The First Half Of 2023

These events occurred between January and June 2023 and are not in chronological order. The reflections shared here are adapted from my journal.

1. After two rounds of interviews, I got accepted for an internship. I enjoyed the work but the pay was pitiful. Guess it’s better than a non-paying internship or at least that’s what I told myself to feel better about my labour.
   
   
2. I was admitted into hospital for ten days with vestibular neuritis. That was a scary time in my life. At the risk of sounding dramatic, I really thought I was going to die. But when you lose your ability to walk and can no longer control the movements in your eye (I didn’t even know that was possible) it truly feels like your time might be up.
   
   
3. The experience of being in a hospital in Malta couldn’t have gone more smoothly. Barring the food of course but then again when have hospitals been known for their culinary flair? I spent a lot of time observing the Maltese people, how they communicated and interacted with one another. Along the way, I managed to pick up a few words/phrases that came in handy for extracting a laugh from the nurses.
   
   
4. To our relief, my ten-day stay in the hospital, along with an MRI scan, came at absolutely no cost courtesy of the Maltese government and my being married to my wonderful EU passport-wielding wife. Never thought a marriage certificate would serve to be the second-most important document in our possession.
   
   
5. My first trip to Geneva, Switzerland was quite an adventure. I flew there solo and navigated buses myself to meet Nine. Travelled with my walking stick and it allowed me to bypass the long airport queues. I couldn’t help to feel a little conflicted considering I was not as wobbly as just a couple months previously.
   
   
6. Emma, Nine’s friend from Scotland, came to visit and we went to see some old rocks together.
   
   
7. Then, Deens came to visit, and we enjoyed a wonderful week together, reconnecting, laughing, and simply sitting side by side, mindlessly crafting our IG stories and feeds. I had missed her immensely. Her visit couldn’t have come at a more perfect time. I was grappling with overwhelming loneliness after the move, and having someone who knows me, who has witnessed my growth over the years, and who feels like a living piece of home, was exactly what my weary soul needed.
   
   
8. It took another two months before I could wean myself off the walking stick. My vision had mostly returned to normal. The lag or drag I’d felt for months was gradually disappearing.
   
   
9. I lay low at home, waiting for summer to end. I did appreciate the longer daylight hours, but I’m not a fan of the heat. We bought an outdoor fan for our indoor home. It was noisier than I liked it to be but it saved us from turning the AC on all day. I spent my days practising calisthenics, reading, watching films, and hanging out with some new friends we’d made from showing up at migrant meet-ups and other events.
   
   
10. In the last six months, I’ve attended a handful of protests which included a march advocating for refugees.
    
    
11. Couldn’t find a good book shop in Malta but there is an art house cinema so I’m counting my blessings.