Week 17 | The storm before the calm

With deadlines and exams well in sight, this week was mainly spent indoors, at my study desk doing revision and assignments! Despite the temptation of sunbathing, I had to sacrifice the sun this week in order to prepare for my assignments and exams. Unfortunately, that’s where Northern Ireland have the better hand over Malta as back home I can study easily knowing that its raining outside rather than scorching hot. Nonetheless I was also able to relax and have some down time away from revision spent with my new Erasmus family.

As lectures are slowly coming to an end and the majority of lectures have already stopped, I had very little class this week. This meant that Monday and Tuesday were spent doing revision and it was back to the books and the hard work…at least for the next few weeks until exams finish! Of course…I don’t want to wish any days away spent here on this beautiful island. However I must admit that I’m looking forward to the upcoming weeks post exams when the stress and relief will be over and I’ll be able to enjoy two weeks of sunshine, down time and relaxation.

Studious students hard at work

Officiating the long jump event

Our last and final work of administrative work took place bright and early on Wednesday morning helping out with the second athletics meet for girls organised by the Malta School Sports Federation (MSSF). Similar to last week, I was occupied at the long jump event, helping to officiate by recording results, rankings and overseeing the event. This was a great opportunity for me to offer my assistance and expertise, as I was able to apply my knowledge from my academic studies. The atmosphere throughout the day was simply outstanding and I have thoroughly enjoyed working with the Maltese Olympic Committee (MOC), the Malta School Sports Federation (MSSF) and the Maltese Handball Association (MHA) over the past few weeks. Through my participation and involvement I was able to have an active role and develop my knowledge base of other sports. This experience has aspired me to be more determined about becoming a Physical Education teacher. I have learnt some valuable lessons not only about teaching and other sports but also about my own personal capabilities, skills and qualities. Despite this being the last arranged administrative work, Holly, Gemma, Simon and I spoke to David from the (MOC) asking if there were any more opportunities that we could be a part of. With a total of 20 voluntary hours required and 20 voluntary hours already completed, we do not need any more hours. However, the experience has been incredible and we have all learnt so much that we are intrigued to continue. Therefore, we jumped at the chance to help out at a SWIMMING gala that is taking place next Thursday! A sport that I have loved from a young age and one thing that I am ultimately ecstatic about helping out at here in Malta.

One class that has been particularly fascinating over the past few weeks has been softball. Softball is an uncommon sport in Northern Ireland and so being given the chance to learn more about the game, the rules and actually taking part has been quite stimulating and captivating. I have only ever known softball to be more or less like baseball and even then I’m so confused since baseball is another uncommon sport in Northern Ireland. The first few weeks into softball were mainly spent in the lecture room learning about the rules, which I must say was quite tedious to begin with due to the number of rules involved in the sport. However, after learning the rules we were able to apply our theoretical knowledge into practice! The sport itself involves quite basic fundamental movement skills including throwing and catching for pitching and defense play. Despite this, having practiced the sport and reading over the teaching cues it is a lot more difficult than you would think or imagine! This week included the final preparations of softball and a mock exam before our actual practical exam that will take place next Friday. Having never played softball before, I am nervous for next Friday with the throwing, throwing and catching, pitching and batting. Although nerves are kicking in, I’m also pretty excited for the practical exam, as softball is a sport I have thoroughly come to enjoy playing and participating in.

Surprise party for Federica's birthday!!

Lunch with the girls in Melita Gardens

On Thursday evening, myself and a few others organised a surprise party and a surprise cake for one of our Italian friends: Federica! It was a great evening, filled with plenty of tears as Federica could not believe it and of course some delicious birthday cake from none other than the famous Fontanella. Friday evening commenced a revision break with a visit to the Tennis Courts! Holly, Gemma, Simon, Bethan and I all ventured to the tennis courts to play some tennis and relax from the stress of revision and exams.  Due to the intense workload and revision time throughout the week, Saturday was a day off relaxation and a day free from revision! On Saturday morning Holly, Gemma, Bethan, Deanna and I all went to Melita Gardens where we indulged in a delicious lunch together. Saturday evening saw a trip to the MITP Theatre in Valletta to support and watch our friends take part in a dance choreography. With the third year dance students taking part in their last practical assessment of the degree, it was time to show our support to one of our friends (Stephanie) from America who after weeks of preparation and rehearsals was about to watch her dance choreography. What made it even better was that two of our friends from the residence (Bethan and Deanna) were taking part in the dance choreography and so we simply couldn’t miss it! The girls done a great job and all the hard work paid off in the end.

