Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1080741
12 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 10 FEBRUARY 2019 NEWS LAUR A CALLEJA HOW does one accurately define a country's culture? Is it through their history, language or food – or simply through the shared understandings we have about us 'being Maltese'? A country's culture is certainly that which makes it unique through its ac- tivities, rituals, and the goods it pro- duces, as well as the beliefs and values of a people and the way they under- stand the world and their own lives. Perhaps such an example is the Mal- tese festa, an integral part of Maltese life and culture – from the band clubs to the food stalls, fireworks and deco- rations… would the Maltese be who they are without their festa, their rival- ries, their saint worship, and church culture? But step out of Malta, and discover a world in which our festas are alien to other cultures. And that is where the challenge lies for the growing popula- tion of new Maltese who are trying to get to grips with Maltese culture. At MCAST's Student House, the Cross Culture International Founda- tion (CCIF) is attempting to do just that through cultural orientation classes, aimed at improve students' English, while teaching them all about Maltese culture. Sessions take place every Saturday and bring together individuals from across the world, both young and old, notably from the middle-eastern, and south American regions. The project is co-financed by the European Union, under the Asylum Migration Integra- tion Fund and the Ministry for Educa- tion and Employment. "Depending from where you are com- ing from, cultures are different, and people are used to certain ways of life, but they have to acclimatise and get used to the way things are done here in Malta so that they stay within the confines of the law," said CCIF project co-ordinator, Hedwig Bvumburah. The government is also running a similar scheme, under the Migrant In- tegration Strategy & Action Plan – the project is run by the Human Rights and Integration Directorate under the Ministry for European Affairs and Equality. The scheme currently has 600 registered individuals. Alex Tortell, Head of the Integration Unit, said that language learning and cultural orientation are two tangible and practical skills which can improve day-to-day communication. "There is more to integration, but communica- tion and a basis of shared understand- ings such as equality, is a basic essen- tial point of departure," he said. What does the class entail? The class is split into 11 topics: customs, lan- guage, culture, behaviours, music, food, religion, faith, beliefs, attitude and rituals. Juniper Francalanza, an American who teaches the cultural orientation portion of the class, told MaltaToday that the classes teach students basic English, while simultaneously teach- ing students the regulations and laws that are active in this part of Europe. "We teach things like knowing their worker's rights, the constitution of Malta, cultural activities like the festi- vals, how the local councils are set up, how the elections are held, the role of the Church in Malta and the educa- tional system… the things that are im- portant for people to understand when they come to a new country and plan on staying and settling there," she said. Bvumburah, who teaches the Eng- lish language portion of the class, ex- plained that he teaches students the skills to be able to communicate with those around them. "This is a project about integrating migrants who live here through a cultural and linguistic aspect of their everyday life. I teach English, and through this, I try and give them the skills to communicate at work and to be able to speak to the people around them," he said. During one of the classes, Fran- calanza taught students about the healthcare system in Malta – defining the three tiers: hospitals' private and public, pharmacies, and polyclinics. To a Maltese person, this may seem redundant. However, to individuals, especially those who come from gov- ernmental structures radically differ- ent than those set up in Malta, the explanation may be needed – the poly- clinic system isn't one that is practised globally. The class also featured some Maltese history, including the construction of Valletta, with a brief mention of Jean Parisot de Valette. Francalanza said that she has a unique viewpoint, as a foreigner with a Maltese partner and Maltese chil- dren: "Coming with outside eyes I know which things may need a bit of explanation and my background is also in Maltese history, so being able to explain some of the reasons behind certain norms and certain traditions because I've gone through the same process of wanting to know why some- thing was done." She said that Maltese people who grew up in Malta may not question why things are done in the same way, which, she said, can "sometimes be difficult… as I learnt from being on the receiving end of it when I first moved here." A Maltese welcome At a cultural oration class at MCAST, the Cross Culture International Foundation is teaching migrants Maltese culture, but also how to understand the different ways of the Maltese Maltese people who grew up in Malta may not question why things are done in the same way, which, she said, can "sometimes be difficult… as I learnt from being on the receiving end of it when I first moved here" Juniper Francalanza leading one of her English-language and cultural orientation classes PHOTO JAMES BIANCHI