An American in Malta

American writer Ilene Springer has recently moved to Sliema, Malta and is sharing some of her Maltese moments in this blog. Although Malta is very small, she says that "it's not like you can see from one end to another". In this post she describes what she loves most about the island:

1. The Cafes--There's always a place to sit down and have a Diet Coke. And you can sit there for as long as you want. No one says you have to leave. (This did happen to me and my friend Lucy in a Boston restaurant once, when we were dallying a bit after our meal.)

2. You can take it easy every day. Even when it's not really hot, the shops in Malta close for a couple of hours--maybe from 2-4 PM. And that just happens to coincide with my nap time (whether or not I get to take it--in America). It makes you feel like resting is a normal thing to do.

3. People are friendly. Generally, they go out of their way to help you. I watched, one time in the square in Valletta, how a tourist was limping along because of her blistered feet in her sandals. I was glad I wasn't her (for a change). To my amazement, a Maltese woman noticed her limping and walked up to her, holding out a Band-Aid to this poor woman. I couldn't believe it. Naturally, being an American, she wouldn't accept anything good from a stranger. Instead, I went and accepted it for the next time I would be limping from blisters.