My Maltese Adventure 2015: Week 18: A Maltese Dining Experience

After a busy week of exploring with Rachel’s parents last week it was time to get back to completing and finishing off our assignments this week, especially as deadlines are fast approaching and we have a friend coming to visit us next week.

One of our first deadlines is for a module titled, 'Children in Society.' I have found these classes very interesting as we have studied how children are affected by the environment they are brought up in and the impacts this can have on their education and achievement levels. The assessment for this module gave Rachel and myself the opportunity to work in a group along with another Maltese classmate, Jasmine. We were given a range of topics to focus our essay on, we decided on 'The Effects of Poverty on Children in Society.' This assignment has been quite different to what I have been used to as I have never co-written an assignment before and have never had the freedom to choose the title of my essay, however I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience and the opportunities it has opened up, learning more about my own country and Malta as we compared the impacts of poverty on both during the essay.

On Friday night Jasmine invited us to her house to add some final touches to our assignment. To reward us for all our hard work her mum was very kind and made us an amazing 3 course traditional Maltese dinner! Although I have already had the opportunity to try some traditional Maltese cuisine it was great to have someone to explain the background to the dishes. I was truly shocked by the spread of food her mum had prepared! To start with we had 3 different types of goats cheese, pastizzis, (which Rachel and myself have come to love, despite their negative health impacts!) snails, (which I was shocked to find that I really enjoyed!) and bruschetta, to name only a few! During the main we enjoyed the Maltese special of rabbit, cooked in several different ways and a pasta dish. We finished the meal with a Maltese take on a bread pudding dessertwhich was washed down with Malta’s 2 exclusive drinks- Kinnie and Cisk.

The dining experience was a great break from essay writing and saved Rachel and myself from having to rummage through our cupboard to find something to cook. The family were so hospitable and made us feel right at home, having even invited my parents around when they come to visit me! The experience has encouraged me to always be welcoming and friendly to others. It is not only a generous and compassionate deed to offer to others, but it also lets you see how other people live, offering you a first-hand account of their culture, traditions and values. As Jasmine has applied to study at Stranmillis next semester as part of her own Erasmus experience, I look forward to returning the favour and letting her try some traditional Northern Irish delights like wheaten bread, champ, fifteens and not of course not forgetting our famous Ulster fry!