Archive | Expats

Houses of character. You bet!

Houses of character. You bet!

Full of character, but still waiting to be understood.

Full of character, but still waiting to be understood.

If you’re thinking of renting a house in Malta, for a holiday or longer stay, you’ll come across the term ‘house of character’. My first reaction to this charming personification that crops up in holiday brochures and estate agents’ descriptions is ‘yes, they certainly are’! My second is ‘but whatever their faults, I love them!’ I’ve 12 years’ experience to fall back on, so I’ve got to know every quirk of my place.

But if you’re new to the concept, what is a ‘typical house of character’ in Malta and Gozo, and in what sense do they have character?

What they are
Well, the pictures you’ll see mostly show honey-coloured old stone houses perhaps with a shock of bright pink bougainvillea over the door or gracing the courtyard, but hopefully not near the pool as it drops brachts (the ‘flowers’) all the time! The limestone will be mellow and roughly hewn, not smoothed and bright white in the sun. You’ll see arches, wooden beams, spiral stairways (internal and outside), terraces, never a straight wall, pregnant (bowed, wrought iron-clad) windows and myriad niches, nooks and crannies. Charm indeed.

Where they are
Houses of character are mostly found in old village cores up the winding alleys. Even though terraced houses in theory, they are often called farmhouses because they feature large, arched rooms that were used as stables or as milling rooms. My neighbour must have one of the few mill rooms in a time warp, with the old mill stones still in place. Occasionally, you’ll find a house of character detached, out in the countryside; though the standalone ones are often partly or entirely newly built from old stone (a trend in Gozo where developers realised there weren’t enough of the right-sized holiday homes to meet demand). The term house of character is somewhat loose as it also covers older town houses with roofed balconies. I don’t tend to think of any 20th century town houses as being ‘of character’.

Living in them…
Their true character shines through when you live in them though. If you are passing through them on a week or two’s holiday, they will charm. But here, we relate the findings of some longer-term residents of character houses. Their experiences are useful to those thinking of moving to Malta and renting one.

Finding the house
Most properties (sale or rental) are listed with more than one real estate agent, so make sure you don’t see the same place twice. Be clear about what you’re looking for and if you are an expat, be prepared for some raised eyebrows. Quote: “Our agent was young Sliema (ie. town) lad and shocked we would consider a character house and the countryside! Most assume expats want to live in penthouse flats.”

Rates you can expect to pay
Rental rates vary widely, and it’s not always a case of you get what you pay for. Be prepared to negotiate on the rental. For a 3- to 4-bed place, with some guest space, outdoor BBQ area and pool/pool deck area, you can find properties ranging from €2,000/m – €6000 (and the upper rate one included a view of the old rubbish dump)! Houses of character can have weird bedroom layouts, with one room accessed only via another (so no landing or corridor). So the concept of ‘bedrooms’ to gauge size is vague. You have to go and see places to really know what’s what and whether they are worth the price.

What to look out for when viewing. Hidden extras to pay? Ease of getting maintenance done?
Some larger places do come with a handyman/caretaker,which is a boon to new arrivals in Malta. Electricity is expensive, so look for other ways of heating and cooking (and cooling in summer – ie. some people almost never use AC). There is a pool licence to pay which can mount up if your pool is large. Pools need maintainance (€40-150/month!), and in the summer if being used a lot, pump needs to run 12+hrs a day – which bumps electricity usage up. If you’ve children, be aware of pool safety. Many pools are in courtyards or open to deck areas.

Location: do check the vicinity
Beware noisy neighbours! Especially dogs on the roof. Constant barking can be mind-blowing. I’ve had a neighbour’s dog bark for 10 hours non-stop, literally. And think about parking in those alleys and village cores.

Costly houses don’t always buy you peace and comfort. The vast place for €6,000pm out in the countryside was swamped with flies (surrounded by stables), stank (because of rubbish dump), and was noisy (dogs and a generator next door), and when the wind blew (most days in Malta), it picked up dust and dumped in pool.

Hunters – I can hear their guns from a village core, so expect more noise at dawn in the bird hunting season if you live in the countryside.

Heat, damp, shade and light
Beware rising damp, or penetrating damp and humidity. It seeps in everywhere in most limestone houses, but can be difficult to contain in old ones with no damp proof course, and with wells in the house or courtyard. Damp is not good for asthmatics. See Heating a Maltese house. Air character houses as much as you can – open wide the windows (and let in dust of course) everyday, winter or summer. Some old houses have rooms with few apertures and little light. Do check some rooms have enough task lighting for comfortable reading.

Outdoor areas need shading in summer. Trees are better than relying solely on canvas. Quote: “If you have a shadeless courtyard pool, in peak daytime hours in July-August you won’t be able to use it!”

Trees also mean deep shade in winter, so any limestone paving outside will inevitably go emerald green and dangerously slippery during the winter rains.

Furnished or unfurnished?
Long-term expats usually move with furniture so just want the kitchen kitted out with oven, hob, dishwasher and perhaps washing machine. These do usually come standard in rental places. But be prepared to face the landlord’s mass of furniture, whether you want it or not. There is no storage facility in Malta (apart from the odd private (damp) garage, so landlords prefer to keep it in the house! Beware expensive breakable antiques and bad taste – sometimes the two go together. Again, negotiate to get it shifted somewhere if you want your own stuff in the house. If you need to store furniture, do be prepared to find it smelly and damp when you dig it out to use. Tip – air, air, air everything from wardrobes to kitchen cupboards, year round.

