A Semester in Malta

By Emily Garrigues Marett; Marketing Communications Coordinator; Center for Distance and Professional Education

Management and Operations major Veronica Mitchum may have been 6,000 miles away from home, but the scenic views she experienced in Malta were surprisingly familiar. “The scenery wasn’t that much different from eastern Washington. When most people think of Malta, they envision a tropical place—but it’s really a hot and dry rock in the middle of the Mediterranean!” says Mitchum, who spent five months in the small island country completing a study abroad experience at the University of Malta during the 2007 spring semester.

For Mitchum, adjusting to the Maltese culture meant learning to relax. “The culture there is much more laid back,” she says. “When you enter a store, they are never in a rush to help you. It was a real challenge to be patient and just relax.” Located just 58 miles south of Sicily, the influence of Italy on Malta was readily apparent, says Mitchum. “We ate mostly Italian food. But what we Americans call ‘Italian food’ they don’t really eat there.” Her favorite meal was pastizzi, diamond-shaped packets of flaky pastry filled with either fresh ricotta cheese or peas. “You could find pastizzi stands on every corner.”

As an urban campus, the University of Malta has no residential dorms, so Mitchum lived in contracted university residences with a diverse group of other foreigners from around the world. While she was initially disappointed that her roommate was a fellow American from Rochester, New York, she quickly realized it was a blessing. "Engaging with and understanding another culture is really taxing. At the end of the day, it was nice to take a break and be with someone who already understood me," she explains.

Although leaving her close-knit family and 12 siblings in Yakima was extremely difficult, Mitchum says her experience in Malta outweighed the costs. “It was hard to focus on what the experience would hold instead of thinking about all the things I would miss back at home. But five months is such a small portion of my life overall, it was so worth it.” She strongly encourages her fellow WSU students to pursue similar study abroad experiences. “The novelty drew me there, but once I was in Malta, the experience really forced me to grow. I learned a lot about myself and how to handle being in unfamiliar situations."

You also learn to appreciate the commonality of the human experience, she says. “I realized that even though we might have different cultural practices, people across the world have the same basic standards.”

Mitchum’s experience was also valuable preparation for her future career, which she hopes will take her abroad. Currently residing in Yakima, Washington, Mitchum is completing her remaining degree coursework via WSU’s Distance Degree Programs. Upon graduation in May, Mitchum plans to seek employment with a multi-national corporation with opportunities for advancement that would take her back overseas.

Mitchum is completing her degree through WSU’s Distance Degree Programs, which offers the ability to complete a bachelor’s degree in business administration—completely online. College of Business majors in management and operations, management information systems, and entrepreneurship are currently available. For more information, visit online.wsu.edu