My New Life in Malta

Well, it happened. The euro is here. In only three-and-a-half years Malta has joined the European Union, joined Schengen (abolished borders with most European countries) and adopted the European currency. Malta is now completely integrated into the EU.

We spent new year’s eve at a friend’s house, alternating between watching the television coverage and looking at the fireworks out the window. At 11:00pm, I suggested we try to watch live coverage of Cyprus, since due to the time zone difference they were adopting the euro one hour before Malta. We tried all the different channels but could find nothing. Eventually we found a brief mention of it on France 24. The caption across the screen read CYPRUS ADOPS THE EURO but all the footage was of Malta!!

Then, as midnight approached there was a laser show projected onto the fortified walls of Valletta. First a countdown, and then the euro symbol projected onto a map of the Maltese Islands. We cheered and celebrated, greeting one another amongst the friends present. Then we turned our attention back to the TV. The Prime Minister of Malta was supposed to be the first person to withdraw euros at an ATM. We watched as he went through the transaction… and the machine did not work! Then he tried again… and once more it did not work! He turned white in shock and embarrassment. We all had a good laugh. Eventually he was taken round the corner to another ATM (which I assume was tested first) and eventually the public relations opportunity was successful.

On the way home, M and I tried to stop at an ATM but it was not working. Between 10:00pm and 12:00am all of them were shut down, and it was meant to take several hours until they gradually went back online throughout the day. We went back in the morning, and I took a little video of M withdrawing euros from a Maltese ATM. He switched back and forth between delight and embarrassment, as strangers were looking on.

However, it will not really feel like the euro is here until I actually use it. As yesterday was a public holiday all the shops were closed, and so far today I have not needed to buy anything! I will try to think of some small thing I can purchase so I can go out and experience the euro.

In honour of the new currency, I tried something new. I did a bit of a picture blog entry about the euro. However I do not want to post it here because it links to personal information. So if you want to see my euro collage, let me know and I will e-mail you the link.