Travel & Transport from out of town places
Buses do go almost everywhere, eventually, even if on long, winding, rough routes. But expect to drive to get around easily unless you are central or in an urban area. One family moving from London had this to say about their location in the Maltese countryside: “We’ve got a cliff-top view, so it’s very quiet and beautiful, and feels very remote sometimes. Amazingly, the local shop delivers and the school bus comes here, but do check as one person we know in Bingemma said the school bus wouldn’t come her way. If you need them, check their routes before you rent.

Final word
Don’t let the list above dent your desire to live in a house of character. Just realise that they do have character, and so, like people, need getting to know and managing! And, they rarely loose their price, wherever they are located, should you love one so much you want to buy.

Photo: Gethin Thomas

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Posted in Buying Property, Expats, Farmhouses, Rental Property, Stay3 Comments

British Malta: museums & memorabilia

British Malta: museums & memorabilia

Sending a message from the past: British postbox in Malta:

Sending a message from the past: British postbox in Malta:

Earlier this year, an old RAF colleague of my father turned 80. To mark his birthday, he came to Malta on a trip down memory lane to visit places he’d not seen for well over 50 years. He was stationed here in the early 1950s for three years. He showed me some sepia photos of himself among colleagues – groups of tanned young men, diving off rocks, ladding around somewhere in Sliema, or was it near Delimara? John tried to recall the Malta he knew – with the contours so changed, it was hard to decipher where the photos were shot.

Quite a bit of British tourism to Malta is still fuelled by people keen to recall their past stationed here, from World War II onwards until the last naval bases closed and the British forces left in 1979. Many, like John, are increasingly frail, but want to get around to see as much as they can. To help them and anyone else interested in exploring Malta’s 160 years of British rule, we’ve listed the main places and museums that recall this past; as well as note the British-influence on current-day Maltese life, from language to driving on the left. For a potted history of Malta under British rule, click here.

Most places are accessible by public transport. Though, to find the exact piece of rocky beach where John swam, I had to chauffeur drive, slowly, and scour rock faces for etched names, eroded and lost to time. But we think we got the spot – by today’s Exiles beach club, Sliema!

British influence today
There’s a strong affinity between the Maltese and the British. It’s an easy place for Brits to visit, what with English a joint official language and widely spoken, driving on the left, cups of tea with lots of milk, and familiar names around – from shop fronts to street names. Battered old vehicles still on our roads, like Bedford vans, Ford Anglias and Triumphs, can take you back to ’50s – 70s Britain in a flash. Then there are red post boxes (good examples in Valletta and on the Sliema front) and red telephone boxes (again, in Valletta) which are often more common there than on British streets.

Museums with British or wartime exhibits
National War Museum, Fort St Elmo, Valletta: the place to start as it focuses on the two World Wars. Displays the George Cross awarded by King George VI to Malta for the islands’ bravery in WWII.
National Maritime Museum, Birgu Waterfront: This vast museum housed in the old British naval bakery traces Malta’s sea-faring history from Phoenician times to WWII and beyond. Mock-up of a naval waterfront bar, uniforms, navy photographs, letters and memoribilia galore.
Malta at War Museum, Birgu: this new museum, housed in 18th century barracks, tells of the daily hardship and suffering of the islanders during WWII.
Aviation Museum, Ta’ Qali: a veritable treasure trove of memoribilia of the R.A.F. in Malta, and Malta’s wartime air defence. Hawker Hurricane and Supermarine Spitfire in aviation sheds. Great for kids too!
Lascaris War Rooms, Valletta: one of only four remaining WWII military operations rooms remaining (currently closed though).
Mgarr Second World War Shelter: Located under Il-Barri Restaurant, this is one of the largest underground shelters on the islands. Recently restored and open to visitors, it shows the hard life in the shelters for the local farming community. Open: Tue – Sat: 9.00am till 2.00pm; Sun: 9.00am till 11.00am

Forts, Barracks & Fortifications
Pill boxes & Gun Posts: these dot the skyline of Valletta’s perimeter. There’s a pill box now turned cafe-snack bar on the corner of Marasamxett and St Sebastian Streets just before the War Museum. If you do a harbour cruise or get under sail, you’ll see just how many concrete pill boxes there are still preserved around Valletta. For anti-aircraft gun posts, a good example is through the car park at the end of South Street, Valletta, overlooking Marsamxett Harbour.

Victoria Lines
This line of inland defence – built up with walls, forts and batteries – runs along a natural ‘great fault’ some 12km, in effect dividing southern and northern Malta. The fault has proved a natural defensive ridge since prehistoric times, but it was under British rule in the mid-1870s that it was fortified more extensively. Forts along its length include Fort Madliena, Fort Binġemma, and Fort Mosta – which is open to the public. Join one of three tours Mon-Fri; 09.30 – 12.30.

Pembroke
This area of Malta, just north of the Paceville/St George’s Bay area was the base of British military life in Malta, with its officers’ mess, barracks and married quarters. A drive around Pembroke gives you old, crumbling barracks, those put to new uses, as well as Australia Hall – still standing though somewhat derelict, but once an entertainment venue and cinema built in 1915 – and a host of wonderful street names like Alamein, Normandy and Anzio.

Auberge d’Angleterre, Birgu: first home of the English Knights of St John in Malta before the Order moved to Valletta. Today, it’s home to Birgu Libary. You can pop inside the courtyard and view, but it’s not an official tourist sight.

