It hasn’t quite sunk in yet. But I have a one-way plane ticket and my apartment is empty except for a couple of mostly packed suitcases. Yup. :eek:
Where do you live now? Malta is a lovely country, really nice people. I’m hoping to get back there on holiday sometime in the next couple of years.
Dish with the details!
New job?
New love of your life?
Simple wanderlust?
Being deported and Malta’s the only place that’ll take you?
On the run from the mob?
Prospecting for gold?
Finding your roots?
Looking for a particularly valuble bird?
Give us something to work with here 
One of my best friends met his long-time girlfriend/now fiance when they were both studying abroad in Malta.
Postdoctoral research position at the University of Malta. I’ll be working on a big EU project that lasts three years, though I’m applying for professor positions and might leave sometime in the middle.
I went back and forth on the academia/industry decision all through grad school, but was leaning towards industry towards the end (I had a lot of negative experiences with whiny, entitled undergrads but that’s a topic for another thread). Then last March I applied at a startup on a whim and was impressed with the people I met there. When they offered me the job I took it thinking I’d work there for a year or two, make some money when they got bought or went public, and then figure out the next step. Also having a job offer on the table is by far the best preparation one can have going into their defense.
I delayed the start date four months so I could finish my PhD. In the meantime they got bought out by a Japanese company, rendering the stock options I was promised worthless. Also in those four months I got a lot of positive feedback on my dissertation and a workshop I chaired at a major academic conference that made me seriously reconsider the decision.
I started applying for academic positions but went ahead and started the job. Making a 6 figure salary after 7 years of grad school is nice, let me tell you. But ultimately, the work bored me and the people I wound up working with weren’t the ones the ones I met during the interview. The final straw was when I wasn’t able to publish an article due to the PR people dragging their feet because it didn’t fit with their plans.
So, Malta, here I come!
San Francisco Bay area. I think Malta’s a bit warmer!
I just saw an episode of House Hunters International in Malta. It looked gorgeous, I think you’ll love it.
And a lot smaller. What, about 400,000 people? My brother and his family holiday on Gozo almost yearly. It seems to have a completely different vibe to the more metropolitan Malta. I’ve not been there in summer so I’ve been able to stick it. I’m quite jealous to be honest. 
I wish you the best of luck in your new home.
I stayed in Bugibba for a summer and managed to make it all around the country. Pretty good experience overall. Enjoy the ride!
The names of places in Malta are things like Gozo and Bugibba? Sounds awesome to me!
My friend moved from Ohio to Austria last year to do science. Work is so-so (but better than at our American universities) but outside of work she seems to be having an amazing time!
My dog is the national dog of Malta. They’re very rare here but there you can find them on the streets, or living on peoples’ roofs being fed scraps.
Great! I was there only for a day, but it seemed like a nice place. And Valletta has the most awesome harbor that I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen lots of harbors.
Take me with you?
Kidding of course, I love SF. But Malta…
If you’re browsing the shops and see a small statue of a bird, a hawk or a falcon, apparently made of black lacquer, I’d pick it up if I were you. It’s the stuff that dreams are made of.
Roddy
So, Maltese DopeFest coming up in May?
Throughout the summer months the various towns take turns putting on fireworks shows. It is a carnival type atmosphere with lots of people packing the village and food carts setting up to serve the masses. Can’t recall if it was Friday or Saturday nights.
The city names, and the Maltese language, reflect their history as a crossroads of various Mediterranean cultures. There is a blending of English, Italian, and African influences with many words being derived from Semitic languages. Maltese orthography contains a couple unique letters. You’ll experience other great place names like Għar Lapsi, Mġarr, Il-Mellieħa, Ħal Qormi, Birżebbuġa, Xewkija, and Xgharja. It sounds just like it is spelled. :eek:
Fortunately English is an official language and is widely spoken.
Other tidbits and random recollections:
Traffic lights and signs are mere suggestions according to some.
Every little town has a bocce court and a group will gather most nights to drink and play.
The summer is warm and dry. It only rained 3 times in the months I was there.
Rabbit is the national dish. Expect to find it on the menu in unexpected ways.
There is a disturbing lack of birds due to hunting.
The water is clear and warm providing for good scuba diving.
Say “Hi” to Joe for me!
Send me a falcon, when you get the chance. I here they got nice ones there.