Diren during his internship in Malta

Hey! Where are you from? Where do you study/live/work?

Hi! I study International Business and Management Studies in Utrecht. At the moment, I’m doing an internship in Malta at a shipping agency.

What was the first thing you thought when you arrived in Malta?

“Hellll nooo, British road network!?!”

What was the most shocking difference between the Netherlands and Malta?

I didn’t really experience a “shocking” difference. There are a few things you might find annoying though. Maltese people can be quite “tranquilo” (laid-back) in their ways, while Dutch people are more hands-on. Also, things are less organized here compared to the Netherlands. The roads are often a mess too—way too many cars on the island. Crossing the street was often difficult for me because Malta uses the British road system.

What does your typical workday look like?

Workdays are similar to those in the Netherlands. My workday started at 8:00 AM, and I usually arrived 10 minutes early at the office. I spent a lot of time behind the computer processing documents and administration, and entering information into systems. At 1:00 PM, everyone went to lunch and you could enjoy an hour break. Then I continued with my tasks and the workday ended around 5:00 PM.

How is the work atmosphere at your internship company?

The Southern European and Mediterranean work culture is more relaxed compared to the Dutch one. Maltese people are generally relaxed, so that reflects on the workplace too. However, there were plenty of busy days at the office where it wasn’t very relaxed. Maltese people are friendly and sociable. There were always good vibes at work.

Have you ever felt homesick? How did you deal with it?

Not really. I’ve been abroad for a longer time before, outside of Europe. If you’ve experienced that, it’s easier to handle and less likely you’ll get homesick. If you do experience it, I’d recommend keeping busy—keeping your mind and yourself occupied.

Do you feel at home in Malta? Why (not)?

Yes, definitely. Maltese people are extremely friendly, and the climate is favorable as well.

Is there a typical local dish that you REALLY cannot eat (or actually really like)?

Since Malta is an island, a lot of fish and tuna are eaten. I don’t eat fish or seafood, but luckily there are plenty of alternatives. There are many pizza places, similar to small bakeries, where you can get all kinds of snacks and pizza!

Give us tips on who you should befriend abroad.

The best is to make friends with local people. If necessary, expats who have been living there for a longer time. From them, you learn the most — both about the city/environment where you live and about the country and culture. Besides, locals naturally know where the best hotspots are.

Describe the people of Malta in three words.

Friendly, helpful, and relaxed.

What have you learned from your experience abroad? Was it the beloved community that you enjoyed? The cheap cocktails? The beautiful nature? Or was your experience less than expected? Details, we want details!

By exposing yourself to a different culture for an extended period, I believe it contributes enormously to your personal development. You get to know yourself better, improve your intercultural skills, and experience what it’s like on a foreign workplace. You eventually take this with you into your career, which I think will be a positive contribution.

What’s nice is that the vast majority here speak English. As I said, Maltese people are friendly, sociable, and relaxed, which of course makes your stay more pleasant.

What I liked less about Malta is that the country is quite densely populated. You especially notice this in the number of cars on the road (which can be quite annoying) and how closely buildings are built together. I found myself really missing the Dutch style of mixing city with green spaces. For example, there were few parks to be seen here.