amazed to see it’s even greener than it was in winter.

Being here always makes me feel sad for my country, and not solely because I miss Malta, but because I look at the environmental policies here and feel humbled by them, their scope and aims. I am a son of Malta, a culturally rich country, with a unique natural environment with some 300 endemic plant species, many of which, incidentally, are under threat of extinction. But I worry about Malta as a country that has absolutely no idea how to manage nor what to do with its rich heritage.

One of the things that strikes me here in Bavaria is that in most urban developments, they consider green living areas. Gardens or trees are everywhere; children are actually playing in green areas, among trees and not on tarmac or concrete.

Blocks of apartments are put up in really fast time, AFTER consultation with ALL the neighbours and adhere to some form of aesthetic standards. Where we would build on the entire footprint, here they sacrifice some of the space to ensure the block of flats has some form of garden or green area.

I see constant reminders of the fact that it is legislative requirement for built areas to contain a certain amount of green space and also for planners to create a certain number of children’s playgrounds for a given number of apartments built.

Recently, I have noticed that many of the flat roofs have actually soft landscaped gardening. Looking from the 5th floor of the hospital where I visited a friend, I noticed that all the flat space on the roof is green with wild grass and flowering plants.

In fact, not too different from the weeds and plants our councils and government are so keen to eradicate along many of our roads and country lanes .

I started to visualise how fantastic Malta would look if our flat roofs became soft landscaped gardens, (soft as opposed to potted plants), and think about the environmentally-friendly insulation these would give us during our hot or cold seasons.

The hospital here too is an oasis of green with trees, grass and flowers everywhere. Here too I cannot but help imagine how we ended up with a bleak and barren landscaped hospital which houses the very people who may need to have spirits lifted by a pleasant environment but who are greeted instead by tarmac, concrete and rocks.

Only a couple of hundred meters away we have the Wied Gollieqa conservation area in the valley between San Gwann and the hospital. But instead of trying to at least blend to some extent the landscaping of the hospital area with its adjacent nature we go way off in the opposite direction and build a modern hospital without any natural environmental considerations. These environmental considerations include not only the lack of greenery but also its planning without consideration of renewable energy.

Often when articles like this appear in our papers we read vitriolic and intolerant statements such as “if you don’t like it then leave”, or “don’t visit Malta”. Or one is accused of being “unpatriotic”

Well, the fact is that I am Maltese and live in the country. The fact that I criticise my homeland does not make me less patriotic. My criticism comes from a love of it and the knowledge that we can be better and should aspire to all those high-minded, but often simply implemented ideals that can change the environmental face of my homeland.

Photo: courtesy Leslie Vella

It’s a Sunday evening in early July as I write this, which is an appropriate moment to tackle that great Maltese seasonal institution – a large, loud gathering of family and friends out for a beach BBQ.

Tomorrow morning, many a Maltese beach will bear the signs of this weekend’s nighttime invasion – litter, spent charcoal, chicken wings and detritus of all kinds will be left behind. While some litter, there are others who spend hours doing voluntary beach tidy-ups. It’s a never ending cycle of litter, tidy, litter… but perhaps we’ve reached the tipping point, or nearly.

The Beach BBQ’s Environmental Impact
Of course, it’s not solely the beach BBQ that contributes to beach littering, but here’s an anecdote on its polluting effect which isn’t all about litter.

A couple of hot July’s ago, I went out for an expensive, splash-out meal at a restaurant right next to a small bay. The establishment suggests guests arrive to catch the sunset views from the al fresco dining area. We did. And that was about the best bit of the evening, and the meal. I won’t do a hatchet job on the meal (which it deserved), but the evocative sundown drink was spoiled within around five minutes of our arrival by the chugging into action of a generator and the waft of petrol, followed by floodlights, shouting and general mayhem. The beach BBQ was in full swing.

