Hello everybody. For one of my classes, we had to create a blog and post about certain topics that essentially talk about Malta vs. the US and different aspects of life, such as workplace norms, decision-making, gender and identity, family and households, public spaces, etc. I wanted to re-post something I wrote for that blog … More The Environment
Today is my 2-month anniversary with Malta, so I thought I’d share a little more about our relationship. Last week was rough. Sometimes Malta is stupid. And high-maintenance. And abusive. And dirty. And painful. Qualities that I tend not to look for, in anything really. Sometimes everything “bad” happens at once. Sometimes you get sick. … More Celebrating small victories
Having lived in Malta for exactly 54 days, I think it’s safe to say that I’ve noticed a fair amount of the differences between life in Malta and life in the United States. Obviously there are the major differences, such as accents and choice of words, which side of the road is used to drive … More A small reflection on small Maltese cultural norms
I’ve officially been in Malta for a month. I’ve been here for 35 days, making it not only the longest I’ve been out of the country, but the longest I’ve been in another country at one time. Here are a few of the things I’ve done during the past month: Moved into a house with … More Life in Malta
I went to Gozo, saw the Azure Window, explored World War II tunnels, slept in a monastery, milked a goat, walked the tracks of ancient cart ruts, and swam in crystal clear blue Mediterranean seas. The country of Malta is actually broken up into three main islands, Malta, Gozo, and Comino, as well as several … More Field Trip to Gozo
They say the best way to learn a language is to completely immerse yourself within the culture, by just throwing yourself into the mix. I’ve been in Malta for a little over a week and it’s been a similar experience. I arrived and jumped right in. Getting to my apartment was one of the most challenging … More Love and loss, gains and goodbyes
As previously mentioned, the first few days of my time in Malta have been straight up fun. We have walked around, explored the city, tried new foods and restaurants, seen absolutely beautiful views, and essentially been on a non-stop high fueled by excitement, adrenaline, and exhaustion. We have moved into our permanent housing locations for … More Stage 1: Euphoria
Have you ever watched The Real World or Jersey Shore? Cause I haven’t. But from my understanding, they’re reality tv shows about a handful of young people all living in an apartment together and doing, well, life. There’s been a lot of talk about that type of thing around me lately, as that is exactly what my life … More Six strangers and a 3rd floor flat
Right now as I look outside my window, I only see brown and white, and am really missing the beautiful green of spring and summer. The Green Story This is a really short story that took place right after we left the Akkara Ataseeya village near Polannaruwa. As I wrote before, leaving the village was … More Green Story
It is the second day of snow, and against all the odds, Virginia Tech has cancelled classes. Some, not all, but some, which has been enough to keep us inside for the majority of the day watching movies and eating junk food, although we did make one snowy trek outside for some photo shoot adventures. … More Colored Stories Snow Day edition: Polannaruwa pt 1
Rachel's Travel Journal 