Thursday 31 August 2006

August 31st 2006

August is over today and with it come the usual last minute things that I need to do before the new month starts.

One of these is applying at the University of Malta for a post-graduate course. Initially I was going for a Pg Dip in Planning Studies. However, I got a phone call from the Institute's director who told me that the course would most likely not be offered since there were too few applicants. So I had to make a choice: do nothing or go for something else.

Luckily another course on the same lines was on offer: Master in Integrated Resource Management, a sort of Environmental Management degree. I opted for that but to do the change I had to go to Uni to change my application form and today was the last day.

So off I went this morning and popped in at Uni on my way to work. I found the room, knocked and was greated by 3 ladies surrounded by piles of applications forms. After telling them my situation (they had phoned me themselves to come and change the application) the enter 'Search Mode' to look for this sheet of paper. Could not be found. After some time it was found on the monitor of a PC with a note attached to it, indicating that it was going to be changed. I modified the applicaiton appropriately and left for work.

To get my Masters, I will need to attend evening classes after work, study / read / do assignments after work and on weekends, and do the BIG ONE: a 25K thesis. Wish me luck!

Tuesday 29 August 2006

An italian guy in Malta (actually two)

I stayya ina bigga hotel...and the beds have no shiitss. Call the manager I ask him for a shiit on my bed..He tells me: go to da toilet you sonofabitch....

Here I am in Malta, actually at work during my lunchtime (yes, lunchtime for me is at 14:00). I wonder what my team mates are doing up there in France. I am sure they are enjoying themselves, but anyways, so did I the last few days.

I was on leave from the 17th and came back to work yesterday. Two Italian friends, Antonio from Bari and Gianluca from Agrigento came over. I only knew Antonio since we were mates during my 4 and a half month Erasmus experience in Liverpool. I waited for more than an hour to pick them up. They finally came out of the Sea Passenger Terminal at around 18:15. After the initial introductions, Antonio and I started off updating each other on the ongoings of the last two years. Gianluca knew everything about me and also saw the numerous video clips which Antonio had taken during our stay.

We lodged at my dad's farmhouse for the week. Baaniisu was with us all the time. Sometimes we cooked, other times my mum gave us a hand. Antonio and Gianluca met also our friends. Thursday, we went out to Paceville, Malta's entertainment mecca and both were amazed. In fact, both decided to spend the weekend there and they stayed for two nights at the 'La Vallette Resort'.

Apart from Paceville, Baaniisu and I took them around Malta, visited some cultural sites such as Fort St. Angelo, Vittoriosa (Birgu), Hagar Qim and Mnajdra Temples. We also took them to Valletta (the Capital City, Mdina (the Silent City) and to the Ta' Qali crafts village. A visit to Gozo was a must and there we visited the Azure Window, Cittadella, Xlendi, Calypso Cave and Ramla il-Hamra. Swimming was obviously a must; we swam in Gozo at the Blue Hole and Ramla il-Hamra and also in Malta, particularly at Wied iz-Zurrieq and St. Peter's Pool.

Baaniisu and I tried to show our two Italian friends as much as we could. We also showed them Dingli cliffs (the highest point) and the magnificent Blue Grotto.

As usual, I have not downloaded any photos yet to my pc. I will put some of them online for you the see in the coming days

Tuesday 15 August 2006

France vs Malta

I was supposed to go to Rousset, France between the 27th and 2nd of September. It would have been a new experience since I was going with the football club Kirkop United with which I play. However, due to my ankle injury I decided not to make it. I am recovering but will surely not be able to play. My physio ordered me another week of exercise, but no running.

To be honest I am not too sad or worried about it. The reason is that Antonio, an Italian guy I met while in Liverpool in 2004 is coming over. We were both students at Hope University for the 2nd semester and had our rooms next to each other. We hung out together very often, initially since I was the only person around who could speak Italian; I was his translator. But then his English improved so I was asked to help only in technical situations.

I might sound crazy saying that I prefer a holiday here in Malta than one in France. Well I am, but I also need to return a favour. I stayed at Antonio's house for 10 days during Easter 2004 and he took really care of me. I also got really sick one day and his mum was kind enough to talk to the doctor and get medicine for me.

Had I not gone to France Antonio would have had to go around alone or with my dad. Well not actually alone since a friend of his from Sicily, Gianluca, is also coming over. It would have been unfair not to accompany him. My problem was taking leave off work, since two weeks would have been impossible.

Rest assured that this is an extremely rare occasion, that I am dumping a trip away from this friggin island. To my memory it is the second, but the reasons for the first were preposterous.

Antonio is arriving tomorrow at 17:00. I'll be there.

Monday 7 August 2006

Shit! I've did it again

And it really hurts! I don't think you know this, but I am an avid football fan; I play the sport too with a local club.

During the last weekend a 55 hour 5-a-side football tournament was organised in Zurrieq. A friend of mine asked me to join and I did so willingly. It is played in a school and as most local school, the football pitch is a hard concrete surface.

All went well up till the fourth game. We won 3 out of 3 up till then. I played most of my parts as a second half substitute, bringing on some fresh legs. Well those fresh legs were not fresh anymore after I came into the game in the fourh game: I was shielding the ball when the guy behind me pushed me a little and I ended up twisting badly my right ankle. It was a really bad twist and I ended up being changed and not playing again for the whole tournament. My team ended up semifinalists in the end, and we were very pleased with that.

But my ankle..jezuz it hurts. I already had ligament problems with my left one and now the other! That game I was injured was played at 2 o' clock in the morning. I stayed awake till almost four, applying ice. My football team coach does not know yet and he will not be pleased, since he told us to avoid such 5-a-side tournaments and games altogether.

Injuries are a common occurrence unfortunately for me, with both ankles and knees suffering considerably over the past years; this one is another addition to the long list.