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Life After Malta: Scandinavian Man Who Left Country After ‘Exceptionally Bad’ Experience Breaks Down The Benefits

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A man who lived in Malta until he had enough of the stress the island was causing him has shared at least five reasons why he doesn’t regret leaving.

“Hey guys – just a quick update on ‘life after Malta’,” the man, who is from Scandinavia and in his late 20s, said in an online Maltese group.

Saying his one year experience in Malta was “exceptionally bad,” he touched upon everything from traffic to air quality to the economy to landlords as to why he had to leave.

“The place is basically a harbour for pirates.”

“I feel like I need to be very clear,” he had said in a previous post. “I didn’t move to Malta because of money or your benefits. Our economic system in Scandinavia is by far one of the best in the world. I simply moved here because of the better weather but also to gain some new experience in life.”

However, things didn’t pan out as he hoped.

“It doesn’t feel safe in any way, money isn’t that great compared to prices and people seems to use this place to escape,” he said. “Then they say: ‘This is Malta’ – But it doesn’t have to be like that, you know!”

“The reason, why I’m writing this today, is because from time to time I remember how shitty things were in Malta and I really appreciate leaving the place,” he said, before listing things he now can enjoy again:

1. Freedom of tossing my own trash at any given hour when my landlord is not watching my movement through a camera.

2. My electricity bill being below €25, compared to €800 I received from my landlord for two months.

3. Fresh air

4. Nobody trying to scam me for nothing really.

5. And zero cranes!

He ended with a quick reminder: “just remember, it’s easier to move from Malta than deal with all the bullshit.”

Before leaving, the man had shared his thoughts about some of the strangest aspects of the island – including jobs.

“In this pure chaos, some make above €5,000 a month and some as little as €700 a month. All I can say is that it doesn’t look stable at all. I would also like to point one that different nationalities are working in different sectors. Somalis are working in construction, Indians are mostly working in convenience stores or restaurants and most of western Europeans are working in high-end jobs or in iGaming.”

“My assumption is that work on Malta isn’t really an issue in any way,” he continued. “But the difference between poor and middle class is huge. If you are smart enough you will find your way around.”

He thanked some locals that were kind to him when he was on the island, but urged others to consider moving abroad for their own sake.

Online, people had a lot to say, with some finding his experience to be exaggerated, while others agreed fully.

“We lived there for eight years, mostly enjoyable, but it changed so much that we weren’t comfortable and at my my age feel more relaxed in my own bungalow in my own country,” said one foreign man.

“I can only say that after living here now for 28 years that yes, Malta  and Gozo have changed drastically but they’re still a great place… warts and all… and we’ve lived on both islands,” said a woman.

“We were so lucky with our landlord, been here for five years and never had a problem,” said a third person.

The man’s post comes just days after a new survey found that up to 70% of Maltese youths want to leave the island and move abroad.

What do you make of the man’s experience?

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Johnathan is an award-winning Maltese journalist interested in social justice, politics, minority issues, music and food. Follow him at @supreofficialmt on Instagram, and send him news, food and music stories at [email protected]

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