kateblank
Irish expat in Malta
Forum posts
52
Contacts
3
About me
Irish
Lives in Bugibba
Registration: 18 September 2015
Cost of living in Malta - 2017 by Priscilla
Hello, Before moving to Malta, it is important to investigate the cost of living in the country. As we did in 2015, we give you the opportunity to share your experience and tell us more about products and services average recorded prices in ...
True, and I don't keep a car - I have used buses, taxis, and walking since I moved here, and when I work contractor jobs instead of full time jobs, it works great, because I can plan my trips well. However, commuting for work during rush hour ... Read More
Tap water quality in Malta? by illerill
Drinking from plastic bottles is a terrible idea as several studies show that we're actually consuming particles of plastic when doing so, which affects our health very negatively. The ground water in Malta is contaminated by high levels of ...
:D ;) :lol: :cheers: :cool: Funniest post of the week! Read More
Tap water quality in Malta? by illerill
Drinking from plastic bottles is a terrible idea as several studies show that we're actually consuming particles of plastic when doing so, which affects our health very negatively. The ground water in Malta is contaminated by high levels of ...
We drink the tap water, after running it through a Brita filter, and it's fine. It still tastes a little limestone-ish, but we have had no health issues. We do have a closed water tank on the roof, though. I have seen some of the open water ... Read More
average salary and cost of living in malta by claire&milos
hi peeps can anyone please give us a indication to the average monthley salary and the cost of basic living???
Yes, 鈧�14,000 is very unrealistic. There was a time a person could live on that salary in Malta, but now there is no way, unless you live with your family and don't pay rent. Do not accept a job for less than 鈧�24,000 gross annual ... Read More
Traffic in Malta by Priscilla
Hello everyone, Which city or area do you live in in Malta, and how do you find the traffic? How long does it take to commute to work or run errands? Is there a rush hour in your city? What times of the day would you recommend people to ...
I have started turning down clients who have set up their offices without consideration for the commute. If it takes me more than 45 minutes to get there by bus, I won't accept the contract. Read More
Anyone have experience living in Torremolinos?
It's not my first choice and would be a compromise with my partner, and I'm not really sold on the idea of living in another small tourist town way on the edge of Europe. Are there upsides? Thank you! Read More
How are you coping in the heat? by GozoMo
How are you coping in this heat? I am sitting in a lovely air conditioned room I don't know how we would manage without it.
I don't use a/c at home, and work part time at an office and part time from home, so I got used to the heat pretty quickly. Everyone I know who uses a/c at home is miserable anytime they have to be outside, so I try to acclimate rather than hide ... Read More
Bewildering descriptions, terrible photographs, awful Search criteria by JewelZA
Greetings all. I am in Cape Town South Africa, mentally packing for Malta. I've spent hours scouring accomm. agency sites and have a headache! Many of the housing terms are unfamiliar to me. So please help me for I come from a simple ...
Will you be working from home? Or is there a job you have to get to? Read More
average salary and cost of living in malta by claire&milos
hi peeps can anyone please give us a indication to the average monthley salary and the cost of basic living???
When I was working a full time accounting job in gaming, I made 鈧�30k. Now I'm freelance and temp, and I bill between 鈧�8 and 鈧�24 per hour, depending on the type of work and client. I live comfortably and save a little, but I ... Read More
What to expect when moving to Malta by Priscilla
Hello everyone, Is there anything you wish you had known before moving to Malta? For example, transportation, internet speeds, types of housing, aspects of the culture or social life. In your opinion, what's the most important thing to know ...
Everything I needed was on howtomalta.com. I followed the advice there and my move went very smoothly. Read More
Is Sliema the right choice? by Bristolian
Hi! My girlfriend and I (early 30s) are moving to Malta in July. I know...I know...the worst possible time to go... We spent a couple of weeks there last year, living in an Airbnb in Gzira. Loved it (Gzira - not so much, but Malta). We're ...
Good point about pollution. Most of the year there is heavy smog over the middle of the island, from Sliema in through B'kara, Mosta, Zebbug, easily visible from the north and south. If you live in the central areas, you'll be breathing it ... Read More
Is Sliema the right choice? by Bristolian
Hi! My girlfriend and I (early 30s) are moving to Malta in July. I know...I know...the worst possible time to go... We spent a couple of weeks there last year, living in an Airbnb in Gzira. Loved it (Gzira - not so much, but Malta). We're ...
