I recently went on a week-long language trip to Malta to improve my English (again). Honestly, it was a pretty exciting experience. I saw a lot of great sights and had a blast exploring the island. The language school I attended was really good — though the coordination at the start was a bit chaotic, we managed to sort everything out once I got there.
In class, I learned a lot of new phrases, got to improve my grammar, and really enjoyed the whole learning atmosphere. In the afternoons, though, I took off to explore the island.
I visited Valletta, the capital, and got a guided tour where I learned a whole lot about the history of the Maltese islands, the Knights of Malta, and the island’s role in historical events like the defense against the Ottomans.
It´s such a beautiful, bustling city with the special beige colour of the lime stones and the colourful balconies.
I also got a taste of Maltese cuisine, which is big on rabbit and a bit on the meaty side, but it has some nice little Arabic influences here and there. Architecturally, Malta has a kind of mix: it looks a bit Arabic in style, but it’s also very Christian in its current form, largely because of its history with the Knights of Malta. Malta has 261 churches for approx. 540.000 inhabitants, so you can find one behind every corner. Oh, and they drive on the left side of the road, which can be a bit tricky at first!
I visited places like Mdina and other old towns — small but absolutely charming with narrow streets and friendly locals. Malta, in general, is just a super welcoming island. Thanks to its history — first ruled by the Knights of Malta, the French, then British until the 1960s — English is one of the official languages, alongside Maltese, which is a Semitic language that sounds a bit exotic to us, due to it being more arabic sounding.
Even though Malta doesn’t have sandy natural beaches, you can still enjoy plenty of time by the sea. It’s definitely worth a visit. And one side note: you can really notice climate change there.
But overall, it was a fantastic trip and a great way to improve my English while soaking up some history and culture. Thanks to the Erasmus Plus Team of OHG for making this trip and experience possible.
Katrin Kotulla