Now, I like the idea of a beach BBQ, and went on a couple in the past. But we were responsible enough to keep noise to a minimum. The people I was with enjoyed chilling out in the mellow heat and listening to the waves, not music or generators and scoured their patch of beach meticulously using torches to ensure not a scrap of litter was left. If all nighttime BBQ-goers did this, then there’d be no need to…

Ban the Beach BBQ
Mellieha Local Council used by-laws to ban the BBQ last summer from Ghadira Bay, to some uproar. Some quarters saw it as another attack on popular ‘cultural’ pastimes. Not that the beach BBQ can be compared with the Ghanafest.

Ghadira Bay has a nature reserve behind it and is aiming for Blue Flag status as a beach with outstanding environmental and safety credentials. While the Blue Flag criteria don’t stipulate a ban on BBQs, Blue Flag status and barbecuing don’t sit happily together; the pollution the beach BBQ produces in Malta would make attaining and retaining Blue Flag status nearly impossible.

Two beaches in Malta now have the Blue Flag – Bugibba (this year) and St George’s Bay (awarded last year). Interestingly, both are ‘new’, man-made beaches and in built-up areas popular with tourists. They have no local tradition of BBQs.

Yet, the more rural, beauty spot beaches, which should have greater potential to reach Blue Flag standards aren’t yet quality enough; the BBQ culture must have something to do with that.

Conspicously, today, I noticed a row of temporary info boards on Golden Bay beach explaining Blue Flag and the local sealife and fauna and flora. The Malta Tourism Authority’s info boards nearby, also a new addition this year, clearly said BBQs were not allowed, neither was camping.

So, plans are afoot to make more of Malta’s beaches BBQ free in pursuit of that elusive Blue Flag status no doubt. I love the idea of footloose and fancy-free summer nights on the beach with a Barbie as much as the next man. But given our islands’ limited beach space, masses of beach goers and our enduring lack of self-discipline, the BBQ must stay at home. About time.

Take a walk through Valletta’s back streets, and you’ll come across old shop fronts with wonderful names, often faded or peeling with the patina of the years. Most are shuttered up relics of once busy shops. Some sport the names of the partners in the family firms while others prefix their wares or services with adjectives we’d rarely see in adverts today, such as ‘economical’ or ‘bespoke’. These shop fronts are the signs of Valletta of old, the ‘Vanishing Valletta’ documented by Maltese photographer David Pisani.

Not many of these old shops that were once the lifeblood of Valletta a century or more ago live on today. But one family of retailers can trace its history back that far; its story parallels that of Malta through World Wars, slumps and booms. It can document also consumers’ changing tastes in fashion and furnishings from Victoriana to 1930s’ modernism and 1950s’ post-war utility and beyond.

The firm, now run by the grandsons and great grandchildren of the founding brothers, is Camilleri Paris Mode, and it’s just turned 120. Once called ‘À La Ville de Lyon’, and located on the corner of Merchants Street and St John’s Square tucked next to the Co-Cathedral, it stocked general drapery and advertised that is was a “naval & military contractor”. According to an old newspaper cutting, its wares included “silks, woolen, cotton, linen goods, damask, tapestry, the latest novelties, and faldettas” (the traditional hooded cloak women wore in Malta and Gozo, known also as the għonnella).

The business witnessed its ups and downs and the story of the Camilleri family mirrors that of Malta. It grasped the market in the Fin de siècle era when it imported the lastest in Parisian fashion accessories to adorn Malta’s well-heeled society ladies, as well as ensuring wisely that it offered value and service to all strata of clientele; it saw a brother almost emigrate to Argentina; it saw the family business split and diverge; it had hard times following the First World War; and it saw its premises and the city around it all but destroyed by World War II.

As it celebrates 120 years in trade, Camilleri Paris Mode – its name still resonating with its history as a purveyor of Paris fashions – is no longer solely about fabrics. The firm’s now three shops, one still on Merchants’ Street, offer also wedding services (lists, gowns and accessories), design and manufacture of sofas, wines and delicacies, and lifestyle and living ranges suited to every interior from baroque palaces to marina penthouses.

