The charmed island. Learning of English in Malta.

The author:Bazhena Pampura
19 июн. 2017 г.
5 мин. чтения

A tiny archipelago in Mediterranean sea, that is barely noticeable on the map. People know very little about it, however they have heard something. Malta is charming. Its rich history, extraordinary landscapes and cultural diversity are riveting. This island is so incomparable, that it makes you believe you have left the Earth and went to another planet.

Part 1. Introduction.

The history and languages

Since ancient times Malta has been a desirable piece of territory, therefore it came under multiple conquest attempts of the Phoenician, the Greek, the Roman, the French, the Arab and the Spanish empires, and eventually, as is known, it was colonized by the British until 1964.

Apart from English telephone boxes, Malta inherited English, which is now the second official language on the island after Maltese.

The structure of Maltese derives from ancient Arabic and later naturalized lots of words from Latin, Italian and English. The Maltese alphabet is based on Latin letters. Loads of tourists and immigrants create the environment of multicultural diversity, unified by English – lingua franca of these days. In no country could you expect to hear such a variety of languages spoken in it. I didn’t.

Architecture

If you ask me what colors remind me of Malta, I will definitely tell you yellow, beige and azure blue. The last one embodies the Mediterranean sea and its sounds you hear from every corner. Maltese yellow soil perfectly blends with historical buildings made of beige limestone. Even nowadays the combination of colors in the architecture is carefully preserved.

The culture and cuisine

As I’ve mentioned before, Malta is an incredible mix of cultures, especially influenced by the Arabs, Italians and British.

Expressive and emotional behaviour of Maltese people reminded me of Italians a lot. The same counts for the cuisine. Authentic Maltese cuisine exists, they say, but for some reason even the Maltese themselves mention raviolli and pizza, when you ask them to give an example of their national food. I tried some typical stuff though, thanks to my local friends. Fish, seafood and meat take an essential part in Maltese cuisine. Probably that’s the reason why I couldn’t try more – the choice of Maltese vegetarian food is really limited. At any rate, you will find enough fresh and delicious food in Malta, especially if you are fond of Italian cuisine.

The traces of Antiquity

Talking about the history and cultural implications, I can’t help mentioning megalithic temples, that are considered to be one of the most ancient megaliths in the world. Unfortunately, the Temples of Ggantija situated on the Island of Gozo (the second island in the Maltese archipelago) are not that famous worldwide. Good to know, that they are more ancient than the Egyptian Pyramids.

Part 2.

Learning foreign languages.

The time spent in Malta is not enough for Maltese culture and mentality to be objectively estimated by me. In general, I’ve spent only one month in Malta, including both trips. But I can estimate another very important aspect. Malta is famous for its language schools and courses of English. If you have ever wanted to improve you English abroad, I bet you have included Malta in the list of countries. The Maltese do speak English in everyday life, but they have an accent, sometimes a pretty strong one. Everything depends on the learner. Malta is perfect for language learning if you have just started to learn English or have been learning it for a while, but have never had a conversation with a native speaker. Overcoming the language barrier and accent embarassment in Malta is psychologically easier – sooner or later the language environment will make you speak and nobody cares about your accent.

On the other hand, if you have achieved Upper-Intermediate or Advanced level, and your purposes are to expand vocabulary and accent perfection you need a native speaker (for instance from the UK or the US) as a teacher, otherwise mistakes and accents of others will get on your nerves.

A useful tip: when studying in Malta try to avoid your compatriots, and surround yourself with people with whom you will have to communicate only in English. How to define if the level of your language group is right for you? You have to understand most of the language input, but 20-30% of vocabulary is supposed to be new and challenging. This way you will still learn and improve, without struggling. If you don’t understand 50-60% of input in class it’s time to change the level to an easier one.

An interesting fact: in 2011 Malta was recognized as the country with the best climate in the world, according to “International Living” journal.

Indeed, the Maltese climate and Mediterranean sea are a perfect combination for holidays at the seaside while learning a language in an authentic language environment.

Another undeniable advantage is the price range. Prices for language school courses and accommodation rank Malta among the best options in terms of English learning. You will pay 3 or even 4 times less, than in the UK, the US, Canada or Australia. Apart from this, for non UN citizens the visa application process for a Shengen visa is relatively easier than for entry into the countries mentioned above.

Parents, who want to send their adolescent children to improve English in Malta have to know that the night life there is pretty developed and parties will become a part of the experience. That’s exactly what happened to me when I went to Malta for the first time as a 15 year old teenager. Now I hate the night clubs, though. Do they need such kind of experience? Definitely yes. Every teenager has to find themselves far from home and their mother-tongue, dealing with temptations in order to learn how to make their own choices.

Choice of the language school is one of the most important and therefore complicated aspects. Do pay attention to the school programs and location. I’ve studied at the EF-school and, then later at Linguatime. The first one is better suited for young students, the second one has programs and opportunities for all ages. Many schools also provide accommodation near the school itself, that is usually far cheaper than hotel rates. If you are planning to go for a long time, it makes sense to rent an apartment or a room.

If an active night life is not your cup of tea, or at least you prefer to have a good sleep at night, avoid Paceville, where loads of night clubs work almost every night. Otherwise you will end up falling asleep listening to club beats.

Conclusion: Malta is a perfect combination of favorable climate, language environment, beautiful architecture and landscapes, rich history, cultural diversity, a solid economy, low crime rate and a high standard of living.