5 things about Maltese behaviour that completely baffles foreigners

matm911 Serial expat

656POSTS

10 years ago

听

听
What one considers as "normal", the other name it "reserved", and what is called "loud" also can be simply "emotional" ... sometimes I wish my mindset would have a little bit more "Mediterranean" influence - without all the mental barriers built up since birth for a so called "civilized behaviour"听

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mantasmo Contributor

194POSTS

10 years ago

I actually never really found any of the five points mentioned in the article particularly annoying. Quite the opposite.

Well... loud neighbors can be a pain but then Maltese themselves often complain about noise from neighboring apartments lol.

How about:

Littering in the streets? That's one thing that I noticed in both Malta and Gozo. Mostly 40-70 year old local residents...

We would sit on a bench and people watch. Locals seemed to enjoy short power walks around their neighborhood. Same people. Same time. Every single day. They would walk, chat and snack on random things then simply leave empty bags/boxes/containers out on the side of the road/in fields/throw them over stone walls.

I still don't understand why they do it.

Also, and I guess this is related to ^^... leaving loads of rubbish out on beaches, clifftops, etc. This was all off season so it's definitely local residents. Some places/rocky beaches were drowning in rubbish mid-winter. Especially in Gozo.

Can someone explain it to me? I know for a fact that it's a huge problem in Malta. But I don't understand why.

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bernie_iris_fabian_david Serial expat

337POSTS

10 years ago

As for the litter - I don't understand it, either... Must be a "Mediterranean" thing, though, I had the same experience (though not as extreme) when I was living in Spain - again it was the locals. And in Sardinia, where we have relatives, it's a huge problem, too.听 I particularly don't get it, as in warm countries all the litter (especially food) starts to smell very soon...

I also find the dog poo very annoying. Yesterday I was at the beach (Tuffieha) and there was a Maltese lady walking her dog. The dog did its business right in the middle of the beach (there were several beachgoers, btw) and she just looked and walked on.

Regarding the loud neighbours: When I got home yesterday, I thought my next-door neighbour was having a big row with his child - shouting and yelling (in Maltese). But I just saw them down in the street, they were just "talking" very loudly, so it seems that's their normal volume to speak to each other... Which isn't surprising as you can hear their TV in the whole block... But I think that's something you get used to...

mantasmo Contributor

194POSTS

10 years ago

Definitely a problem in Italy... interestingly though I haven't noticed it in Spain - quite the opposite. Maybe it depends on where in Spain?

I hate loud neighbors. But I get that it's mostly my problem - not theirs. So I either get a fancy penthouse (overrated - hot/cold...) or rent a townhouse. Makes all that noise a bit more bearable. Last time we were in Gozo we actually rented an apartment where the landlords owned the whole block and only used it like 2-3 days a month. So they gave us the best apartment and we lived alone (no neighbors) practically the whole stay. Lucky.

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matm911 Serial expat

656POSTS

10 years ago

The problem with throwing away everything anywhere I also noticed on holiday in Turkey, Greece islands and Italy - not a Maltese issue :-)
That's an easy solution, just throw away the litter - no need to carry it to the next trash bin, or do not pick up the dog poo since it's disgusting ...
But I cannot understand why some Maltese take the extra effort, loading an old fridge or furniture or tv-set on the neighbours's pick-up truck, driving all the way out to the fields during night (because it's illegal听

) to dump it there - they also could leave it simply next to their flat and call the local council to pick up the things free of charge听

A few weeks ago on holiday in Amsterdam, on Saturday morning at 7:20 I've been woken up from the noise of the construction works opposite the street听

听 - you see, even this is not a Maltese characteristic听

mantasmo Contributor

194POSTS

10 years ago

The issue is definitely more noticeable in Malta than anywhere else I've ever visited/lived. It's not even comparable. I've never seen any litter on beaches in North Tenerife, Menorca (every beach is spotless), even Mallorcan beaches are super clean (except for a few tourist hotspots).

Some lesser known beaches in Gozo/Malta are literally drowning in rubbish. Beer cans, plastic bottles, empty snack bags, and much more.

Maybe that's because of the small size (and massive population) of Malta?

GozoMo Malta Expert

2212POSTS

10 years ago

The main thing that baffles me is why do they let children travel
not wearing seat belts or using child seats?

mantasmo Contributor

194POSTS

10 years ago

GozoMo wrote:
The main thing that baffles me is why do they let children travel
not wearing seat belts or using child seats?

This as well. If you ask for a car seat when booking a taxi they look at you like you're a total moron. Most companies anyways.

kateblank Active member

52POSTS

10 years ago

The litter & pollution is definitely the reason I won't stay. It's too depressing to know I'm on an island in the Mediterranean and people treat it like one big landfill. Litter on the land, litter in the water, dog urine and feces all over the sidewalks, an auburn haze hanging over the middle of the island from Mosta through Sliema. I need to live where people appreciate what they have and at least *try* to keep it nice.
And seriously - how hard it is to curb your dog?

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crazy_m New member

5POSTS

9 years ago

#10

I am a local and whilst I admit some of us can be very undisciplined and things can be very annoying I must point out that I've been to Paris lately and you'll be lucky not to step on dog poop as it is everywhere.听 Yes we are loud but we don't realise that our volume is on max until people tell us so, but again that's a Mediterranean thing...same with Greeks, Spaniards and Italians.听 However I wonder why foreigners like you choose our tiny, loud, dirty island to live, retire or work. Maybe Malta is giving them what their country didn't?听 When I visit other countries I don't expect my hosts to change their characteristics because they are different from what I'm used to, if I don't like that place I stay away!

kateblank Active member

52POSTS

9 years ago

#11

Paris has nothing on Malta's dirty sidewalks.

And you should only change because you want to change, not because other people tell you they don't like what you do.

But seriously? Walking through urine and feces every day as if it's normal and healthy? You can't possibly be surprised that people would call other people out on that. And you can't possibly get defensive when you, a "local", go onto an expat board and read a post, "I'm staying as long as my job is fun and interesting, but then I'm moving someplace cleaner and less polluted, where people appreciate the world they live in instead of trashing it."

The climate is good, and the education & career opportunities are great, but the people - locals and newbies alike - treat the island like a landfill, and that's just not cricket.

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terryvanman New member

6POSTS

9 years ago

#12

why oh why do most restaurants toilets have those stupid toilet roll holders that jamb up...leaving you in the shhiit?
TIP...TAKE TOILET PAPER WITH YOU.