Outdoor Sights

Dockyards: all the Three Cities area is of interest as the heartland of Malta’s naval history and maritime trade. Good to view from across Grand Harbour, and Upper Barrakka Gardens.

Garden of Rest, Floriana or Msida Bastion Cemetery, or ‘the Protestant Cemetery’: wonderfully tranquil spot with great views of the inner reaches (Msida Creek) of Marsamxett Harbour. Well tended, open to the public. Read the gravestones. Even holds concerts!

Queen Victoria statue, Palace Square Valletta
Victoria Gate, Valletta

Old Saluting Battery: Sited below Upper Barrakka Gardens, Valletta, the battery not only has the Grand Harbour views, but also offers a chance to learn how cannons worked and were fired in days gone by. Two guided tours daily just before and after the firing of the noon-day gun at 11.15 and 12.15.

Sir Alexander Ball memorial, Lower Barrakka Gardens. Great views from these gardens out to sea and over the Fallen Soldier and Siege Bell memorials. Sir Alexander Ball was Malta’s last British Governor.

George Cross commemoration plaque on the Palace, Valletta. The Cross itself and King George VI’s message are on display in the War Museum (see above).

St Paul’s Anglican Cathedral, Valletta

Kenuna Tower, Nadur, Gozo: one of three semaphore towers built by the British in 1848 on the cliffs near Nadur.

Ta’ Qali & Hal-Far airfields: the Aviation Museum, Ta’ Qali, is the best source of information on airfield history.

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Posted in Expats, Explore, Museums2 Comments

Essential Malta: Importing a Car

Essential Malta: Importing a Car

There are a lot of steps to climb if you want to import a car into Malta!

There are a lot of steps to climb if you want to import a car into Malta!

This is probably one of the most difficult topics we’ve covered. We can only guide you, provide some personal insights and give you a feeling for what’s involved. We’ll be building on this article, adding to the body of links here. Your insights will be invaluable too.

Basic background
If you are foreign and importing a car into Malta to drive it here beyond the six months deemed permissible as a ‘tourist’ stay, then you will have to pay a vehicle registration tax (though may be eligible for an exemption). If you have a Maltese ID card, you will not be able to drive the car beyond the ferry and home, if that, without having it licensed here. With Maltese ID, you cannot claim to be a tourist visiting.

Vehicle Registration Tax
Malta has among the highest registration taxes for most types of vehicles. Some concessions were made in the 2008 budget, effective from 1 January 2009, that reduced the tax on some small- and medium-sized vehicles but increased them for larger ones. The new system was introduced to encourage us to purchase/import more environmentally-friendly cars so the calculations involve the registered value (RV), car length, carbon dioxide emission volumes and particulate matter volumes (diesel only). Also, under the new system comes a useful exemption – private individuals relocating to Malta will be able to bring in a car they’ve owned for two or more years without having to pay vehicle registration tax here. This exemption is limited to one vehicle per person relocating.

Of key interest to those bringing a car into Malta is the Registration Value (RV). The old system depended on a valuation carried out by the Malta Transport Authority and was a somewhat haphazard affair I’ve heard. But now, to quote the official document: “As of 1st January 2009, the valuation system [is] replaced with a new system which will take into account the depreciation rate (and residual value) of a similar vehicle in Malta, and [is] available online. The system [allows] the user to calculate the tax that would be due if the vehicle were to be registered.”

Vehicle registation tax rates have long been a contentious issue, among both local Maltese and incoming residents – the latter often left facing a nasty tax shock when their six months’ temporary vehicle permit (tourist stay period on the vehicle) is up! It can still be the case, when the RV calculations are done, that you face car registration taxes that are higher than the real value of the car. But, since used car prices hold up in Malta (see photo above for how we keep our cars going!), you might end up selling it here and not losing out too much in the long run, depending on vehicle type and its demand.

If you do end up driving a car with foreign plates for several months here, but within your six-month, temporary permit period (which you should get earlier rather than later in your stay!), you might be pulled over by ADT (Malta Transport Authority) officials doing road-side, spot checks. They can be officious. Know your rights – click here for some advice on how to deal with this.

Procedures
These are quite long and complicated and we’ve some links to help get you through them.
ADT siteRegistration, Tax & Documentation‘ page gives you a blow by blow list of the procedures and what paperwork you’ll need.
The Malta Chamber for SMEs – the GRTU – has an unofficial guide that makes for an interesting read, and mirrors the official one step by step.
British Expat Forum – Malta has lots of Q&A threads that are worth spending an hour drilling through.

Official Links:
The ADT is the Malta Transport Authority. Its site has downloadable forms and details of the various, possibly useful, tax exemptions such as for overseas’ students or people taking up fixed-term, contract work in Malta who wish to bring their own car in with them for their stay.
http://www.maltatransport.com/en/

http://www.valuation.vehicleregistration.gov.mt/Car.aspx This is a quick, online calculator of the RV you can expect to pay.

Expat Insights
If expats have friends already here, they know the ropes and often opt to hire or buy in situ in Malta. Average hire car rates, for a family car (Ford Focus) on long-term hire, can be around €10/day.

Here’s one car import tale:
“Bringing the car in was fairly easy as you are given a 6 month visitor’s permit. However, the hassle started once this permit ran out. We were being asked to pay massive duty on the car (I think it was about 60% of the total car value) to get Maltese registration or send it back to the UK. Finally, after many meetings and heated discussions my husband ended up meeting both the finance and transport ministers (eds. note: Malta is small, and if your business has clout or you have connections, it’s possible!….) to get them to agree on an exemption for cars of incoming foreign staff at our firm. This meant we only had to pay a comparatively small fee to get it registered. The ADT seem to have clamped down significantly on foreign cars. Our main issues were: (1) duties and (2) the whole minefield of a procedure for getting the car registered.

