A Month has Come and Gone

Hello Wonderful People!

I have been in Malta for a month already! Time passes quickly! In such a short time, I have been introduced to so many different places in Malta. I have been enjoying every minute of my time here. I still have so much to see, learn, and explore. I can't wait! Classes are going well. I am staying really busy. This week for International Coastal Clean Up Day, the US Embassy here in Malta hosted a clean up at Gnejna Bay where we collected a metric ton of waste! It shocks me how so many people don't care about the environment and the damage they are doing when they litter, especially when a garbage bin is not far away. Anyway, here are some pictures!

Gnejna Bay

Getting ready to Clean Up the Coast!

The Ambassador 

Hard at work

So much trash! One metric ton of waste collected!

Until Next Time Folks!

"There is beauty there. Can't you see it? There is life there. Don't destroy it."

-Arianna

Week 1 of Classes

Hello lovelies!

It's been a week, and I have a few things to tell you! This week started my Sustainability, Society, and Change class. I think it is super interesting. It has been an adjustment getting used to having a two hour lecture in the morning and one in the afternoon. There has also been tons of reading to do, but I have been really interested in most of it. I also have three "online" classes to work through. Like the beginning of any semester, I have been getting into the groove of things and getting organized! This weekend was quite eventful. On Friday night, I went to the Stretta festival and also to a friend's house. On Saturday, I colored my hair! On Sunday, one of the other students in the program came over and made dinner and gave me a cooking lesson, and today I went to Mdina (and I did homework throughout the weekend). Here are some pictures of Mdina, it was the old capital of Malta before Valletta was built. Thank you for your patience :) Also, a shout out to my older brother! Happy birthday Jer! :)

 

The moat (left) and main entrance to Mdina (right) also the entrance to King's Landing (Game of Thrones)

       

St. John's Cathedral 

          

Tombstones in the cathedral (left). It is a really honor to have been buried in the Cathedral. The ceiling of the cathedral (right). 

Stained glass in the Cathedral

I was really fascinated by the sheer beauty and magnificence of this cathedral and went a little bit crazy with pictures.

Thanks for reading and stay tuned!

"And she was captivated by this place, by its beauty, and by its history. It was like it had a little magic, enough to take her back in time for a little while."

-<3 Arianna <3

Gozo Trip

Hi everyone!

This post has quite a few pictures. I am trying to sum up two days in it! On the 10 and 11, we were in Gozo looking at specific sites that have sustainability issues and such. They were amazing to behold. Gozo is a much calmer and quieter island than Malta. It also has more agriculture. It was nice to see it and notice the difference between the two islands reminding me that even when two things are so close, they can still have many differences. 

In this view, you can see some small agriculture plots. The plots in both Malta and Gozo are much smaller than ones we see in the states. You can also see Camino and a little farther in the distance there is Malta.

I love this picture. I love the way the sunlight is reflecting off of the water and the view of the cliffs.

I just had to have a picture with those cliffs in the background.

We stayed at a monastery overnight and we were shown a WWII shelter. It was fantastic. I love the history that is ebbed in those walls.

This area is a popular scuba diving spot in Gozo. There is a cave you can explore. I just loved the way the waves looked coming over the rocks.

  
Me with Azure Window in the background!

Salt pans with water in the distance.

For lunch, we got a small tour of a farm where the owner makes his own goat cheese and wine. The cheese and wine were absolutely delicious!

I just love the water. I can't capture it enough. I am so grateful that I get to have this experience.

I plan on doing a post next Sunday at the latest. I hope you all keep reading my blog and checking back for updates :)

"The life I'm living now isn't where I thought I'd be. It's a dream come true to be living out my dreams."
-<3 Arianna <3

Island Boat Cruise

Good evening!

Sorry I have not been posting as much lately, things have been quite busy. With classes kicking into gear, my plan is to try to write a post for you guys at least once a week. My plan will be to try to post on Saturdays or Sundays (I have not decided which yet). You can expect a second post from me over the weekend, and it will be about the trip to Gozo we had! This post is about our island boat cruise! We went to crystal cove and blue lagoon. The water was so pretty and quite refreshing. It was also a lot of fun to see Malta from a different view point! Also, if you get motion sickness easily, the boat cruise probably is not for you lol. Enjoy these photos! :)

The water was such a pretty blue! :)

Malta from a different viewpoint. 