Quick note - I just looked at noagentsplease.com.mt, to see what the direct owner listings look like lately, and I think the days of Malta being the cheap place to live are coming to an end. Noagentsplease is not a huge site, but there are only two ... Read More
Dress code receptionist
For hotel receptionists, your appearance is very important, so dress very business for interviews so they know you care about your appearance and you put effort into looking professional. As for uniforms, it depends on the hotel, but as hotel ... Read More
Is Sliema the right choice? by Bristolian
Hi! My girlfriend and I (early 30s) are moving to Malta in July. I know...I know...the worst possible time to go... We spent a couple of weeks there last year, living in an Airbnb in Gzira. Loved it (Gzira - not so much, but Malta). We're ...
Where are you getting your rent numbers? Everyone I know has agreed that their experience was that they could not get numbers, or even real listings, from estate agents until they were here in person, and then numbers varied wildly depending on how ... Read More
How to get Filipino au pair to Malta?
You need to contact JobsPlus (formerly ETC). They will be able to tell you her employment status, your responsibilities as her employer, and who to contact to start the visa application. They will also likely advise you that she will not get ... Read More
Bike rental Malta
Does anyone know anything about NextBike? Everywhere else I've lived or visited, bikeshares have been free for the first 30-60 minutes, to encourage people to just grab a bike for short point-to-point trips, rather than adding to traffic, ... Read More
Cost of living in Malta - 2017 by Priscilla
Hello, Before moving to Malta, it is important to investigate the cost of living in the country. As we did in 2015, we give you the opportunity to share your experience and tell us more about products and services average recorded prices in ...
There's no problem. It was a question. The OP offered the "opportunity" to post a *lot* of detailed information - I just wanted to know how they are paying people for providing the kind of content that draws more clicks and more views ... Read More
Good and bad neighbourhood to take note? by clexa
Hello, I remember reading somewhere someone commented some areas to avoid few weeks back, but i couldn't find that post back. Can the locals kindly list some of the good neighbourhoods to consider and bad ones to avoid? I will be working in ...
The problem with finding a "good" neighbourhood is that most of Malta is not good or bad by neighbourhood, but by building. In most neighbourhoods there are modern, maintained buildings standing right next to crumbling hovels. Especially ... Read More
Situation Wanted - Full or part time position - Call Centre
There is an iGaming Jobs group on facebook that gets a lot of posts for customer service staff, and as a bonus, the HR/recruiter/hiring manager usually posts a personal email address, so you can email about other jobs and your specific skills, and ... Read More
Cost of living in Malta - 2017 by Priscilla
Hello, Before moving to Malta, it is important to investigate the cost of living in the country. As we did in 2015, we give you the opportunity to share your experience and tell us more about products and services average recorded prices in ...
How much are you paying contributors for this market research? What details do you need to complete a content agreement and arrange payment? Thank you, Read More
Driving across Europe from Uk to Malta by ItsMrsGray
Hello, My husband and I moving to Malta em Feb and we are planning to drive there with our 2 years-old boy. We will obsviously stop for sightseeing and we think will be impossible to do it straight with a toddler.... Has anyone done this trip ...
A co-worker did it, and he said it was stressful and tiring, simply because he did not allocate enough time or money. He said he wished he had cut his daily driving time in half, down to 3-5 hours a day, because he had to pass up chances to stop at ... Read More
Studying in Malta
It really depends on the person. For as small as Malta is, there are still plenty of distractions and ways to get in trouble. There is also the problem of the pollution here - people who come here for an outdoor, Mediterranean lifestyle can be very ... Read More
Opening a bank account in Malta by Topo Georgi
Hi, I know this topic has already been discussed, but I do have some specific questions and any help would be much appreciated. We are due to be moving to Malta at the end of this month and we need to know exactly what documents would be required by ...
The bank reference letter varies from bank to bank. Some Maltese banks require it, and some require it to be sent directly from your old bank to the Maltese bank directly. As far as required documents, bring *everything*. Between this site, ... Read More
Situation on Rental Market by Delfinita78
Hi Everyone, I am arriving to Malta in 3 weeks and have already contacted several real estate agencies. I am getting a bit frustrated because they are not being very helpful and rather pessimistic about my specifications. What I am looking for : 2 ...
Agents won't work with you until you're here, and they won't handle rentals in that price range because it's not a big enough fee for them. Try noagentsplease, MaltaPark, this site, facebook, and other social media. Deal directly ... Read More
Taking a car to Malta permanently possible hidden costs by RodBrown
Hello ex pats ,on 20/10/16 I finally succeeded in getting my 2001 Toyota Yaris 1.5 tsport registered in Malta. It's been a pain in the butt and looking back I would probably decide to continue hiring in my circumstances. If you own property in ...
