An-American-in-Malta

 

     

       

 

        Date Set for Malta

 

 

This picture is worth very little words.   That's because I'm not flying with Air Malta to Malta; I'll be flying Lufthansa.  But the Air Malta jet looks prettier.  (I hope I don't get punished for saying that).

 

I'm very superstitious now.  I've set the date for leaving: October 22nd.  And I'm afraid anything can happen.  When I say that, I don't mean that the night before I'll leave, I'll win the the New Hampshire lottery or something like that.  I mean something, well, not so good (G-d forbid).

 

My friend S is here from Germany and it's the "last" time I'll see him before I meet him--with my cat--in Germany.  We'll then fly (Lufthansa) to Malta.

 

The stress of setting the date has started taking a toll on us.  S and I have been fighting lately about little things--like what he can't stand about me and what I can't stand about him.  (Naturally, there's a lot more wrong with him.)  I guess reality is hitting us that we're going to be together in a foreign country after over seven years of waiting.

 

All this has even affected my cat.  She wants attention as usual, but not near S.  She won't come over and purr or do that footsie thing on my comforter that cats do unless S is out of the room.

 

On a brighter note, S and I have been having fun looking online at apartments in Malta.  It seems to be true what I've heard: that renting is reasonable in Malta, but buying is very expensive.  Well, we're too old to buy anything now, so we'll be renting.  I want an "apartment with character."  That's one with stone walls, Maltese tiles on the floor (no more vacuuming cat fur off of carpet again--ever) and a yard or stone balcony.

 

For those of you who have been kind enough to follow this little journey of mine, I just wanted to let you know that I've chosen a date to leave the US and go to live in another country.  And I'm scared big time.

 

 

 

                 Who are Americans in Malta

                     voting for president?

 

                   Request from the Times of Malta

 

 

                  Photo from www.notablesoftware.com

 

Can you help?  Just received this request from a writer at the Times of Malta.  He is looking for Americans to interview about the presidential election.  Please respond to him directly:

pcooke@timesofmalta.com

 

 

Hi Ilene
As the convention season is about to begin, I am interested on reporting the perspectives of Americans residing in Malta on the  prospective candidates and their hopes for the next Presidency. I would most like to speak to people who are actively supporting one candidate and encouraging others to do the same, along with undecided voters to see what their main concerns are. Ideally, the article will feature in this weeks edition of the Sunday Times as coverage will be high on news channels due to the conventions.
I came across your 'American in Malta' site through a Google search and as I have not met any Americans since I arrived here from the UK, I was hoping you could help me get in touch with people? Perhaps you could forward this email to a number of people and ask them to get in touch and we could either arrange to meet or I could send them questions via email? Alternatively, you could forward me some contacts and I could get in touch with them myself? I would be happy to speak with residents or tourists that like the idea of appearing in the national newspaper.
Thank you for taking the time to consider my request and I look forward to your response.

Yours Sincerely,
Patrick Cooke

pcooke@timesofmalta.com

            Malta from the Air

 

               So close and yet...too close (maybe)

 

 

 

Beautiful, isn't it? 

 

If Malta wasn't so beautiful, I might be re-considering now.  For those of you who read this blog (those who read of their own free will--and those who I force to read it), thanks for all your encouragement.  By now, you know I complain a lot.

 

About health insurance, about setting up a bank account (which still hasn't happened, by the way), bringing over my cat, the cost of moving, residence requirements (well, I haven't complained yet but I will now) and many other things to come.

 

This weekend, my European friend S is coming to visit me and this is the time I will set the date to leave for Malta (jekk alah jrit--G-d willing in Maltese).  Frankly, I haven't had the nerve up to now.

 

But my tentative date is now less than two months away.  Reality is hitting, and I'm getting overwhelmed.