I found the toilet on the boat!

In the ocean :)

They have ice cream boats!

"The ocean is vast and never-ending. It can be full of raging storms or sweet serenity, but it is always beautiful."

- <3 Arianna <3

Hop on Hop off Bus Tour of Malta

Hello you lovely people,

On Friday, I went on a hop on hop off bus tour of Malta. Let me tell you it was HOT! The sun just sucked the energy right out of you, but I still had an absolutely amazing time! We tried to sit on the top of the bus to get a nice breeze. While I loved the breeze, I was constantly hoping my hat wouldn't fly off! We saw some incredible places. They were all stunning. I will let the pictures do the talking! :)

Marsaxlokk Fishing Village

Ghar Dalam Cave

Near Blue Grotto

Hagar Qim 

"Adventure is worthwhile in itself."

-Amelia Earhart

One of my friends suggested I write my own quotes, so next time I will try it out!

Good evening from Malta!

Until Next Time,

<3 Arianna <3

Tour of Valleta

Hello Lovelies!

On 3 September 2015, I went on a walking tour of Valleta. It was quite fun. My absolute favorite part was the lower garden. It was beautiful. It was so green and filled with so many flowers. Plus, you could look out at the bay and see fortresses. In the middle, there was a beautiful fountain and listening to the water was so calming. I think I discovered my new lunch spot. :) Yesterday, I went on a hop on hop off bus tour of Malta! I will be sure to share those pictures with you soon :) There are some awesome ones!

So pretty! I love it!

Can you imagine what it must have been like living through sieges hoping the fort would withhold and having enough provisions?

"Let me bring peace into moments of chaos."

-Jonathan Lockwood Huie

Until Next Time Friends,

<3 Arianna <3

University of Malta Valleta Campus

Hello from Malta!

Today, I started orientation for my program! We got a lot of information, and there is still more to come! This will be one busy year, but I am still excited for it. I'm excited for my time here, but also for everything that I am going to learn! I really love the University of Malta Valleta campus. It was built and established in 1585! Although the top floors have been renovated and are more up to date, I love the bottom floors. I imagine what it must have been like to walk the halls when it was first built. I love the history that it carries. I love how you can be taken back to a different time, yet come back to our own and observe just how things have changed. It is really profound. I still have so much to see! I can't wait! Fun fact: I learned that in Malta a crosswalk is called a zebra walk and a speed bump is called a second policeman. :) Here are some pictures for you all!

Me in front of a front of a door I thought was cool, one of the hallways, and a cool lamp!

 The top of the staircase...I wonder what's behind that door!

I thought the window was awesome, and to be honest, I love the steps!

"There is no elevator to success, you have to take the stairs."

-Author Uknown

"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."

-Nelson Mandela

Until next time!

<3 Arianna <3

My New Home!

Good evening beautiful people,

Yesterday was quite the eventful day. It was filled with apartment hunting. In Malta, when they say you need to make a decision soon, they really mean it. My roommates and I were talking to a real estate agent, and while we were setting up a time to see it place, it was gone the next second. Then, after we looked at one place, we decided we wanted to take it. Good thing to because when we went to tell the real estate agent, they called immediately, and the owners were already showing it to someone else. It really is first come first serve here. As it so happened, one of the ladies looking at the apartment happened to be the program director! We ran into her as we went to sign our contract. The odds of that! Here are pictures of my new home for the next nine months :)

My living room! Plus there is a terrace! (Actually two, but I only have a picture of this one)

 

The dining room and kitchen area, and the view from one of the terraces! I love being able to overlook so many building and even the ocean in the distance.

I'm so happy to have found a place to stay for the next nine months! :)

Tomorrow begins my orientation! Super nervous and excited!

"We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths."

-Walt Disney

Talk to you soon,

<3 Arianna <3