You can walk across this island in half a day. Why would you go through all of that time, trouble, and expense to keep a car here? Read More
Is it just me or are real estate agents "absent"? by GSoupi
I've been trying to contact a few agents, I got acknowledgement for the emails/messages with an answer that they'd get back to me with a different options, and then weeks pass and nothing! Is it a "Malta thing"?
Yes. They try to minimize the time invested in any given property or client. They know that if they respond to people who aren't here yet, they are likely wasting their time. Have you tried contacting owners directly through No Agents Please? Read More
Being ripped off!? Not here... by nilonilonilo
Sometimes i read stories here, people complaining about how they always get ripped off for being a foreigner and such ... I would like to offer some other experiences, which show that as far as I can tell, Maltese people are super generous and ...
Agreed. This is true pretty much everywhere. Open up a bit and you will eventually meet the good people; walk around afraid of getting "ripped off" everywhere you go, and it's all you'll see. Read More
5 things about Maltese behaviour that completely baffles foreigners by matm911
[url=http://www.writer4writing.com/5-things-about-maltese-behaviour-that-completely-baffles-tourists.html][b]All these 5 things are true[/b][/url] :cool: What one considers as "normal", the other name it "reserved", and what ...
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 ... Read More
Still worried about possible uk exit from eu by Julie2016
We are planning to come to Malta in October but I am still worried that we may leave it to late if the uk exits the eu. I don't want to give up everything at home to find we can't stay in Malta under terms currently existing for eu ...
At this point, you shouldn't give yourself stress by worrying. If the UK leaves the EU, it will take time for it to officially happen (assuming Parliament doesn't find a way to veto the exit), and then the UK will work out trade & ... Read More
5 things about Maltese behaviour that completely baffles foreigners by matm911
[url=http://www.writer4writing.com/5-things-about-maltese-behaviour-that-completely-baffles-tourists.html][b]All these 5 things are true[/b][/url] :cool: What one considers as "normal", the other name it "reserved", and what ...
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 ... Read More
avoiding import VAT tax by segwaysally
I am ordering a package of drumsticks from the US. Is there a way I can have this packaged before it is sent to avoid VAT import tax? How do they flag these items and assess it's value? Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.
Give them your VAT number. Read More
What's the point of residency card? by BrightBug
Hello! We have recently moved to Malta with our three month old from the UK and I'm wondering what is the point in the residency card? For healthcare we'd be entitled to it anyway as are EU residents? Probably it's a stupid question but ...
It's the law - anyone who is staying in Malta longer than three months must apply for the e-ID. Read More
Could we live a car free life?! by felinefine81
Hi My husband and I are considering moving to Malta. We visited last week to see some of the island and meet some work contacts, and had our first experience of the roads, traffic and driving which was interesting! We hate our commute at home in ...
:) Agreed. I always have reading or other work to do on the bus, so I don't want to do the driving. Lots of car hire companies and cabs. And I'm also working up to cycling. :-) There is a bike lane almost the whole distance from home to ... Read More
Winters in Malta by macaulayrg2003
Hi am I from Glasgow and looking to retire next year and was looking to move to Malta mid 2017. I have seen various threads about the winters in Malta are they really that bad?. Cause we have had 40 days and nights of rain, cold weather etc. etc. ...
To me, they are pleasant, but I would hesitate to tell anyone else what winter will feel like to them. The temperature is very dependent on the sun - the air is quite chilly, and as soon as the sun sets, the temperature drops considerably. Also, if ... Read More
Moving to Malta - A few questions by mb_y2k
Hi Everyone, I've been reading this forum on and off for the past 6 months and thought it was about time I registered and asked a few questions of my own. 1. I'm moving to Malta working as a consultant later in the year, mainly dealing ...
First, I used normal in its classical/statistical sense... Second, you wouldn't think so if you knew how *ancient* I am. :-D Read More
Moving to Malta - A few questions by mb_y2k
Hi Everyone, I've been reading this forum on and off for the past 6 months and thought it was about time I registered and asked a few questions of my own. 1. I'm moving to Malta working as a consultant later in the year, mainly dealing ...
2. I'd advise Sliema (or the surrounding towns). The average age in St. Paul's Bay, especially in Bugibba and Qawra, can skew rather 40+. Sliema/StJ/Ta' Xbiex have everything SPB has, with a more normal-aged population. 3. Rents are ... Read More
Setting up as self employed. Professional assistance required by warrman
Hi all I am seaching for somebody reliable and trustworthy that can help with the paperwork and legal requirements to set up as self employed in Malta. Can anyone recommend somebody that they have had first hand experience in dealing with that can ...