Bethan and Deanna rehearsing for their performance!

With the dance choreography over with, it was time to move onto singing with the Eurovision final taking place afterwards. As a revision break on Thursday night we tuned in to support a very talented young girl called Amber who we had the pleasure of working alongside at university. Amber was competing at the Eurovision song contest representing Malta and she done a fantastic job despite not making it through to the finals. With that said and Malta out of the competition, Sweden were my ultimate favourite to win on Saturday night as we went to a friends house for a Eurovision song contest party and the final. It was a great evening filled with laughter, food and great company!

Team Northern Ireland with Malta's Eurovision Song Contestant:
Amber Bondin

Ready for the Eurovision Song Contest!

With another incredible week done and dusted, the countdown is well and truly on to the end of exams…not so sure about the end of Erasmus! It saddens me that I will be saying my final goodbye in only a matter of weeks. I have accomplished so much in Malta and learnt so many new things through my academic studies, the experiences I’ve had and the people I’ve met. To be able to study abroad in Malta has changed my life, shaping the person I am today and I can only thank the people I’ve met for making my time in Malta so surreal! I know for a fact that a piece of my heart will remain when I leave Malta and a huge part of me will feel missing. One quote that sums up my study abroad would be… "I am not the same having seen the moon shine on the other side of the world"- Mary Anne Radmacher. This chapter has shown me that I’m in love with people I’ve never met and places I’ve never seen. Even still to this day it applies and I have no doubt that I am going to meet so many more new people who will change and inspire me in many different ways not to mention conquer new experiences and continue to fall in love with the beauty that is to be seen on this beautiful island!

Stay posted until next week,


Louise.

Week 16 | A week in the life of an Erasmus student... It's a hard knock life

As each day passes in Malta and I write down the date of each day in my file block, it suddenly dawns on me just how quick my time in Malta is going! With very little time left and still so much to do, it’s going to be hard saying goodbye to this beautiful country and all the people I have met on my journey! With classes drawing to a close, assignment deadlines and exams fast approaching, Monday brought about a challenging day where I had to resist the temptation of sunbathing by the pool and switch it for a day indoors revising and studying!

A fun day at the boys athletics meet!

On Tuesday we continued our administrative work, offering our expertise to volunteer at a Year 8-10 boys athletics meet organised by the Malta School Sports Federation (MSSF). The competition reminded me a little like the “districts” back home with the boys participating in both field and track athletic events throughout the day. As part of my role on the day, I was assigned to the long jump, where I was officiating the boys U12, U13, U14 and U15 categories in order to record results and rankings. It was interesting to learn how to properly measure the long jump and I’m glad I was able to take something away from it! Having participated in sport most of my life and attending athletic competitions, I was usually the little girl running down the track, taking off on one foot and jumping into the sand pit with my measurement being called out! Therefore it was interesting to have the opportunity to officiate and learn exactly how the measurement is taken and give the boys advice during their run up and take off. As the long jump event started, I was feeling the pressure and was a little nervous measuring in case I messed up and made any mistakes! However, I had nothing but positive vibes and good feedback from the other officials and so was very pleased with how the day went!

Ready for some Clay Pigeon Shooting!

Lectures here in Malta are somewhat different to back home and are in a completely different margin to Stranmillis! As part of this weeks psychology lecture, we substituted the classroom for an afternoon well-spent clay pigeon shooting in Qormi!! This was something I have never tried before but the thrill, buzz and atmosphere of the day was so exciting! Having never lifted a gun before…I couldn’t wait to have a go. Of course, when it came to my turn I missed every shot and chance I had! Nonetheless I had a fun day and it was a great experience applying the theoretical knowledge in lectures to the practical application of the skill focusing on control and accuracy.