Its nerve centre is thoroughly contemporary and housed in spanking new premises in Rabat. But appearances deceive. If there are two adjectives that describe CPM (as those in the know call it) today, just as 120 years ago, I’d say they are ‘bespoke’ and ‘fine’. Whether you’re calling in to get a single bottle of wine or talking about the interior of an entire flat, the family and its family of staff give you the kind of old-world service that you thought went out, well, a hundred years ago. It survived, when many shut up shop around it. There’s a lesson in that somewhere…

Photo: Rubelli Fabrics, courtesy of Camilleri Paris Mode.

Rebecca Cremona, 26, film director and scriptwriter, has packed a lot into life so far. She studied comparative film and literature at the University of Warwick in the UK and went on to do her second degree in film directing at the American Film Institute and Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles. A short film she completed in early 2009, ‘Magdalene’ (trailer above), won her a Student EMMY and a Director’s Guild of America student award.

Rebecca is back on the Islands to tackle some contentious, contemporary issues in a Malta she feels is still finding its way post colonialism. Her project will be Malta’s first, home-grown, full-length feature film for the international market. Here, Rebecca lets us into her world, which she says is not all tinsel but more hard graft and determination. Here’s her story, ‘uncut’, in her own words.

1. When did you realise that film for you was more about doing than watching?
Whenever I am asked this question I remember a girls’ night when I was 16. We were watching ‘The Insider’ and the girls were chatting, nibbling away on snacks, and swooning over Russell Crowe. I was far more boring, and simply sat in front of the TV watching the film intently. One of the girls asked me what was capturing my attention. I told her it was the reflection on the car and how precisely it interacted with the camera and actor movement.

She looked at me stunned, called me a freak (rightly so), and still makes fun of me till this day. I think it’s safe to say that although at the time I knew I was into film – all my pocket money went on film magazines, video rentals and cinema tickets – it was at that point that I realised my interest was more than just a hobby. In fact, it is very rare for me to get engrossed in the story of a film. I am more likely to analyse its building blocks – the performance, editing, cinematography etc. Also, ‘makings of’ and interviews with filmmakers were always a very important aspect of a film for me – some times more interesting than the film itself!

2. What draws you to the medium?
What I love about film is that it’s a combination of art forms: literature, photography, music, acting, painting, philosophy…the list is endless. Through a film you create a little universe in more ways than one. First and foremost you are creating a universe on the screen, but even the work environment of every film is a unique universe within itself. Every film is a different experience you plunge into – from the subject matter you’re dealing with to the cast and crew who you are surrounded by.

I also love the fact that films – the mainstream ones at least – are watched all over the world. I remember going to the Galapagos where ‘Armageddon’ saved me from lack of conversation, because it was the only tangible thing in common I shared with a local. I suppose what I am saying is that it is film’s diversity which draws me to it. Of course the diversity also means that it is not the most stable of mediums to work within, however it is worth the risk in my opinion.

3. What films are special to you.
I always find it difficult to make a short list because there are so many different reasons to love a film. But I’ll try…
Y tu mama tambien – for me this film is entertaining, intelligent and very well done.
‘Monsoon Wedding’ – no matter how often I watch it, it moves me.
‘Spirit of the Beehive’ – I’ve never seen anything quite like the haunting atmosphere it manages to create.
‘In the mood for love’ – just an incredibly beautiful film.
‘The Diving Bell and the Butterfly’ – a story which gives you insight into what it is to be a human being, for better and for worse.
‘Thelma and Louise’ – a genre film which defies genre, very clever.
Then there are films which on a rational level I do not think are all that great, but for some reason they resonate with me. Examples of this would be ‘Stealing Beauty’ and ‘Great Expectations’ (Cuaron’s version).

As a general rule it is fair to say that I gravitate more towards art house and independent films, however, I still watch, and for the most part enjoy, mainstream cinema. I found ‘The Hangover’ hilarious, for instance.