 

I've chosen a mover who came in a little under the Allied guy.  This guy is from Sterling Movers, part of North American International.   I like this guy because, first, the other one never got back in touch with me with the real estimate.  And this guy did get back to me and even did some research on the customs rules to get my stuff into Malta.

 

Again, I had to sit down on the couch I can't afford to take to Malta:

      Health Insurance Nightmare in Malta

 

 

Can someone tell me where I've gone wrong? 

 

I'm leaving the US because of health insurance--or the lack thereof.  I have it now, but this is the last year I can afford it--at $900/month and rising.  So I find out that in Malta the cost of health care and insurance is at least a third of what I pay here in the US. 

I apply, I'm honest about all reasons I've been to the doctor in the past five years because the company (Atlas) warns you that they will cut off your insurance if they find out you don't reveal every single thing wrong with you beforehand.

 

I already knew "they" would not pay for any medicines I already take. I do take a few for anxiety and some mild skin conditions.  OK. I don't like that, but I accept it. 

 

So what happens?

                    What I'll Miss in Malta

 

What do you miss most about home?

Friends & family
64.24% (7099)

Favourite foods
7.47% (825)

Favourite TV programs
5.49% (607)

The weather
5.31% (587)

Nothing!
17.48% (1932)

 

 

This a survey that appears on a really good expat site called Expat Focus.  I guess it's not surprising that most expats said they missed their friends and families the most.  I pick that one, too, although I'm not even in Malta yet. 

 

I guess I'm having anticipatory missing.   They have Ben & Jerry's in Malta, so I'm OK there.  I'm not sure about Cherry Garcia, though.  I can't remember now if they had the frozen yogurt or the even-worse-for-you ice cream.

 

I will miss Suze Orman and the dwarfs on TLC.  (Suze Orman, and the dwarfs, are two different shows, but nothing would surprise me anymore on TV).  Also What Not to Wear on TLC--I'll miss that.

 

But go check out this survey.  It's the comments that accompany the survey that are most interesting.  One good question someone asked was:  If you miss your friends and family so much, then why did you leave in the first place?

 

I can answer that, but another time.  Here's the survey and the comments:

http://www.expatfocus.com/index.php?name=Surveys&op=results&pollid=1

 

What do you think you would miss the most?

 

 

       The Estimate for Moving to Malta

 

 

 

 

Cartoon above from  www.CentennialMoving.ca in Canada

 

I just awoke briefly from a comatose state to tell you how much the move to Malta is going to cost me. 

 

Now get this:  I'm not moving any furniture except a dining room table and chairs, a small terra cotta kitchen table and chairs, an old Moroccan desk, some wooden show cabinets, a few Moroccan trunks and lots of pottery.  OK, LOTS of pottery--a couple of big vases.  But no beds, no couches, no appliances, no deck furniture, no big bureaus.  I think you get what I mean.  This is not a lot of stuff.

But the sales rep from Allied Moving thinks so. 

 

       Multi-Tasking to Malta

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hate to keep talking about myself.  But since this is a blog, I guess I have to once in a while.

 

Here's what I'm up to now all at the same time to get to this gorgeous place (besides regular work and the laundry):

 

1. Applying for health insurance in Malta
2. Getting medical records from doctors in US
3. Getting medical records from doctors in US
4. Getting medical records from doctors in US
5. Getting medical records from doctors in US  (I guess you get the point.)
6. Trying to set up a bank account in Malta  (Hey, the HSBC-USA account finally happened--after 5 weeks and one hour.)  The one hour was spent trying to get into my new account from the email telling me I had succeeded in opening a new account.  Want to see what my new password is?  Click here.  
7. Trying to sell my car
8. Trying to get my cat to Malta
9. Buying new undies (can't seem to get to the laundry)

I had to contact the Department of Veterinary Services in Malta to get a permit to get my cat into Egypt.  They asked me what breed my cat was and I told them a Hyundai Elantra.  I guess I got mixed up between steps number 7 and 8.

 

Sorry...did you really think I'd give you my password?