An-American-in-Malta

Jellyfish in Malta

 

           No Blood, No Bones, No Brains

                    The Mauve Stinger

                                          By Mr. S.

 

                           Photo by Richard Weninger

 

Editor's Note:  I think it's time for Mr. S. to get a job.

 

A few days ago I was walking along Marsamxett Harbour only to see thousands, if not millions, of reddish jellyfish floating in the water. The next day they were all gone – except for one lonely left-behind. How could that be?

It’s typical of jellyfish to come in swarms. Some reproduce sexually which explains them appearing in these swarms.   As they have no brains and don’t really know where they’re going, ( no, Ilene,  I’m not talking about men )--they just get taken along by prevailing currents and end up on certain beaches one day; the next day they’re all gone.

Instead of a brain, jellyfish have a so-called nerve net--a network of nerves that can detect various stimuli. This triggers the jellyfish sting when touched by other animals or human swimmers.

One of the most frequent Mediterranean jellyfish is Pelagia noctiluca, also called the Mauve stinger. Nomen est omen! Their poison is not lethal for humans, but painful. The best treatment is to apply cold water or ice and avoid rubbing (heating) the affected areas. Some people advise applying vinegar to the wound, but that’s only for Box jellyfish stings. Vinegar only makes other jellyfish stings worse.

There are several theories why the Pelagia noctiluca is becoming a frequent visitor to the Maltese coasts. The main reason is probably that fishing removes the jellyfishes’ main competitor for food, thus leaving more food for the jellyfish to feed on in the Maltese water. Also, there may be more food in the ever warming water, possibly caused by global warming.

So the best we can do is to hope for lots of dolphins and sea turtles that feed on jellyfish, and to try to keep out of their way as they can’t see us, but we can see them-- hopefully, before they sting.

First Mammogram in Malta

 

      P.S.  Mammogram AOK!!

Medical Care in Malta

 

           First Mammogram in Malta

 

If the doctor asks me today--as they usually do when you go for a screening mammogram--when is the last time you examined your breasts?  I'll have to look at my watch.

My mother had breast cancer at my age now.  And I'm really scared.  I'm scared I'll be punished because I got the work permit. Do you know what I mean?

Very few of you may understand this kind of logic.  But if you do, then you know all the medicine in the world doesn't help at this point. 

I'll talk to you later.

 

Work Permit Granted in Malta!

                       Getting What I Wished For :

                G-d Help Me--The ETC  Said YES

 

This really is me, by the way. Or it would be me if I was blonde and had that body and those nice arms.

 

Tonight I was forced by a couple of good Expat friends to drink down two Bailey's (glasses, not bottles) to celebrate that my work permit was granted.

I found out on Monday via a surprise email from my contact at the ETC.  Just two words: "permit ready" with a smiley face.  Well, I didn't know what that meant--was it physically ready--or was it "just" approved?  I had been told it would take at least another week to hear and then at least another week to be ready to pick up (for another 48 Euros, of course).

So I wrote to another contact at the ETC who has felt very sorry for me ever since I cried on the phone to her after the second application was turned down.

So she wrote back and said, "Sorry, there's been a mistake. It's not ready."  I was about to s_____ in my pants at the McDonald's cafe in St. Julian's ( I was using the free WI-fi there, not eating).  And then I scrolled down the email and I found in large letters:

 

ONLY JOKING YES IT'S READY I HAVE IT IN MY HANDS

You can come for it tomorrow morning between 8 and 12

Photo Contest in Malta

 

                 And the Winner Is............

 

 

Kudos to Alexandra Claes--an avid commentator on this blog--who won a photo contest last month on   www.pocketmalta.com   (a tourist guide to what's happening in Malta).  Alexandra says this is the first thing she's ever won.  And what a prize!  Two free nights at the Palace Hotel in Sliema--five stars no less.

Getting Your Mail to Malta

 

                       Moving Abroad:    

          What to Do About Your Mail

                     Why You Should Keep a US Address

 

Got a good question the other day from someone who read the blog.  How do you forward your mail from your country of origin to Malta?

Here's my answer: you don't. You don't forward your mail to your new home abroad. Instead, you keep an address in the US (will be using the word US or America for this article, although it applies to expatriates from anywhere).

Why you need to keep your American address:

-You need an American address for any bank accounts or investments  you keep open in the US.

-Forwarding costs to your new home abroad would either take forever to reach you or would be prohibitive to pay for.

-You never know when you'll return and keeping an American address will just make it that much easier.

-If you do any business in your former country, your clients may prefer sending you payments by check to an American address (this is especially true in the US).

-If you need to pay taxes—or receive a refund--the IRS  needs an American address.

Unusual Ships in Malta’s Grand Harbor

 

    What's Going on With These Ships?

 

                                        By Mr. S

 

                                               The Geo Challenger

 

Editor's Note:  After the last post on pedicures, we're giving something for the "boys" to read.  (Yes, I know that women like ships, too, but that was a joke).  All photos by Richard Weninger.

