Forget the fingers: let the legs do the walking!

It’s nice to be back in Malta, in the sunshine and warmth; there was precious little of either where I’d been for a few weeks. I’d been in Ireland where I enjoyed a visit from my niece who, despite being twenty five, I had only ever met once before. And a lovely girl she turned out to be; a real credit to her father, my eldest brother. But why, you may ask, have I only ever met my niece once before, and when she was a young child at that? Well, because she was born and raised in a very far off and strange land: Australia.

Overall Australians are very nice, friendly people and I rather like them: but they do have one or two annoying traits. This is not a problem as all nationalities have their annoying characteristics; indeed I could provide a very extensive list of the annoying habits of the Irish. But for the Australians the most annoying trait of them all became apparent the moment my niece spoke.

Yes, they speak a form of English and the syntax is much superior to the American version: but the intonation! The drawl of a long monotone sentence lulls the eardrum into a pleasant numbness, before launching a rapier like attack with the sudden sting of its raised inflection tail. It is surely the world’s most irritating diction. Having said that I must add that, on the whole, their good points completely outweigh this little annoyance.

Of course these annoying traits are not just true of nationalities, but of age groups. I am of the older generation and, as you will have noticed, have the annoying habit of complaining. I am a grumpy old man, a trait I happily share with many of my generation. The even older generation is obsessed with their age; anyone who asks “How old do you think I am?” is declaring they are over 70. And then there is the young generation: oh, where do I start?

I accept that their main purpose in life is to annoy their parents and I congratulate them on their success in this perennial duty. But there is one annoying trait we didn’t have forty odd years ago: their ability to equate entertainment and exercise with sitting absolutely still, flicking a forefinger across a screen. The teenage world appears to have shrunk sufficiently to inhabit a four and a half inch screen, and doesn’t seem to include the concept of communal activities. The pleasure of simple outdoor games has, in many cases, disappeared. Which is why I was very surprised by something I saw a couple of weeks ago in Valletta.

Having returned from Ireland, I was in considerable need of a good coffee. I was rectifying this in a long established Valletta café when I noticed a group of school children acting in an unusual manner. They were huddled together examining a piece of paper, and then ran off excitedly. Something was interesting them and it wasn’t on a screen! Several other groups appeared and they too were engrossed in this outdoor activity. What could this be? I noticed that despite being from different schools they all wore white baseball caps.

Naturally, curiosity got the better of me and, taking my coffee, I moved to investigate. The caps bore a familiar symbol. I strolled across St George’s Square, admiring the Green Festival’s magnificent flower arrangements effecting traditional Maltese tiles, and hove to in front of the Italian Cultural Institute. There I found Drs. Schirmo and Porcheddu wearing similar white baseball caps. Well? What’s going on?

“Caccia alle parole!” announced Dr Porcheddu. I’ll need a little more explanation please Anna.

“The Institute has organised a competition among the schools” she continued, “sponsored by the Montekristo foundation. It’s called “Caccia alle parole” and it’s a Word search.” I had stumbled upon an event encouraging schools in their quest to learn Italian.

Seven schools had sent teams totalling 55 students and fourteen teachers. Kicking off at 10.30 in the morning, they had all been issued Italian Cultural Institute baseball caps and packed snacks, and were sent off into Valletta in search of answers to clues. It was like a treasure hunt with the answers to the clues hidden in the Word search. Each team had a sheet of questions and a sheet of hidden answers, and overseen by their teachers they searched the pedestrian areas of Valletta for these answers.

We strolled around the streets for a short while watching and enjoying the children as they cooperated with each other in deciphering the clues and finding the answers. And, joy of joys, they were having fun. Is there anything quite as satisfying as watching the children have fun in the sun while they learn?

Not according to Dr Schirmo, the Institute Director. “I reminded them that it was about learning the language through fun” he told me through a beaming smile, “and they’re certainly doing that!”

We made our way back to the Institute and presently the teams started to return. Soon all were back and the answer sheets were being marked. There was a huge buzz as they excitedly awaited the results, and the prizes.

We were joined by the Italian Ambassador, HE Giovanni Umberto De Vito, who had arrived to announce the winner and present prizes of tickets to Malta National Aquarium. And the winners were… St Benedict’s School in Kirkop, with special mentions for St Ignatius” College, Boys and Girls, St George Preca College, St Clare College, St Joseph School and St Aloysius College.

All in all it was a great day and a big well done must go to the Institute. Not only did they promote a well attended and worthwhile activity for schools, but they promoted a great activity and fun day for children in general.

Anything that exercises their fingers less, their legs more and in the company of their friends is something all parents will support. Well done Anna and Salvatore.

And if anyone has seen my coffee cup, the Café would like it back.