Would I do it again? Maybe if laws on duty were relaxed – but at the time? No! It was major hassle and meant we couldn’t drive the car for months on end once the permit had expired. One guy I know in the same firm had his car seized and was told: either pay the duty or put the car on the next ferry out of Malta.

Another person’s experience…
We now have some kind of deal on vehicle registration tax because we have had the car more than 2 yrs and therefore fulfilled another criteria. We paid around €300 to get it registered with ADT, BUT they have our UK plates and logbook – which basically means we can’t sell the car here. Unless of course we pay the import duty, which seems to be assessed also, unofficial word has it, on the state of your car; if it looks a bit bashed up, you are more likely to get a lower rate!”

Photo: Gethin Thomas

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Posted in Arrival, Car hire, Driving, Expats, Work3 Comments

Expat Insights: a man’s view of a move to Malta

Expat Insights: a man’s view of a move to Malta

In the Stands at Malta vs Sweden. As an expat, you're more likely to be playing sport yourself than watching it among the locals.

In the Stands at Malta vs Sweden. As an expat, you're more likely to be playing sport yourself than watching it among the locals.

At Maltainsideout, we get a lot of correspondence from people thinking of moving to Malta, and who want to know not just about the specifics (cost of living, schools and so on) but also simply ‘what it’s like’, day to day. This is always hard to answer in brief, but here, Andy May gives the family man’s viewpoint. If men are on corporate moves to Malta, they often have a ready-made routine waiting for them, but it doesn’t mean they don’t worry about how trailing wives and kids will get on. Every family member’s welfare counts if a new working life in Malta is going to work out.

Andy’s view…

Telling your family you’re all moving to a new country is certainly not one of the easiest things to do in life. Playing the bad guy is not a role I enjoy and to see the tears in the eyes of my 10-year old son and his seven-year-old sister as we said goodbye to our friends and headed over to Malta is something I will always remember.

Kids are fairly resilient and easily bribed with a nice house with a swimming pool and a few days at the beach. Once into a routine, everyone soon settled down into Malta life and as a family we began to enjoy the experience. We do more family stuff than we ever did in the UK, we spend more time outside and we can now afford to give the kids all the after school interests they want such as private tennis, music and dancing lessons.

As for me, moving to Malta has made a massive difference to my quality of life – a two-hour daily commute into London has been swapped for a short cycle ride to work. I work in a medium-sized office with a friendly group of people many of whom find themselves in a similar position to us so there is a real feeling of team spirit and ‘being in it together’ which is a refreshing change from the impersonal business relationships with the hundreds of work colleagues back in the main London office.

The ‘work hard, play hard’ phrase gets overused but I can honestly say it’s a winning formula and is one which we adopt in our Malta office. Outside of work the families of work colleagues tend to socialise together; the guys play sport together at weekends, and the mums and kids get together when we are out at work. It takes time to integrate into the wider community, so having a ready-made social group from day one was a real help.

Given the doom and gloom of the recession, which seems more acute in UK than it does in Malta, I’m in no rush to go home just yet. A crumbling economy, high levels of unemployment and the highest tax rates in Europe make the UK a fairly unattractive option right now. I’ll happily sit out the recession in the sunshine of Malta with a nice cold Cisk beer in hand!

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Posted in Arrival, Daily Life, Expats6 Comments

Essential Malta: Business Links

Essential Malta: Business Links

Business information in Malta used to be about walking past shop fronts.  Now it's more likely found online.

Business information in Malta used to be about walking past shop fronts. Now it's more likely found online.

This is a single listing page of the kind of contact details individuals and firms might need when exploring business opportunities or setting up in Malta, or just wanting to forge links with the islands’ business community. This list will serve you well for standard ‘first port of call’ type enquiries about living, working and doing business here in Malta. We’ll be adding to it as we go along so feel free to add comments on what we may have missed out. We’ll be posting more ‘Essential Malta’ listings on specialist areas such as Visas, Personal Tax, Schooling and so on.

Business Associations

Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise & Industry
(encorporates the former ‘Malta Federation of Industry’)
Exchange Buildings
Republic Street
Valletta VLT 1117
Malta
Tel: (+356) 2123 3873
Fax: (+356) 2124 5223
Email: admin@maltachamber.org.mt
Web:www.maltachamber.org.mt

Malta Hotels & Restaurants Association
Nr 2, Gallina Street,
Kappara SGN4111
San Gwann
Malta
Tel: +356 21318133/4
Fax: +356 21336477
Email: mhra@mhra.org.mt
Web: www.mhra.org.mt

Diplomatic & Expat

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malta
Useful for Visa, Expat and advice to third country (non-EU) nationals
Palazzo Parisio
Merchant Street
Valletta
Malta, VLT 1171
E-mail: info@mfa.gov.mt
Tel: (+356) 2124 2191
Fax: (+356) 2123 6604
(see also government portal).