 

You can imagine my surprise!

Instead of the usual big cruise ships, there were these strange ships in the Grand Harbor of Valletta last Sunday. The Fjell a semi-submersible, heavy transport ship was undergoing last tests before receiving final approval after undergoing conversion work in the Malta Shipyards Ltd. The Fjell is one of the two most modern heavy-transport ships of their kind in the world, capable of transporting loads of up to 20.000 tons. The vessel first submerges its load deck up to ten meters under water. The load can then be floated over the deck and lifted up out of the water.

 

This is the whole Fjell from left to right.  The part is the middle is submerged! 

 

The Geo Challenger and the Geco Eagle are both seismic research vessels that tow so-called streamers to make 3D/4D pictures of the structure under the seabed. The streamers stretch out for miles behind the ships while being towed over the sea area to be examined. Because it’s so much work getting them set up, the ships try to keep them in the water for months on end. It looks as if there’s something interesting under the seabed around the Maltese Islands ...Could it be OIL?

 

                                   The Geco Eagle                                    

Getting Beautiful in Malta

 

               First Pedicure in Malta

 

 

 

This is major.  Well, maybe just for women, but I do know many men would benefit from nice-looking toenails.  And so would their partners.

 

Anyway, I did the required research and ended up going to a very posh place right on Manwel Dimech Street--my street, you know.  Of course, I did a couple of things wrong.  First, I missed the step and tripped into the shop and everyone screamed (from fear) but I landed on my toes.  Next, I asked if I could have a pedicure.

 

Normally, it wouldn't be mistake to walk into a nail salon during open hours and ask for a pedicure. But I found out--after a lot of communication activities--that you had to make an appointment--no walk-ins (or fall-ins) in this place. OK.......

 

An appointment was made for Saturday morning.  Then the receptionist asked for a deposit.  Yes.  In answer to my apparent quizzical expression and my very posh uttering of "Huh?"--the receptionist explained that foreigners often don't show up for their appointments.

Spring in Malta

 

       It Doesn't Get Better than This

 

 

                                  Powerboat Race viewed from Sliema

                                        Photo by Richard Weninger

 

In the Northeast (US) where I came from over seven months ago, spring was literally two days.  There were two days of perfect weather--72 to 75 degrees F., sunny but not hot; I wasn't embarrassing myself from excessive sweating.  But it was only two days--then straight on to HHH--Hazy, Hot and Humid for the next two months.  And rain.

But here in Malta now, it's the spring I've always envisioned--sunny, warm and dry.  It started about 10 days ago and will last a couple more weeks and gradually get hotter and hotter until the heat becomes unbearable in July and August. 

Slowly, I've noticed that I don't need the gas heater anymore.  And I can walk on the tile floor with only one pair of socks.  Mr. S. and I eat out in our yard in the morning and the evening.  The roof is warm during the day, but still a little too cool at night to hang out on. 

The best part?  No rain.  It shouldn't rain now--except for an occasional shower--until the fall--maybe not until November if I'm lucky.  I've been here in Malta during August and the heat was terrible. 

But you know what?  I've been in Boston and Dover, New Hampshire, and the heat has been terrible.  At least, when it's hot in Malta, it makes sense; it's the Mediterranean.  But when it's hot in the Northeast, it make no sense to me.  It's disgusting and seems like a waste of heat. 

I don't know if I'll get my work permit or not, but I love Malta.  There's no place like home...in the spring.

Expat Working in Malta--Not

 

               Back to the ETC Board

 

 

 

The Employment and Training Corporation is located all the way out on the island in a place called Hal-Far.  It's near the detention camps for illegal immigrants.  All photos by Richard Weninger.

 

Guess what?  I got a language school to apply for a permit for me--but for six months, to be renewed if possible.  So it's back to the ETC in Hal-Far for a third time.  Does it help my chances of getting a permit if a school wants and applies for me?  Generally, yes. In my case--I don't know.  All I do know is that I've now shelled out $250 for license fees by now.   That's just to apply.

 

That's me under the sign--and, yes, I do want to work in Europe.

So I went armed with every document I own--including things like birth certificate, marriage and divorce papers (although these weren't even needed) and toilet paper--which was needed.  Why, you ask?  If you've ever been to a public toilet in Malta, you'll know why you need to bring toilet paper with you.  And you'll never again leave home without it. 

 

That's me in the brown jacket working my way back on the bus back to Valletta.  See all these other people?  They have work permits.  Why can't I have one?

 

Some very interesting statistics I came across in the Times of Malta (Thursday, April 9th, page 7).  There are thousands of non-EU people who have a work permit in Malta.  Of the top ten nationalities who hold one:

Serbian, Russian, Chinese, Libyan, Indian, Ukrainian, Turkish, Bosnian and Herzegovina and Korean, there's not one single American among the 5,067 counted here.  And I don't know about anyone else, but I don't think that one American holding a work permit is going to overload the system.

What do you think?