23 maart 2025

Thursday March 20, 2025

Today the students were introduced to Malta’s rich maritime industry and the impact this has on the region and the world at large. At the MaritimeMT in  Birżebbuġa, a maritime campus offering professional training to both seafarers and shore-based-personnel, the students were introduced to some of the courses and the wide range of career opportunities in the maritime industry . One of the highlights was the cutting-edge simulator of Valetta Harbour. Here the students were introduced to the skills and technologically advanced equipment needed to pilot large cruise ships into Valetta harbour, and the impact decision making has on, for example, the world of maritime insurance. Students were also informed about sustainable developments in maritime industry and the increasing awareness of the environmental impact of the industry.

Afterwards the skilled drivers of the mini vans piloted us to Rabat where the students could savour a Maltese specialty: the pastizzi. This flaky philo puff pastry stuffed with either ricotta filling or mushy peas left us wanting more. We had a short guided tour into Rabat before going to the Silent City, the ancient walled city of Mdina. Here the students were given time to work on their photo assignments and explore Mdina’s medieval and baroque architecture at leisure. For most students this also offered them the opportunity to further their research and develop their analytical skills.

At the end of yet another memorable day we enjoyed a pizza dinner in the courtyard of a local restaurant.

Friday March 21, 2025

Today’s focus was on gaining an understanding of international citizenship in the context of Malta’s rich entrepreneurial setting. Our students attended a lecture by Miss Maria of Malta Enterprise. Malta Enterprise is the country’s economic development agency, tasked with attracting new foreign direct investment as well as facilitating the growth of existing operations. Although our students prepare for different career paths, the lecturer brought it home to them that there are many opportunities for international start-ups to gain a foothold in Malta. They realised that Malta offers the right set of circumstances for many different players in the labour market of the future. This allowed them to put their present education into a new perspective. They  were given the opportunity to ask a lot of substantive questions, all of which were answered at great length by Miss Maria. This tapped into their entrepreneurial skills, but also provided them with an insight into the social and environmental responsibilities that any enterprise has to address when opting for Malta.

Afterwards we were taken to Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra Archaeological Park , a  Unesco World Heritage site. Ħaġar Qim means “standing stones” or “worshipping stones” and has recently been dated back to 3800 BC. Today was the first day of spring, the day of the spring equinox. The guide showed us a photo that he had taken at sunrise that illustrated the calendrical function of the Mnajdra temples. His narrative introduced us to the ways of the temple-builders and some of the artefacts like the figurines of the “fat lady of Malta”, also known as the Venus of Malta. While standing on the actual site it dawned on us that these people were far from primitive and had dealt with the demands of their day and age in a very advanced way. The fact that the archaeological park has been included in the World Heritage List shows that in order to move into the future we also have to include the past. Like these farmers from the Neolithic period, we face similar challenges and yet they managed to build a structure that is still relevant today.

After the tour we walked to Zurrieq Valley, which is close to the Blue Grotto. Unfortunately, the strong winds made it impossible for the students to swim at the shallow inlet or to go on a boat trip to the Blue Grotto. The alternative, having an ice cream in the sun with a stunning view of the island of Filfla, was quite enjoyable. Dinner at Rivotorto was a perfect ending to a perfect day.

Saturday March 22, 2025

Voluntary work is deeply engrained in Maltese society as it not only strengthens the community but also offers a strong support base to the individuals. Today our students were required to roll up their sleeves and work as volunteers at the Horse Rescue Centre RJW at Siggiewi. They applied themselves to many odd jobs, such as mucking out stables, cleaning the kitchen area, watering and petting the horses. Both horses and students were extremely happy with this arrangement. Some students had to come out of their comfort zones as today required a lot of adaptability and problem-solving.

Afterwards we had a lovely lunch at Ghar Lapsi, close to a stunning naturally formed swimming pool. The strong winds made swimming impossible, but we went on a short hike and marvelled at the beautiful scenery.

In the afternoon, students were given some time off to explore Malta on their own. The sunny weather enticed many to go to Golden Bay, regardless of the wind. This shows that students have become quite familiar with how things are done on Malta as they arranged their own outings thus developing their communicative and inter-personal skills even more.

Sunday March 21, 2025

Today we visited Marsaxlokk Market, which spans the entire waterfront and offers a wide variety of fish and local produce. Some of the Luzzu, the traditional fishing boats that bring in the fresh catches from the local waters, could be admired up close and the harbour offered a colourful spectacle of smaller and larger fishing boats. Students mingled with the locals and explored the delicacies the Maltese islands have to offer.

The lovely ladies in Rivotorto’s kitchen had prepared a savoury pasta salad on our return. Afterwards the students enjoyed the rest of the Sunday in their own way.

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