Employment & Education

Employment & Training Corporation
Head Office
Hal Far BBG 3000
Malta
Tel: (+356) 2165 4940
Fax: (+356) 2220 1811
Email: etc@gov.mt
www.etc.gov.mt

University of Malta
Msida MSD 2080
Malta
Tel: (+356) 2133 3903
Fax: (+356) 2133 6450
Email: comms@edu.com.mt
Web: www.um.edu.mt

Federation of English Language Schools Malta (FELTOM)
c/o The Radisson Blu St. Julian’s
St. George’s Bay
St. Julian’s STJ 3391
Malta
Tel: (+356) 2744 5422
Email: executive@feltom.com
Web: www.feltom.com

See also the Malta government portal.

Finance & Banking

Central Bank of Malta
Pjazza Kastilja,
Valletta, VLT 1060,
Malta
Tel: (00356) 2550 0000
Fax: (00356) 2550 2500
Email: info@centralbankmalta.org
Web: www.centralbankmalta.org

Malta Financial Services Authority
Notabile Road
Attard BKR 3000
Malta
Tel: (+356) 2144 1155
Fax: (+356) 2144 1188
Email:communications@mfsa.com.mt
Web: www.mfsa.com.mt

Finance Malta
A non-profit, public-private initiative, set up as an autonomous Foundation in 2007 aimed at promoting Malta as a financial services centre. It has a secretariat based at Malta Stock Exchange (see below).
Web: www.financemalta.org
Email: info@financemalta.org

Malta Stock Exchange
Garrison Chapel
Castille Place
Valletta VLT 1063
Malta
Tel: (+356) 2124 4051
Fax: (+356) 2569 6316
Email:borza@borzamalta.com.mt
Web: www.borzamalta.com.mt

VAT Department
16, Centre Point Building
Triq ta’ Paris
Birkirkara CMR 02.
Tel: (00356) 21 499330-4/6. Fax: (00356) 21 499365
Web: www.vat.gov.mt
Email: vat@gov.mt

Malta Environment & Planning Authority
St Francis Ravelin
Floriana FRN 1230
Malta
Tel: (+356) 2290 0000
Fax: (+356) 2290 2295
Email:enquiries@mepa.org.mt
Web: www.mepa.org.mt

Media & Communications

Malta Communications Authority
Valletta Waterfront
Pinto Wharf
Valletta FRN 1913
Malta
Tel: (+356) 2133 6840
Fax: (+356) 2133 6846
Email: info@mca.org.mt
Web: www.mca.org.mt

Malta Information Technology Agency
MITA has been entrusted by government with executing the Smart Island Strategy 2010, and with promoting the national ICT policy.
Gattard House
National Road
Blata-l-Bajda HMR 9010
Malta
Tel: (356) 2123 4710
Email: webmaster@mita.gov.mt
Web: www.mita.gov.mt

Tourism

Malta Tourism Authority
Auberge d’Italie
Merchants Street
Valletta VLT 1170
Malta
Tel: (+356) 2291 5000
Fax: (+356) 2291 5893
Email: info@mta.com.mt
Web: www.mta.com.mt

Trade & Inward Investment

Malta Enterprise
Industrial Estate
San Gwann SGN 3000
MALTA
Tel: +356 2542 0000
Fax: +356 2542 3401
Email:info@maltaenterprise.com
Web: www.maltaenterprise.com

Transport & Shipping

Air Malta plc
Head Office
Luqa LQA 4000
Malta
Tel: (+356) 2122 9990
Fax: (+356) 2167 3241
Email: info@airmalta.com.mt
Web: www.airmalta.com

Gozo Channel Company
Head Office
Mgarr Harbour
Mgarr – Gozo (Malta)
Tel: (+356) 2155 6114
Fax: (+356) 2155 6743
Email: admin@gozochannel.com
Web: www.gozochannel.com

Malta International Airport plc
Website has all flight arrivals and departures, schedules and more or less ‘real-time’ updates.
Luqa LQA 4000
Malta
Tel: (+356) 2124 9600
Fax: (+356) 2124 9563
Email: mia@maltaiport.com
Web: www.maltairport.com

Malta Freeport Terminals Ltd
Freeport Centre
Port of Marsaxlokk
Kalafrana BBG 3011
Malta
Tel: (+356) 2165 0200
Fax: (+356) 2225 1900
Email: marketing@maltafreeport.com.mt
Web: www.maltafreeport.com.mt

Malta Maritime Authority
Maritime Trade Centre
Xatt L-Ghassara ta’ l-Gheneb
Marsa MRS 1917
Malta
Tel: (+356) 2122 2203
Fax: (+356) 2125 0365
Email: info@mma.gov.mt
Web: www.mma.gov.mt

Yachting Centre Directorate
Ta’ Xbiex Seafront,
Ta’ Xbiex XBX 1028
Malta
Tel: (356) 2133 2800
Fax: (356) 2133 2141
Email: info@mma.gov.mt

Utilities

Enemalta Corporation
Customer Care Section
Triq Belt il-Hazna
Marsa HMR 01
Malta
Tel: (+356) 2122 4600 Fax: (+356) 2122 6637
Email: customercare@enemalta.com.mt
Web:
http://www.enemalta.com.mt

Water Services Corporation
Qormi Road
Luqa LQA 9043
Malta
Tel: (+356) 2244 5566 Fax: (+356) 2244 3900
Email: customercare@wcs.com.mt
Web: www.wsc.com.mt

Miscellaneous

Lotteries and Gaming Authority
La Concorde
Abate Rigord Street
Ta’ Xbiex XBX 1121
Malta
Tel +356 21316590/1/3/4
Email: info@lga.org.mt
Web: www.lga.org.mt

National Statistics Office
Web: www.nso.gov.mt

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Posted in Business, Expats, Travel, Work2 Comments

Reasons to love Malta in winter

Reasons to love Malta in winter

A life-risking shot, the photographer said. Malta in winter can also be calm, kind and warm, believe it or not.

