Our 1st week in Malta

Well we've made it thru our first week and we still like it!! :)

We have now 'officially' relocated to Malta!! I use quotes because we won't have residency for some months due to red tape but we have a home again- yay! We live on the North side of the island in a town called St. Paul's Bay. It is a little more residential and quite than the surrounding areas (so far). We live on the top floor of a 4 story building and have a really great view overlooking St. Paul's Bay. We have a spare bedroom so you should schedule a visit soon!

The journey here was a tough 2 day trip leaving Houston landing in Dubai for 12 hours or so and then on to Malta. We hit the ground running and after landing around 2pm we taxied to our new home, got a quick walk around by the owner, pointed in the rough direction of a place for dinner and a small grocer to get some basics, oh and a couple towels -- we had none with us. Thankfully we at least had a couple of blankets to cuddle up on the couch with until we got our bed. We grabbed a quick bite at a local cafe that was open, the pizza wasn't so good but the beer was needed and fantastic!! We had to wait until after 4pm to go to the store of find some towels because 95% of the town shuts down between 1-4pm for a nap...

Good for them - a pain in the ass for us.

We found a local grocer for a few things to tide us over until the next day when we could go do a proper shop and we stumbled across a store front that sold us two crappy towels for €10. We were desperate so I guess I shouldn't complain but in the end we ended up toweling off with a t-shirt because it actually absorbed the water as opposed to the towels which seemed to actively repel moisture from entering their fibers...

The "local grocers" are typically found on every couple of blocks and can be on the corner of a street but usually they are just another front door space in a street full of homes. They are usually quite small and crowded with items on shelving, typically covered in layer of daily dust that is not cleaned from one day to the next. Some have small cheese and or meat counters but most are dry goods with a very small refrigerated and/or freezer section. The places are usually no more than the size of a standard living room and the isles only big enough for one person at a time. Not my ideal shopping destination but it works in a pinch.

Without a proper bed for the evening we curled up on the couch together and slept with the patio doors open to enjoy the cool night air. The next day started early with us walking to the rental car place the next town over (approx. 2km ~30 minute walk). We had to rent a car to go meet with the boss first thing at the new office that is in the final stages of completion.

This is where the fun begins!

Well, straight away we locked ourselves out of the apt. The deadbolt is a key from the inside as well as outside (no turn latch like we are used to). We thought we were being efficient and smart by leaving a key on the inside to lock as needed but as soon as we exited and shut the door that morning we realized we had forgotten something. We tried to reenter the apartment only to realize that by leaving that key on the inside it renders the key on the outside of the door useless. :( Mark was beside himself with irritation so I took the lead here - "Nothing we can do about it now Honey, I'll call the landlord later and get it sorted" {{kiss-kiss}} We're late, lets go....

One of the endearing qualities about this island for us was that it wasn't flat - we finally had moved somewhere with some texture to the land with some intrest to the landscape, it was beautiful! Little did we realize that the beautiful landscape and texture of the land carries over to the towns and neighborhoods and small, very, very small winding streets that you find everywhere. This all needs to be negotiated by us, in a rental, driving on the left side of the road while on the right side of the vehicle while operating a standard with our left hand ---- OH, and almost everything is a paralel park if you can even find a spot!

Mark and I have been together a long time now and we know each other pretty well and understand our strengths and weaknesses in different areas of life. This particular area called for me to start off doing the driving as he tried to navigate our direction across the island which I can assure you was no easy feat even with a Garmin!!

We picked up our Toyota Yaris and made our way to the office without incident and it took us a respectable 30minutes or so. Looked at the office building, picked up the boss and went to lunch. I warned the boss as I began to reverse into my veryyyy small parking space that he may hear some unladylike words out of my mouth and to pay no attention, it was just part of my process. As we ate and the boys talked business I excused myself numerous times to talk with the landlord to arrange entry into our apartment - luckily by the time we dropped the boss and made it back with a load of luggage he had it unlocked and the key waiting for us. YAY! Come to find out later that the lock was fubarred and he had extended a ladder from the balcony below us, crawled up and entered thru the patio door which (thankfully) we had not locked!

