Whenever you’re abroad and you say to people that you hail from Malta, you’re highly likely to get an answer to the lines of “oh yeah, I’ve been there a couple of times to brush up on my English” — and if it’s not the person you’re speaking to directly, then it’s a cousin, or a friend or a friend of a friend.
You see, if there’s something Malta is renowned for, then that’s surely the name it has made for itself as (not ‘a’) but the destination for those really willing to improve their English skills.
It just goes without saying that this hasn’t come about like that, like something out of the blue. No, this is the result of Malta having lived up to the people’s expectations, of having provided all the foreign people with that which they truly desired!
The best about this all is that it all comes naturally to the Maltese. Having been an English colony for approximately 200 years, and bearing in mind how passionate about their language the Brits are, there was no way the Maltese could avoid coming to grips with the English language, to such extent that they mastered it as if it were their own mother tongue.
So much so, in fact, that English, alongside Maltese, is the official language. Nothing issued by the government, for instance, may be issued in either language — priority ought to be given to both.
What does that leave us? Well, for starters we have the fact that English is present everyone decides to go.
As a student, that is indeed something you should be keen on. Yes, granted, in some instances it will be difficult to communicate and express your feelings, but having to do it all the time will truly force you to practise everything you’d be learning in class.
Think of it… You thought of saying “I want coffee” to the waiter, right? Well, think twice, or it’ll meet with the waiter’s frowning… Yes, time to practise the teacher’s instructions “good afternoon, I’d like a coffee, please!”
That’s only one situation, of course. The same is true for cinemas (no dubbing!), museums, buses, shops, supermarkets, and so on and so forth.
So yes, if it’s a pretty island with favorable weather and lots of English to be learnt that you’re looking for, then you should stop looking seeing as you’ve just found it. ESL Malta is really the place to be! …learning English will not feel like a chore, but a pleasure, a step which will always lead you to greater fun and enjoyment!