Taking to the mark...

There's a first for everything!

As Wednesday arrived, so too did another field day! This time, we welcomed St. Francis Girls Secondary school to the university for one of the last field days of the semester!! Over the past few weeks, we have helped prepare and organise these field days for various schools within the area and what a pleasure it has been! Each day, I learn something new about myself as well as about teaching the children and it makes me so excited to become a PE teacher in the future. The hands on work experience and opportunity we have been given through this module of teaching the fundamentals through mini games is exceptional and something that I’m glad I’ve had the privilege of taking part in! During the day, I was assigned to a station involving a parachute and to be quite honest I wasn’t too sure how well it would work within the secondary sector. However, much to my surprise and as time went on the girls approached the station with great enthusiasm for the parachute and thoroughly enjoyed the game! The day was a huge success and working within the secondary sector confirmed that this is the field of work and the pathway I wish to follow in the future!

Hockey exam prep time!

With many lectures and classes sadly coming to an end, Thursday afternoon brought about our last and final hockey session with a practical exam to assess the skills we have learnt and performed this semester in class. In preparation for the practical exam, I arrived at the hockey pitches 30 minutes before to exam to get some practice in! Having played hockey for 2 years in secondary school I knew the basic principles and so was prepared for the exam. However, that still didn’t mean I was confident in any way and I was quite nervous and worried about the exam. Nonetheless, it seemed to go ok and fingers crossed I done well!

With Friday and the weekend approaching, I was extremely glad to start the weekend off with a cheeky little trip to one of my favourite restaurants (Tex Mex) with the residence family on Friday evening. It was a beautiful meal with a great bunch of people, however also sentimental as we said another farewell to our good friend Haleigh as she was heading home back to England the next morning! This was quite upsetting as it hit me just how soon everyone will start to depart and begin to say their goodbyes, however despite the farewell blues and the crying a trip to England is on the cards soon and hopefully it won’t be too long before we are reunited again!!

Gemma and I at our favourite restaurant!

Sunday was a day not to be missed here in Malta with the traditional Residence Olympics being held! With preparations well underway, Team Northern Ireland united with Team Ireland to form one of thee best and most fiercely teams ever! With the combined team of Ireland and Northern Ireland, we signed up for numerous events throughout the day and we were ready to take on the challenge! With most people participating from residence and a few Maltese, the day was well and truly underway with everyone out cheering and screaming! The atmosphere was incredible with each team putting their heart and soul into it, shedding blood, sweat and tears! After a long day of tennis, swimming, volleyball, tug of war and three legged races, we were delighted to walk away with the undefeated title of the Ladies Tug of War champions for 2015!!

Deanna lifting the trophy for Team Tank!

Ladies Tug of War Champions 2015!

As another week ends and another week begins, I am so blessed and grateful to be studying abroad in Malta! Each week, I am continually reminded just how lucky I am to be here and the opportunities and unlimited experiences I am gaining is truly remarkable…something I can’t quite explain or put into words! Each day I learn something new and encounter a different challenge or a different experience but I wouldn’t change it for the world! I once read a book called “Life without limits” which quoted “You have riches to share, blessings to lighten the burdens of others, beautiful gifts to share and there is a light inside you waiting to shine” and that is exactly what I’m doing! The passion to serve others may be the greatest gift God can bestow and you never know how much of a difference you can make in this world by performing a small act of kindness. Each day, I try to encourage and inspire others through my actions and my words, without leaving an ounce of energy and a trace of my uniqueness behind. Malta is truly spectacular and the opportunities I’ve been given are unforgettable lifelong experiences that I will never forget!

Never turn down an opportunity to inspire and encourage.

Love, Louise.

Family residence photo!!