A life-risking shot, the photographer said. Malta in winter can also be calm, kind and warm, believe it or not.

It’s been downright chilly here this week (2nd week November). We’ve just had three days of squally showers and gale force winds, interspersed with thunder storms. A week ago, I was in sleeveless shirts, flip-flops and bemoaning the sweaty weather. This week though has been a sharp reminder of what a Maltese winter can bring and we’re suddenly in a rush against time to dig out duvets, find fleeces, and buy boots.

Today, however, I woke to deep azure skies, calmness and warmth. I decided to keep sandals out for a while longer. This schizophrenic weather just about sums up a Maltese winter. It’s all, or nothing. There’s little of the ‘can’t make up its mind’ weather.

In winter in Malta clouds do have their silver linings as we can experience four seasons in one week. While northern Europeans retreat indoors for warmth, and get little sunlight-induced Vitamin-D, we in Malta do the opposite. We tend to get outdoors (to escape the chill inside our houses) and the constant light, stormy days or not, can make us feel more energised now than during summer’s brain-numbing heat.

Here are some activities to enjoy in Malta’s winter. As you can see, our list includes a lot of time well spent outside.

1. Walking: in what is left of the countryside (still worth it) and in the cities. Now you can enjoy the midday sun, and get out along the coastline for some invigorating seascapes, or inland among the greenery. Cities, like Valletta, Birgu and Mdina are a lot less crowded and cafe life is still outdoors.

2. Winter sun: no, we’re not going to offer quite the same ‘winter sun’ experience as the Caribbean, but Malta takes on a deep, honey-yellow hue in the winter sun, which itself still packs power even in January, if you choose a sheltered spot.

3. Cycling: ever more popular here, and if you’re not a very early riser then you’ll be cycling more in winter than summer when it’s too hot from 9am to even dream of a hill on a bike! If you’re really fit, then choose Gozo for a day’s cycling. It’s all steep ups and downs. Central to northern Malta are also challenging. For more on the flat, try southern Malta.

3. Sailing: pretty much an all-year round sport, with few off-weekends. The ancient mariners among us sail almost whatever the weather – competitive sailing months are autumn to early summer. While sail schools and hotels tend to teach and hire out boats only in summer, you can ask around, find a friendly skipper and get out on the water in winter too. If you don’t know the waters, even if you are an experienced sailor, get advice.

4. Heritage trails: these aren’t really officially defined as such, but you could, for example, do a combination of walking, driving and cycling to take in Malta’s South (the Three Cities on Grand Harbour); the south-west coast & temples (Blue Grotto, Wied-iz-Zurrieq, Hagar Qim, Mnajdra); the fishing villages (Marascala, Marsaxlokk); Victoria Lines walk (start at Fort Mosta); Dingli Cliffs & Buskett; walks in Bahrija and Bidnija area for ancient olives, views and countryside. And all of Gozo of course.

5. Rock Climbing: Nothing beats this for a new sport to take up this winter. It relies as much on skill and strategy as strength to do it. Meet the enthusiasts, meet new friends, or just join up with them for a day’s climb if you’re on holiday here.

6. Painting: OK, so you might have to gather brushes up and make a dash for it in a shower, but it’s not too cold to sit still outside in winter, and you’ll get great colours and light to work in.

7. Photography: as with painting, this is a good hobby for winter which gives great conditions for the natural light photographers among us. No heat haze, amazing hues and depth of perspective. Some deep shadows, but nothing that the pros can’t sort out either naturally, or in Photoshop later!

8. Short courses: Winter evenings, when we do retreat fireside, can be great for genning up on something. Malta has a wealth of adult evening classes and clubs and societies – take your pick from everything from tango classes and fencing to your regular institute courses.

9. Conferences: Spring and summer are more for incentive trips, but winter is for conferences. Almost all Malta’s four- and five-star hotels offer conference venues in house. The islands are the ideal short-hop from northern European cities, and are a beacon of warmth to those in northerly climes. No wonder Malta is a key conference destination.

10. Love-bird getaways: most of the more upscale hotels offer very attractive discounts for winter weekend breaks. A lot have spa facilities these days too. So locals, don’t just hop on the ferry to Sicily! Try Gozo or even up the road in Malta to ‘get-away’. It is possible, I’ve heard tell, to see a different Malta even if your hotel stay is 20 mins drive from your own home!

11. Gozo farmhouse breaks: I haven’t done this for a few years now, but every winter mean to. I had a perfect, hot, February weekend there once, spent walking the coastline. Rentals abound, at good prices, as tourists are fewer. Snap up a weekend with friends in a larger place, even if you aren’t going to be using the pool this time of year. Unlike some Greek island resorts, Gozo doesn’t really shutdown in a melancholy way out of peak season.

12. Cultural events: last but not least, Malta and Gozo have an immense amount going on in winter in the arts. Most weekends, there are two or three good things that clash, so packed is the calendar. It’s theatre season big time. So, don’t think it’s a July, summer arts festival thing. Bother to get out, and you’ll be spoiled for choice!

And when all the above fail to entice, then we in Malta are in the unique position of being able to do what our counterparts in Northern Europe do – retreat indoors, bemoan the cold, as I did these past days, and light a fire (we don’t have central heating so it’s wood, electric, paraffin, gas). In Malta, we get the best of both winters!

