When I unpacked my stuff, I felt funny because I didn’t realize that your life can fit any luggage you have; it’s the same with your heart. Then I felt like I wanted to walk, so I took a long walk to know my neighborhood.
Malta is a small country, so their cities were like neighborhoods for me. I loved to walk there; it felt awesome no matter the time or the weather, and it was just a feeling I got in my first hours. I didn’t have any idea what Malta walks would mean to me later. I didn’t know that my life was about to change forever in the upcoming days.
When I returned to my new home, I met my flatmate Aymeric. We got along from the first minute, although we didn’t understand each other.
First day of school
We had to be at 8 o’clock at the school. I checked on Google how to get there in time. I already knew they drove on the left line (the wrong side). Aymeric and I spoke about it while we had breakfast, but when we arrived at the bus stop, our bus was passing through on the other side of the road. Of course, we “knew,” but muscle memory, or whatever memory you have, made us miss the bus. But we were so lucky (considering that buses in Malta are unpredictable) and got another bus, and we made it on time.
Once there, I met Alain, one of Aymeric’s best friends. These 2 young men were my best friends in Malta. I am 10 years older than them; they reminded me of my college days. We joined the gym together and did a lot of stuff until I met 2 women from Colombia. Still, we were there to support us and have some fun.
We met Weronika, GG, and Valentin on the first day of school. After the tour made by the school, we decided to keep exploring the surroundings. We were surprised by the lines of cars and lorries stuffed with people (many of them drunk; it was a Monday.) with loud music, firecrackers, cheering, and celebrating the election results. It was hilarious; I thought, “Come on, I left South America and got this?” There was a car with a coffin hanging on the back with the picture of the defeated politician, people sitting on bonnets cars drinking while the car was moving. It was surreal.
My first lesson
After 7 or 8 years, I was back in a classroom. My social anxiety was rising, but I was there to learn, right?.
My teacher introduced herself as a rebel with a cause: Miss Hendriks, Wilma. Authentic, strong, independent, and free. I wanted to know more about her life. She’s so passionate. I was fortunate to have such a great teacher and even better human being.
She asked us to introduce ourselves, and when I told her I was there because I wanted to improve my writing skills, she told me it was an ambitious goal that would take more than a 3-month course. Damn, she was right. She is a writer as well and a terrific storyteller.
Holiday at Gozo
EF offers daily activities. We had a holiday in the middle of that week, so Aymeric and I joined a “safari” tour in Gozo. This is the second largest island of Malta. It was fantastic because we rented Jeeps and visited the main spots of Gozo.
When we arrived there, I heard a bunch of kids speaking in Spanish, oh surprise, more Colombians. (Colombians are the actual pandemic; we are everywhere.) I told Aymeric we had to avoid Colombians and Spanish speakers, and then Valentin approached us with his German friends Lena and Evelyn. We chose to stay together in one of the Jeeps without noticing that it would be the beginning of a remarkable friendship in Malta.
At the first spot of the tour, I could fly my drone, but I almost lost it there (Gozo will take it later anyway). Our guide, Kenny, perfectly knew his craft. He showed us many spots, which were sets of Game of Thrones (I didn’t watch it, and I certainly won’t.)
The landscapes, sights, and everything were spectacular. I was astonished by its beauty.
I made some clips and took a lot of pictures there. Then, while we were waiting for the pizza at the break, Evelyn talked to me. I didn’t understand why she was there because her English sounded perfect; Valentin and Lena also joined the conversation, and their English was excellent.
We exchanged some ideas about living in Europe, and they told me that I was probably idealizing it until I told them that they may take for granted things that we don’t have in South America, such as walking on the street with your phone on your hands. It was so funny to see their faces when I told some stories about Medellín. Europeans live in a bubble.
Knock knock. Who’s there?
As the tour went on, I felt this strange feeling, like curiosity, but it was nothing rational about Evelyn; maybe something in her voice sounded familiar to me like we already knew each other. I wasn’t sure, but later, I had the chance to realize what it was.
At the end of the tour, I found out that Evelyn lived close to Aymeric and me, and we shared the same schedule, so life put her on my way for the next 2 weeks, or maybe I was the one who burst into her life. Even today, I don’t know, but those 2 weeks I could share with her were some of my favorite times ever.
I could experience something spectacular and fall in love again like a teenager. (No, it didn’t have the classic romantic film happy ending. But it was wonderful because there was such a powerful connection between 2 souls.) She felt like home to me. I haven’t feel anything that strong before, like we had met each other in a previous life or something. We are still friends, and I will always be grateful to her for taking away a massive shield I carried since my last breakup. Thanks to her, I could dream again about a beautiful love and transform how I conceive love.)
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