Week 15 | The fun never stops

With another week done and dusted here in Malta, this week was definitely one of my busiest weeks here yet in Malta with field days and lectures. Nonetheless it was a week of non-stop fun and laughter as always!

Sports day numero tres

Monday morning brought about an early start to the day with our 3^rd Sports day of the semester taking place for Santu Augustine, Pieta’ school. Having organised and partook in the field days over the past few weeks, I am always looking forward to the upcoming sports days that lie ahead. In Northern Ireland, the emphasis is placed on 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd while each class partakes in an event as the other classes watch. Here in Malta, it is completely different with students taking part in activities and games the whole day at different stations before rotating with emphasis on having fun and taking part. Unfortunately, much to my dismay the group organising the sports day did not have the equipment I needed on the day for my activity and so I had to think on the spot and choose a game to do instead that did not require any equipment. It’s interesting to note that in the future I may have to do the same thing and alter lessons in order to adapt to the needs of the pupils so as always it’s a good learning experience and gave me the opportunity to deal with that situation.

Tuesday was also another early start as we headed off to Golden Bay for the day to help the Maltese Olympic Committee run a beach tournament event for 500 children. With different sports such as zumba, beach athletics, beach football, beach golf, beach volleyball and beach badminton it was a great day for all the kids to stay active during the day, however it was also important to stay hydrated as it was super hot. During the event, I helped run the beach badminton and all in all it was a huge success! It was a fun day for all the kids and something I would encourage back home in Northern Ireland…only maybe not at the beach, as we definitely won’t get the weather for it!

Lectures in Malta...

Due to our lecturer also helping out at the beach tournament he decided to have our 3^rd year health related fitness class at the beach! Yes…the beach! Something that would not happen back home at Stranmillis. During the lesson we were supposed to take part in swimming and running in the sea, however due to jellyfish in the water our lecturer decided it would be best not to swim in the water for health and safety reasons. What happened next was just bizarre but insanely fun! Due to the jellyfish and the fact we couldn’t swim in the water, our lecturer went and got his board before letting us do some paddle boarding instead. It was definitely not your typical lecture in a classroom, reading off a PowerPoint and listening. I couldn’t get over the fact that this was my lesson for the day…paddle boarding at the beach?!

Beach day or a lecture? 

Proof that we actually did do some work...

Thursday saw our 4^th sports day of the semester with St. Angela school. When I arrived, I was a little worried as before we were taking all age groups within the primary sector, however this time we were taking the kindergartens. Due to the young age, I wasn’t sure if they were going to understand my accent or understand me at all. But, fear not I was able to explain the instructions to the kids in English before their teacher translated it in Maltese. The day went quite fast and in the end the kids were ecstatic to have the Maltese Eurovision song contest singer at the venue performing her song that she will sing in the upcoming weeks at the Eurovision song contest.

Malta's Eurovision Song Contest singer with Team N.I.

As Friday approached, I could not wait to finish university at 5pm after a busy week! With lectures scheduled most days from 9-5pm I was well and truly exhausted. After university on Friday evening, we decided to have a “ Fajita Friday family” meal together with Holly, Gemma, our two English friends Beth and Deanna, our Maltese friend Nic and myself. After dinner, we went to watch Beth and Deanna at their dance rehearsals giving them moral support to dance at 10pm on a Friday night before returning back to residence and having our traditional Friday movie night. Saturday was also a fun day as we all spent the day together again at a pool party for our friend’s birthday. With music, swimming, sunshine and a BBQ it was a great day spent with great people!

As the next few weeks approach, it is becoming a daily reminder just how soon I am going to be leaving this beautiful island. One thing I do know, is that it’s going to be somewhat emotional having to say goodbye to some of the best people ever, who I will definitely remain in contact with and who I can now call my family. For now though, I am enjoying and embracing every day here in Malta knowing that I don’t have very much time left.

Best wishes,

Louise.

Week 14 | The best of both worlds...