WH Partners. They are not cheap (although, not overpriced, in my opinion), but they have been reliable and responsive, and they get things done pretty quickly. Read More
Best place to find work in Malta?
Hi - I got 9 replies and 7 interview offers from CVs I submitted to Times of Malta postings, which really surprised me. I also got three calls for interviews from recruiters, and two interviews through 8am.com.mt (one of which was the job I ended ... Read More
Moving to Malta. Suggest me an area to live in by jethink
Hi, I got a job which is in mriehel road birkirkara. Can you suggest me nearby areas to look for an appartment to rent. Consider, i don't have a car so busses will be first priority at the first After a couple of months i will buy car or ...
Bernie, I think two factors have been at the heart of the St. Paul's-Sliema improvements: The coast road provided a route that is more direct and split the traffic between people heading toward coast towns and people heading to the ... Read More
Moving to Malta. Suggest me an area to live in by jethink
Hi, I got a job which is in mriehel road birkirkara. Can you suggest me nearby areas to look for an appartment to rent. Consider, i don't have a car so busses will be first priority at the first After a couple of months i will buy car or ...
Terry, you almost never hear from the people who are satisfied with a service. If all you use for analysis are complaints on easy-to-access mass media, you are getting only a very narrow slice of the picture. Read More
Moving to Malta. Suggest me an area to live in by jethink
Hi, I got a job which is in mriehel road birkirkara. Can you suggest me nearby areas to look for an appartment to rent. Consider, i don't have a car so busses will be first priority at the first After a couple of months i will buy car or ...
I didn't say we still have Arriva; I said Arriva were complaint-worthy, but the new system is running just fine. And we all know you cannot judge the quality of a thing by the people who write to local newspapers and websites. People love to ... Read More
Moving to Malta. Suggest me an area to live in by jethink
Hi, I got a job which is in mriehel road birkirkara. Can you suggest me nearby areas to look for an appartment to rent. Consider, i don't have a car so busses will be first priority at the first After a couple of months i will buy car or ...
Neither - just a regular user of public transportation in Malta and other countries. I know from bad buses. Read More
Moving to Malta. Suggest me an area to live in by jethink
Hi, I got a job which is in mriehel road birkirkara. Can you suggest me nearby areas to look for an appartment to rent. Consider, i don't have a car so busses will be first priority at the first After a couple of months i will buy car or ...
Re-read for comprehension - I wrote that I walk *OR* take the bus. Clearly I meant that I use the bus to commute between St Paul's and Sliema every day. Read More
Moving to Malta. Suggest me an area to live in by jethink
Hi, I got a job which is in mriehel road birkirkara. Can you suggest me nearby areas to look for an appartment to rent. Consider, i don't have a car so busses will be first priority at the first After a couple of months i will buy car or ...
You are incorrect. I use the buses 7 days a week, to get to work and to go other places around the island. All of the new timetables are up, and since December 20 (when the timetables and routes changed) only one of my buses has been late. Also, ... Read More
Paid 2k more rent than flat is advertised for online. What do I do? by chucktaylor1
Hi all, My first post and in need of some advice. I have lived in Malta for approximately 20 months, in the same apartment the whole time. The first contract was for six months, the second for a year and the most recent another six months. Each ...
Honestly, it just sounds like capitalism - the landlord asked, you agreed, everyone was happy. And depending on where the flat is, the rent is determined by many more factors than just the rents of the flats around it. It also sounds like a good ... Read More
Excessive water bill - possible leak? by blackangelheart
Happy new year everyone! :) I'm hoping some of you might have an idea of what's going on with our excessive water bill. Before we finally moved into our permanent place we stayed in a short let organised by the same estate agent who we ...
It is really hard to answer a water question without really seeing what a person is using. To me, your water use sounds like a lot. But we had a friend stay with us for a month, and he said "I don't use much water," and our water usage ... Read More
How long would it take to walk from one end of Malta to the other? by AnnieMe
How long would it take to walk from one end of Malta to the other? From its longest point?
That depends - On roads, or cross-country? Read More
Moving to Malta. Suggest me an area to live in by jethink
Hi, I got a job which is in mriehel road birkirkara. Can you suggest me nearby areas to look for an appartment to rent. Consider, i don't have a car so busses will be first priority at the first After a couple of months i will buy car or ...
Hi, I don't keep a car; I live in St. Paul's Bay and work in Sliema, and I either walk or take the bus. On the upside, a new company has taken over running the buses, and after a year or so of studies, in December they made a lot of changes ... Read More