Gozo Beaches and Comino 7-14

I really enjoy coming to Malta as an adult. I learn and come to understand more about our culture. The way people act, talk, live. Like when you visit someone's house and they offer u a drink, you have to say "yes". You can say "no" forever and you will end up with a drink still. It doesn't have to be booze, but you have to have something.

And the same goes with food.  People come by to the house with food, bread, fruits, tomatoes; a whole bag of them. "Eat, eat" my aunt yells. She is not really yelling, but that is what it sounds like. People speak very loud with a lot of energy and passion. That is why I did not want to speak Maltese, b/c I was too American sounding and I was embarrassed. Mom is loud and so am I.
The women are always running around the house. They can;t sit still. Cleaning, cooking, feeding, they are on the go. I am the same way. I can chill to have dinner and watch a movie, but I have a hard time sitting around relaxing.

When people speak they repeat. They say "ok" so many times to each other, but the Maltese ok, which is ewija. Or "I am leaving I am leaving" and then they still talk and are not leaving, I am surprised how much I am understanding. I have not been here in 5 years and before that was 10 years. I regret not learning the language even though most of my family speaks English, it would have been nice to know.

I can't really speak it though. My brain has a hard time trying to translate and pronounce; listening is much easier. The language is interesting and difficult with so many phrases that are symbolic and don't have a translation in English. I get the idea, but I can't translate exactly the words in English.  Sometimes if you do a literal translation it makes no sense.

It's been intense here, so many people so  much talking. It takes at least 30 mins to an hours to sat good bye. And so much food (I am mean it is ridiclous how much food we are offered); I ask, "who is getting married". It's all great, but coming from a small family in NYC, it's hard to adjust to this place even though we use to come here every summer all summer as kids.

I have been having a terrible time sleeping. No matter what time I go to bed, I only sleep 5 hours. It's been like this since I left Alaska. I walk up after 2-3 hours of sleeping. And I hear so many voices in Maltese b/c at night we get together as a huge group. My brain is trying to process it all. Then 2 hours later I sleep for another hour or so.Chickens are usually up by 7:30 so that's my alarm now.

Day 1: Pix of boat trip to Comino Island with Aussie fam.

Day 2: Pix album of a few beautiful beaches.