With things getting a little busier day by day and the work building up this week was much more like reality and quite similar to the workload back home at Stranmillis. After weeks of not having classes due to the third year students being off on placement, our timetable is fully booked up again with lectures scheduled for most days except Wednesday! Monday morning was a full day of lectures with classes scheduled all day from 9-5pm before having a meeting with the Maltese Olympic Committee about doing administrative work. The MOC were delighted to inform us about some of their upcoming events that will be taking place over the next few weeks starting with a tournament next Tuesday for 500 students taking part in various sports such as beach volleyball, beach handball, beach football and so forth!! At the meeting we were also informed about upcoming athletic events that will be taking place; something that we were very keen and eager to help with and participate at.

Tuesday was a day for mini hockey in the sports hall due to the weather being so hot and our class being scheduled for the hottest time of the day. During our mini hockey sessions we have been doing a peer teaching structure of the lessons over the past few weeks with students in the class thinking of games for ball familiarization, passing and receiving skills, shooting skills and mini game situations incorporating the elements of the physical, cognitive and social domains. Each member in the class was able to provide feedback afterwards to the student about their game and their style of teaching which was very useful and will be helpful in the future for PE teaching. It was intriguing to take note of how each game incorporated the three domains mentioned above and is something I would have never thought of before and something I will definitely consider and incorporate in the future when teaching.

On Wednesday morning, Simon, Gemma, Holly and I all ventured to university bright and early on our day off for a meeting with the Maltese Handball association to do 2 hours of administrative work. Unfortunately, much to our surprise there wasn’t very much administrative work as handball has only started over the past few years in Malta. Nonetheless we were able to check out the website created by the association and give feedback on the strengths and weaknesses of the website as first time users considering we had never seen the website before.

The official starter for the day...Sports day number 2!

Stephanie's surprise 21st birthday party!

Thursday brought about another sports day, only this time for St. Josephs school in Sliema. With all the students arriving at the venue for the big day ahead I couldn’t wait to get stuck in and take the kids for the water relay planned. Unfortunately due to limited resources, I had to slightly alter the game however the pupils all had fun and despite a little bit of rain the weather conditions did not restrict us from participating. At first I began to worry and panic when I found out we had limited resources but as a PE teacher you must always be prepared to adapt and alter situations with regards to the children, different abilities and so forth so it was a good learning experience and something I will take away with me and remember for the near future. All in all it was a fun day with the students organising (including myself) getting a go on the bouncy castles at the end of the day! On Thursday evening, two of the girls from England had planned and organised a surprise 21^st birthday party for our American friend Stephanie on the roof, before going out to celebrate!

Comino with all the girls... We love public holidays!!!

Someone pinch me...is this real life?

Public holiday spent at the beach

Friday saw another public holiday here in Malta and so what better way to spend the day than at the beach? With ESN organising a trip to Comino and the blue lagoon it really was an unforgettable experience. Having never been to Comino before I was very excited to see the surroundings that I had heard people talk so much about and it was simply outstanding. Between swimming in the water, sunbathing, relaxing with friends, doing water sports and capturing the day on the go pro it was incredible! One of the best days here in Malta yet…by far! For those who weren't able to experience it, here is a little clip of our time in Malta and our day trip to Comino... https://vimeo.com/126720791. After our day trip to Comino Gemma, Holly, Nic, Beth, Deanna and I all decided to have a movie night on Friday night to relax before a big day on Saturday!

Water sports with the crew

Boat party with the best people ever!

Saturday was another bright and early start and another unbelievable day here in Malta with the boat party-taking place. With the majority of residence attending the boat party and the music blasting all day it really was something else! Another casual day in Malta with friends, celebrating and sunbathing in 30+ degrees…this really is the life.

Day by day Malta is slowly capturing my heart more and more and leaving Malta will be one of the hardest things I’ll ever have to do. With less than 2 months left here in Malta, this experience has been one of the most rewarding adventures of my life and the memories and people I’ve met will always stay with me. The best things in life are always free and definitely aren't things but rather they are the people we love, the places we've seen and the memories we've made along the way! 

Love, Louise.