Hello you! Welcome to my Granddad’s country! Your work placement in Malta: an island, English and sun … but not only that! Malta, and this is even truer since the Brexit, attracts young people from all over the world: from South America, Asia, but also from all over Europe, students who come here to learn English are very numerous! So, in the bar, expect to speak English, French, Spanish, Italian, Arabic… you’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to your language goals! One of our former students met a Colombian girl a few years ago, and they now live together in Spain! Malta has always been a land of encounters, and since the end of the wars it has become a land of tolerance; the Maltese people are very welcoming. I have to admit that I’m making you dream straight away, but believe me, Malta is not just a tourist island, it has many assets. Malta was the scene of religious wars, but was also a strategic location during the World Wars, and there are still some impressive remains, including a bomb that fell on the church of Mosta, but didn’t explode: it’s still on display inside the church and is a miracle for believers and the faithful.
Budget for your work placement in Malta
In Malta, it all depends on the season, and you can pay as much as double, especially when it comes to rent. The first piece of advice for reducing the cost of your work placement in Malta is to take in a host family or share a flat: this way you’ll avoid a lot of expenses, and above all you’ll be able to share them with the people you’re living with. Whether it’s for a flat, a shared room or anything else: never pay in advance to someone you’ve met online; there are a lot of scams out there, and every year, despite our warnings, some students fall for them and lose huge sums of money. Next, you should know that everyday life is cheaper in Malta, apart from energy costs, which are a little excessive. But restaurants, drinks in bars, supermarkets, taxis and even cigarettes are much cheaper in Malta than in mainland France or the French islands. In fact, to avoid running up the bill, order taxis on specialised apps like UBER or BOLT; it’s much cheaper and you won’t get ripped off. Just three weeks ago I was in Malta, I passed a taxi and the guy offered me a lift to Mosta from Valletta for 30 francs: on Bolt, it was 14 euros, so the choice was quick. The same goes for local grocery shops, where the Maltese sometimes have cheaper prices, so check the prices carefully before you buy, to avoid ending up with a bigger bill than you expected.
What you need to know
Before your work placement abroad, you should know that Malta is a small country, but a very small one indeed: you’ll be able to drive around it in no time. Speaking of transport: the buses are never on time! They may be early, they may be late, but I have the impression that being on time is almost an insult to life for the Maltese. So, if you want to be on time during your work placement in Malta, always plan to be at least 15 minutes ahead of time at the bus stop, which will save you a lot of trouble. What’s more, an unlimited bus pass costs 21 euros a week. I’d strongly advise you to buy one, as the cards you have to load are an absolute nightmare, and if you’ve got any money left over at the end you won’t be able to get it back. Malta is the crossroads of cultures, between Europe and Africa. It’s the crossroads of languages. The ideal country for meeting people from all walks of life! What’s more, it’s a country where life is good: beaches, culture and cocktails with your feet in the water will be your daily routine on days off. And it’s one of only three fully English-speaking destinations in Europe! Well, officially, because in Malta, Arabic, English, French and Italian are all spoken. Whether it’s tourists or the young people who come here on holiday, Malta is a World country, where everyone meets everyone else. As a word of advice, if you have something unpleasant to say in French, avoid saying it too loudly in the street: the French-speaking community in Malta is well established, and has been for a long time! Some of the great knights of the Order of St John were French or of French origin. Well, I’ve done my research on the SAMMUTs and ZAMMITs, but there’s not a single one of them who would have the good idea of taking up a sword, obviously it was more of a commoner atmosphere here. Malta is a pretty chill country, for example, it’s Europe’s paradise for LGBT rights. However, abortion remains illegal, and is even criminalised: so it’s impossible to have an abortion in Malta. What’s more, corruption continues to be a huge problem in the country, with major scandals surrounding energy prices: journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia was killed for trying to expose this scandal in 2017. As a reminder, Malta is a recent member of the European Union, having only joined in 2004, and press freedom is taking a long time to become established. Last but not least. When you choose to take in a host family, remember one essential thing: Malta is a former colony of the United Kingdom, and this leaves its mark right down to the food you eat: omelettes with chips, frozen Chips and so on. Maltese gastronomy can leave you with some very nice discoveries, and some not so nice ones. But it’s up to you, dear students, to adapt to the culture of the country, to the rhythm of life of the family and to its cuisine. You need to make an effort to adapt, whatever country you choose to go to for your work placement abroad.
Your work placement in Malta
With International Horizons, every work placement abroad is tailor-made. Malta is not just about tourism, restaurants and hotels. It’s a dynamic country in aquaculture, energy, culture, boating, import-export, agri-food, maritime engineering and much more. The little extra: management here is very non-hierarchical, with a culture of proximity. Companies in Malta are very welcoming and caring: that’s not to say that arriving late or missing a day of work experience has no consequences: companies are chill when you do your work experience assignments and get involved, otherwise, like everywhere else, you get fired and go back to France with only your eyes to cry. Malta offers a wide variety of opportunities, not just for those who want to party for a few months on an island. An internship abroad, in Malta or elsewhere, is still an internship: by working with us, you undertake to be serious and respectful towards your employer and his team. You need to make the most of your time off, and above all take on the tasks assigned to you in the company, to maximise your skills and validate your placement period abroad with your school or college. Before contacting us, make sure you have your CV ready in English, preferably with a photo. Don’t forget to include as many details as possible on your CV, and above all not to overestimate your language level: it’s better to be accepted into a company with a low level of English and to be given suitable assignments, than to set your sights too high and be left out during your work placement because the company will be disappointed with your level, or worse, not be able to take on the assignments and live your work placement in Malta under pressure. The best thing to do is to have your language level assessed at European level, via the dedicated ERASMUS platform. It’s free and a lifesaver! Ready for your work placement in Malta? All you have to do is contact our team, and together we’ll build your work placement project abroad, taking into account your wishes, your language level and your school’s expectations. With International Horizons, you get a tailor-made work placement abroad. And if you still have any doubts, don’t hesitate to read some of the testimonials from people like François, Jérémy and Cécile. For more general questions, go to the International Horizons Internships Abroad FAQ.