4. Tell us about your first big break
Making a film is creatively, logistically and financially difficult. Because of this, every film you make which allows you to step up one ring of the ladder is a big break. Your first film is important because it will always remain your first film. The film that gets you into film school is important because it is likely to be taken as a foundation piece. The film that gets you into your first film festival will introduce you to the joys and torments of your primary bloodline – your audience. The film that gets you your first award is likely to spearhead your identity as a filmmaker. Then of course there are films which are more important to you personally than they are to anyone else and vice versa. I feel the need to go on this little tangent because becoming a filmmaker is a long process, and it is important to appreciate the importance of each step otherwise it is easy to give up or take short cuts which might do more harm than good.

If I were to answer your question directly I would say ‘Magdalene’ (see trailer above). Magdalene is a short film which I completed in the beginning of 2009. I consider it to be the ‘big break’ because it got me some prestigious awards, including a Student EMMY and a Director’s Guild of America student award. Just as important, it was picked up for distribution, so it will have a shelf life of seven years across different platforms (TV, iTunes, cinema etc) worldwide.

5. What was Los Angeles like – Tinseltown or a Tough town or both?
Definitely both. The good thing in L.A is that everyone is in the filmmaking business – from the waiter who brings you your coffee, to the big shot exec in the jaguar stopped by your side at a red light. Because you are surrounded by the industry at all times, and the turn around of work is so frequent, it feels like making films is a very normal thing to do, and indeed making them is easier due to the availability of resources.

The bad thing there is the same as the good one – that everyone is in the filmmaking business! Sometimes this makes you feel like you’re one in a sea of thousands, which you are. But many will tell you, to make it, or even simply survive, in the film industry it is not enough to be talented, you need to have the right attitude and a lot of resilience. And although it is necessary to surround yourself with people in the industry, it is equally necessary to mingle with those who have nothing to do with it – both as a source of inspiration and as a means of regaining perspective. For there certainly is Tinsel, and when it’s showered on you it’s important to remember it’s just tinsel.

6. You are embarking on what will be the first, full-length feature film for the international market made by a Maltese director/scriptwriter. Why choose a Malta story to tell? What draws you back here?

I get really annoyed when people say that being Maltese is a disadvantage in the grand scheme of things. I think in an increasingly globalised world, in which cultures are merging sometimes into a faceless molten pot, it is important for us to explore, express and safeguard our particular identity. It is also the thing which allows us to have an edge over countries with populations of millions, as cultural uniqueness is becoming an increasingly rare feature.

In fact, one of the strongest factors which made me want to be a filmmaker was that I wanted to tell and show Malta. Most imminently for nostalgic purposes – the Malta of my childhood is disappearing a little every day and being buried by buildings which look like computer renderings.

But on a more fundamental level, I really feel that we still have a post-colonial identity crisis, which we haven’t addressed. So although I read my first degree in England, and my second degree in Los Angeles, the intention was always to come back and tell a Maltese story. I think through the arts (and very prominently, architecture) we can discover this identity and explore what its contemporary expression is. When one thinks of Malta we think of the legacy of the Knights or the rural scenes captured by Edward Caruana Dingli, and this is all well and good. But it’s about time that we have a strong contemporary counterpart to that which is Maltese, and not an imported generic ‘modernity’.

7. Who have been your mentors on the way?
There’s a reason why award acceptance speeches are so long, and that’s because the amount of guidance and support filmmakers absorb is huge! But I’d love to take this opportunity to express my appreciation of peers, mentors and all those who’ve been supportive of my career so far.