Photo: Jason Mallia

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Posted in Expats, Explore, Leisure1 Comment

Cost of Living in Malta: food shopping

Cost of Living in Malta: food shopping

Shopping in Malta is about doing as the locals do

Shopping in Malta is about doing as the locals do

Something we’re asked about a lot by people thinking of moving to Malta is the cost of living, in particular the bill for an average weekly shop. Any comparison is difficult as what constitutes one man’s average could be another’s splash out.

We’ve listed some staples and a few luxuries that regularly go into a weekly shop. Print out our Grocery Basket Malta and take it with you next time you shop wherever you are right now, to see how the prices tally. Prices are in Euro and average shelf prices as at 01/11/09. We will be updating it every quarter.

I feel that compared to the UK, my food bills are less; but if you’re coming here from Spain, then you might find prices similar, but some imported foods might be a bit more expensive. We don’t have economy of scale in Malta, and shipping to an island adds costs. However, since Malta joined the EU and tariffs came off imports, I find many products – like Italian delicacies and basic pasta – very good value. In fact, a local pasta firm went under as it could no longer compete, such was the leveling of prices.

I have kept a record in recent months of my weekly grocery basket, and have seen it average out around €130-150 for a family of three based on 3-4 meat/fish-based meals. An expat friend here, feeding a family of five (younger children) says hers is around €230 or so an average week. She has pricey nappies in that bill, and does quite a bit of entertaining of kids and adults. A long-term expat Swede with her family of five says she spends around €150 a week. It depends on whether you add in some luxuries one week or another.

Tips for saving: use the local veggie vans and shops; they generally have fresh produce at keen prices. Take your own shopping bag so you get loose veggies tipped in (don’t buy pre-packaged if you can help it.). Shop at one of Malta’s larger, value supermarkets to bulk buy (there’s enough of them now, and within short distances of each other so they tend to price competitively). We get a lot of free leaflets through the door with offers from local supermarkets – bother to cut them out and use! Whether in Malta or not, try to make a list and stick to it to avoid too many ad hoc, ‘just popping in to get a loaf and come out with a lot more’ trips to stores – these visits tend to bump up bills, even in the corner shops in Malta.

Download our Grocery Basket Malta (pdf) to compare with yours back home.

See also: Expat Insights: Getting Around & Shopping for more tips and understanding the quirks of shopping in Malta.

Photo: Amanda Holmes

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Posted in Daily Life, Eat & Drink, Expats, Food6 Comments

Expat insights: kids moving schools

Expat insights: kids moving schools

Kids' schooling is at the centre of any expat family's decision to move to Malta

Kids' schooling is at the centre of any expat family's decision to move to Malta

If you are planning to move to Malta and uproot with your family, it’s a life changing event, not only for you but for your young budding Einsteins. You may be able to take it in your stride, but your kids – if they’re over the age of five – will probably have an opinion about your plans and so may not be in agreement with them.

I remember so clearly the day we all sat around the kitchen table in the UK to discuss our move to Malta. The news was met with, “Where’s Malta?” and then floods of tears. Our eldest child aged 10 at that time found the news the most devastating having had a best friend from day one reception with whom he was inseparable.

English and Friendly
The first visit to a new school can be pretty daunting for any child, but for those that are on the shy side it can be more difficult. As English is the language of choice in the playground, and of teaching in most of Malta’s private sector schools, it makes it much easier for an English-speaking child to settle.

On the first day of school the Maltese children were particularly welcoming, all saying “Hello” without being prompted by the teacher and appearing genuinely interested and pleased to meet a new member of the class. The Maltese children, as well as being friendly, appear to have a strong sense of self worth and are particularly confident, a real positive attribute that I have begun to notice in my children.

How does the curriculum compare?
Our concerns about the quality of the curriculum in comparison to the UK were settled quite quickly as our eldest child was using exactly the same text books in maths and it seemed very similar in other subjects. The examination process at IGCSE levels also appears comparable to the UK, which is great if you are only here for a few years and your child is at that important age.

Homework
The homework workload during term time is particularly high. The senior school children have between one to two hours of homework every evening, this does take sometime to get used to, however, on the flip side 12 weeks holiday in the summer goes some way to compensate for it. Homework is taken extremely seriously at school and therefore is always completed in our home!

Maltese and Religion
Maltese and religion are not compulsory subjects for non-nationals, and you can decide whether you would like your child to participate. If not, then there’s some time to study or read in the library for the senior school and, in our case, a course of media studies for younger children.

Life now they’ve settled in
We have now been in Malta for 18 months and have all settled down to Maltese life. Although I know my children would never have chosen to come to live in Malta, I feel that they have grown through the experience. They have both Maltese and expat friends and have formed some strong friendships. They have friends for tea and sleepovers as we did in the past and masses of affordable after-school activities. I am sure they will find it more difficult, than they expect, when the time comes for us to return to the UK.

Photo: Leslie Vella

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Posted in Expats, Kids, Schools & Education0 Comments

Expat insights: getting around & shopping

Expat insights: getting around & shopping

A typical Maltese shop; but not shopping as most expats know it.

A typical Maltese shop; but not shopping as most expats know it.

Despite having lived, worked and travelled in many different countries, coming to live in Malta took a lot of getting used to. Of course, there is no massive culture shock or language barrier to negotiate; my British sense of humour is understood; there’s shared history; and shops stock Marmite and Heinz Baked Beans.

But, there are of course some things to get used to in order to settle in to a new pattern of life. Most of my early struggles were about getting around and shopping.

