In these oh-so-trying political times, it can be very tempting to categorise the people of Malta into two distinct species – the Reds or the Blues – but things aren’t quite so clear-cut.

We’re a mixed bag of sweet and sour Mediterranean treats, but there are a few ‘quirks’ that most of us seem to share. Here are just a few of them.

1. Zero volume control

Whether we’re happy, sad, angry, or just a little too excited about the Eurovision, we’re generally oblivious to how incredibly loud we’re being. If we’re speaking Maltese, it’s easy for non-natives to think we’re having a heated argument – but we’re probably having some Mediterranean-style banter.

2. Celebrating whenever possible

We’re not the slightest bit Irish, but we’ll give up Twistees before we miss a chance to party like there’s no tomorrow on St. Patrick’s Day. The same applies to carnival, New Year’s Eve, the village feast, public holidays, or even your grandparents’ 50th anniversary – we love getting together and having a good laugh with our nearest and dearest, and everyone’s invited.

3. Talking with our hands

If we tried hard enough, we could probably have full conversations without saying a word, but then again, we’re not known for our reserved nature. Whether we’re biting our own knuckles (“I am angry”) or doing something a little ruder, it’s easy to understand what’s happening without even speaking the language.

4. Being a little too relaxed

What’s the rush? We’ll do the thing… eventually. After a dip in the sea. And a nap. And a ftira.

5. But also being a little too hot-headed

Hey, it’s probably the climate. We’re a passionate bunch and sometimes can’t help but… express that.

6. Being unapologetically nosy

From a spot of people-watching while we sip on an Aperol Spritz right up to Facebook-stalking or eavesdropping on what your neighbour Doris is arguing about this time, we all like to snoop from time to time. Then, we like to report the results of our findings to our BFFs.

7. We love feeding the life out of each

There seems to be an island-wide fear of letting someone go hungry. To us, ‘hungry’ seems to mean anything from ‘pleasantly full’ to ‘please grandma I can’t eat any more quiche’. We don’t hate it.

Bonus: We’re friendly AF

Sure, we do have the occasional problem-child who might make us look bad, but on the whole Maltese people are some of the kindest, most welcoming people you’ll meet in the Med. We won’t just give you directions, we’ll walk you there and give you tips on where to go for dinner.

Tag a friend who has at least one of these habits!

READ NEXT: 9 Annoying Things All Maltese People Do

David Grech Urpani

Lovin Malta's Head of Content, Dave has been in journalism for the better half of the last decade. Prefers Instagram, but has been known to doomscroll on TikTok. Loves chicken, women's clothes and Kanye West (most of the time).