Of course without the faith and support of my parents I would have never had the opportunity to follow my passion. Spielberg and his crew (my first proper set experience was on ‘Munich’) have been essential in advising me and giving me continued training and support. The faculty at Art Center are absolutely incredible, and although I never went to the University of Malta, the Film department here has been extremely helpful. I am happy to say, that this goes for most of the other local institutions, like the film commission and the film fund. Additionally, Bank of Valletta and Air Malta are sponsoring the feature film which is currently in development. All this support – infrastructural, educational, and moral – is so vital. Just the other day I was injected with the means, energy and morale to move forward by a woman who has nothing to do with film, but who simply believes in film and the work my crew and I are doing. I will be eternally grateful to her. As I am for the support of many others.

Suddenly this week, we’ve had all too hot a reminder that we’re in June. Summer 2010 has had till now a late and shaky start with some wild windy days, and some sultry overcast skies heavy with thunder. But, the rising mercury is screaming summer now, so dust off memories of summers past in Malta, or anywhere else you’ve holidayed in the Med, and see if this list rings any bells with you.

You know it’s summer when…

- The cat won’t move for hours on end
- Ants start invading your kitchen
- Yells, bells and smells greet you on every street (festas, food stalls, car windows open, TVs blaring through open doors…)
- Families, old and young members like, perch outside on chairs, doorsteps and kerbs to chat
- Drivers of heavy vehicles strip to vests
- Valletta’s (old) City Gate (soon to be no more) reeks of sweets, diesel and sweat
- Tarmac starts to melt and rutch up
- Kids eat an ice cream a day
- Tourists are on the beach at midday; while Maltese turn up after 5.30pm
- Drivers start getting more abusive as heat = road rage
- You hear every festa wherever you are on the islands
- Town and village festas close roads and cause tailbacks (people kerb-crawling watching fireworks)
- There’s barely a local to be seen in village streets after midday.
- You can park in Valletta easily after midday – public servants have all gone home!
- Government offices rarely answer phones after midday
- Paceville is a no-go zone for a whole lot of reasons!
- You can hear clubbing venues’ music even if you’re miles away
- Beer not wine is the drink you want when dining out
- Aircon firms charge a whole lot more for call-outs (get servicing done by end May next year!)
- Whole families perch quayside with fishing rods as the sun sets
- Beaches get BBQs galore
- Beaches get filled up by large groups of language students (from midday at weekends, so plan to go other times!)
- You know it’s summer when you’ve had enough of going to the beach and look elsewhere for things to do.

The list is endless, so do add your own summer in Malta characteristics…

Photo: Anne Muscat Scerri of Cloudberry Images

A few years ago, the nearest most Maltese would come to the Swedish culture in Malta was a) overhearing some language students on the beach in summer months; or b) vaguely having heard of a certain Captain Olof Gollcher, OBE (1889-1962), the son of a wealthy shipping merchant of Swedish descent whose former home in Mdina, Palazzo Falson, is today an eclectic museum of his art and artefacts. The Gollcher name also lives on in Malta’s shipping and tourism sector.

Now though, Swedish is fast becoming the next language on Malta’s streets alongside Maltese and English. The number of Swedish expats living here has mushroomed. Originally, there were perhaps just the retiree generations who moved to seek Malta’s southern warmth, or a smattering of Swedes who married Maltese. Their numbers have swelled dramatically in the past five years with Swedes moving to Malta to work (thanks to Malta’s EU membership) and often to take up jobs in the online gaming industry.

The Swedish community is active and close. Almost all the ‘new’ Swedes I bump into seem to know other Swedes I’ve known here for years. Swedish expats soon get to know their compatriots in Malta.

Swedes also like to celebrate their key festivals while in Malta – festivities were organised for Sweden’s National Day, 6 June, this year in quite a big way. The Swedish Club in Malta invited all Swedish nationals to join in on a BBQ evening with friends and family at the Hilton in St Julian’s.

The Swedish Club was set up in 2009 to promote the cultural ties between Swedes living in Malta and the Maltese society. The club also wants to keep Swedish traditions alive. If you’re a Swede in Malta, you might like to check out their activities here. You might also like to start a Swedish forum on maltainsideout.

Main Photo: Courtesy – Christopher Matson
Article contributions from: Anne Muscat Scerri