Here’s how I dealt with them and why I get a smile on my face when I reflect on them now.

Things to despair over (at first)

Getting Around

Walking: In August, heavily pregnant, with two very young kids – on pavements which are either non-existent, look as if they were built on a fault line and are just too narrow for a buggy. I tried, I really did.
Driving: I was used to walking to shops, pools and parks, bussing to museums, tubing to work. Here in Malta, most things are a drive away – albeit a short one – but that means braving the roads…
The Roads: Potholes a plenty – unless there’s a big sign announcing EU funding for works. Make sure your tyres have a bit of give in them.
The Road signs: Key junctions and roundabouts are bereft of signs… maps don’t help. Allow plenty of time, know the general direction you are heading in, and memorise the place names, just in case there is a random sign.
The Road Users: Snail snow or furiously fast. Overtaking irresistable, particularly on hills, blind curves, approaching junctions etc. No use of indicators, ever. I now drive very defensively, and usually very calmly.

Shopping

Opening Hours: In my village, I think the shops open at 6am. I know they close between 12 and 4, but don’t re-open on a Wednesday afternoon, or a Saturday afternoon, and never on a Sunday. But I now know where to get the UK papers on a Sunday morning, and where to get fresh bread any time of day or night.
Milk: In the UK, I used to buy 4-litre recyclable cartons to last the family a few days. In Malta, milk comes in non-recyclable cartons and 1 litre is the biggest size – which in the heat of summer can go off anyway before you get it home.
Hawkers: The best type of ‘man with a van’ (I rarely see female hawkers), where I love to get bread, fruit, veg and fish which are fresh that morning. If I can find the van that is! Different days and times mean it’s in different locations. I still haven’t figured it out, and have been known to drive round the village in hot pursuit.
Choice: I used to live on little tubs of hummous, bagged salad, any fruit and veg, any time of year, preferably hand-picked from organic slopes, the odd ready meal…I was shocked that none of this was available. But my wallet and my waistline have benefited.
With Kids: In the village store, aisles are narrow, shelves stacked precariously and cakes at toddlers’ eye level. Very stressful. Supermarkets have more space, but none had trollies with seats for more than one child. Very uncharacteristically, very few people offered to help with unloading/packing bags/getting to the car.

….And the delights

Getting Around

Traffic Jams are practically non-existent – once every few months I may get stuck for 10 minutes if I’m very unlucky. Though, accidents do gridlock roads pretty quickly.
Vintage vehicles: The ancient, cherished cars and vans still delight me – I even saw a motorbike with a side car the other day.
The buses: Always cheap, usually reliable, often full of character – and a great outing with the kids!
Getting lost: Many times I have stopped to ask someone directions, and they have jumped into the car to direct me and make sure I know where to park.

Shopping

Everyone delivers: So I don’t need to brave the narrow aisles with the incomprehensible queue-jumping or the terrible trollies. One ex-pat friend with a new-born would SMS the veg man and get the baker to leave ftira on her door. All with no charge and lots of smiles.
Less choice means less temptation: I just don’t really shop much, which means I save loads of money, and my kids aren’t hanging out in malls and exposed to rampant consumerism.
Fresh, seasonal produce: In the UK people will pay a premium for locally-grown fruit and veg. Here, it’s a fact of life – if we could buy tasteless strawberries 365 days a year, would we still enjoy the sublime taste of the local harvest in early summer?

All this, makes me smile, and it still does…

Photo: Gethin Thomas

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Posted in Daily Life, Driving, Expats, Getting Around, Opinion, Shopping4 Comments

Expats in Malta self-diagnosing for island fever

Expats in Malta self-diagnosing for island fever

Looks like even the locals are listlessly seeking a cure.

Looks like even the locals are listlessly seeking a cure.

Island fever, medically known as scrub typhus, is a serious illness and, untreated, has a mortality rate as high as 30%. Symptoms include an extremely high fever, accompanied by a severe headache. In some cases, island fever may also affect the central nervous system & cause confusion, speech difficulties, or hearing problems.

Expatriates living on islands, like Malta, are particularly susceptible to island fever so it’s important to self-diagnose. But feeling hot with a headache is pretty common during a Maltese summer, so before visiting your doctor, here’s a quick self diagnosis for island fever.

Start with a quick analysis of your recent medical history answering “yes” or “no” to these 3 questions:

1. Is it more than three months since you were last out of Malta?
2. Have you had any recent dealings with a government department?
3. Are you currently having any building or alterations made to your home?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions you may well have island fever so check for further symptoms of confusion, speech difficulties, or hearing problems. Have you asked a third party in Malta any of the following questions?

1. Why hasn’t it been done yet? (answer triggered confusion)
2. How can you say that that’s what I asked for? (answer triggered speech difficulties)
3. It can’t be done until when? (answer triggered hearing difficulties)

If you’ve answered “yes” to any of these, you can be fairly confident that your self-diagnosis is correct and and that you are, indeed, suffering from island fever.

The cure for island fever is a simple seven day course of antibiotics that must be taken abroad. It is important you complete the course even if you start to feel better after a couple of days away. Expatriates who fail to take the complete course abroad have a 30% chance of leaving Malta permanently.

So if you’re an expat in Malta, and suffering from the symptoms of island fever, take a week’s holiday abroad. Recharge your batteries. And then come back to enjoying life on the island.

Will Leader is a founder of expatsmalta.com.

Photo: Walter Lo Cascio

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Posted in Expats5 Comments

   

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