~~whew~~~ I haven't even gotten thru day one! I need to start blogging daily! :) we'll see.

Alright, lets see, we made it back to the hotel for the night (not without a good story or two but I don't have the energy to recant it all here) and we were both exhausted - you can only imagine the kind of stress and energy that is expelled trying to relearn your brain in this fashion. Try writing with your opposite hand in a different language while a full brass band is playing in the next chair and someone is throwing Skittles at your forehead... I guess it's not that bad but it was a long day.

Day two had us hunting grocery stores and proper department stores to get towels, sheets, small furniture etc. I'm sad to admit that the shopping is harder than I expected. Small disjointed stores so far. Very few dedicated furniture stores although as we drive I see more of them spotted about and NO proper department stores (ie: Target, BBB, Walmart, etc). I guess that is what we get for settling on an island that is only 20miles x 30miles big. hahaha We will adjust I'm sure I just didn't expect Dubai and Doha to be more shopping friendly than Malta!! Oh yeah, and we bought our Tempurpedic Matress!!! After 3 years on shitty beds it is SO nice to be on something soft! It delivered on Friday so we spent 3 nights on the couch which wasn't so bad since it is quite big but 3 nights of sleeping with the door open had us breathing too much chilly air and we both got a cold. Mine was pretty minor, only a day or two but Mark's is still holding on. :( We have been keeping the doors closed until last night when the weather warmed up a bit.

~~~man, this is a lot! I really need to start posting daily....~~~

Let's see... Our washing machine has gone out already - the landlord is on it though and it should be repaired or replaced by the end of the week. Seems to be just a freak coincidence. I've got to say, so far I really like the landlord, great guy and very helpful! We are getting a microwave installed this week and a dishwasher too I think!

The Maltese are "famous" for their friendliness but I have read numerous blogs that have exposed a more realistic perspective and I've been a little scared about what we might encounter in day to day life and especially in the service industry. I'll have to say I've been really impressed with the people here!!

We had our cable installed within 2 days of putting in the order. The man was on time, friendly and knowledgeable and professionally handled the few hiccups he encountered while running the cable, up to and including climbing on to a small utility balcony outside the kitchen window and climbing onto the roof for something on a very scary ladder. AND this man was no spring chicken!!

We went to the bank to try to set up an account which I have read is no small feat and although we still don't have an account the women we spoke with was very helpful and spent lots of time with us trying to sort out our situation and is working on resolving our issues. Again, quite a pleasant experience!

We haven't really explored too much of the island yet, really just trying to get our bearings. I don't know how we are ever going to intuitively know our way around here but Mark says it will come. As for now we are still on the look out for many small household items that we lack and are beginning to realize that our cooking is going to have to change a bit since we aren't finding the items we are used to....

Wow, we have already experienced so much in this 1st week that I don't think I can capture it all here now. I will REALLY try to get on every couple of days and give a recap of life if you'd like; I have a feeling this will be a little more interesting than the MidEast, at least more fun and less bitching... :)

I've going for now - got some soup stewing for dinner I need to check on. Please grant me a little slack on grammer, spelling and thought structure, I have not proof read this post but I am adding a few distracting pictures!! :D

xoxoxxo

driving from the airport

My first day driving!!

JB Department Stores

JB Department Stores

Oh yeah, I got a parking ticket over here this day but we found proper towels!! 

Our first sunrise.  I stumbled out and took this one picture and went back to bed.  :)

Our last look at Dubai

the south side of the island

Malta International Airport

The day we landed - our first sunset!  xoxox

(PS - I'm really disenchanted with this blogger - but I'm too lazy to go find another blog site!)

PPSS-- If you are ever interested in visiting the actual blog instead of just reading the mail you can view it at:  www.jakulin5liveandlearn.blogspot.com