Ghjansiliem Cemetery

Today's cemetey trip was to Ghjansiliem (pronounced "Ahn-se-lee-um"). This was another location I could get to by bus! Yay! I got off in the middle of the town and asked a woman who got off at the same stop if she could direct me. There was another girl just ahead who heard me ask and she said she'd show me where it was. It turns out the girl is American born Maltese who just moved to Gozo about 5 months ago from New York. We spent the short trek to my turn off chatting about the differences between the U.S. and Gozo. She also said that in Manhatten there is a very large Maltese community - so much so that there were 4 other Maltese families on the block she grew up on!

We parted ways and I walked maybe 5 minutes down the road to the cemetery past a cow farm. The girl had warned me, in fact, that it would be quite a smelly walk. It was kind of refreshing, reminding me of all of the farms back home. It was the first time I entered a cemetery here that did NOT have a spectacular view. Inside, the caretaker noticed me eyeing up the chapel that was locked and offered to open it for me so I could take photos. His name is Loretu and he's worked in the cemetery part time for the last 25 years, also working part time at Gozo General Hospital. He was happy to show me around the cemetery, letting me take photos inside the caretakers "shack" and answering my questions. I asked him to point out the communal grave section and he made sure to distinguish between the spot were the bodies are buried and the spot where the bones are reburied later.

While we were talking I met another two women, Marija and Delena, who were there visiting the tomb of their parents and their brother. They too were happy to answer my questions and between the four of us we had a great conversation. I asked the women if they were married. Marija is not, but Delena is. I asked if she and her husband would be buried in her family tomb or in his and she said in his. Marija said she could do either if she wants but they will probably go with her husbands family tomb, which is also in the same cemetery. All three said they go to the cemetery daily during November. Loretu said they have mass there every day at noon, and that their cemetery is open every Sunday outside of November.

After the women left, Loretu led me to a tomb and said I should check it out because it would be of particular interest. He pointed to a tomb for a younger boy who was killed in a car accident in New York but his body was brought to Gozo for burial. I had noticed the tomb previously and had taken a picture of it already but made sure to take another one since Loretu said it was of interest.

As I left the cemetery, I asked a man who was cleaning a tomb if I could take his picture and he said no. Honestly, that's the first time that's happened and the rejection of it wasn't that big of a deal. So really, what was I so afraid of?

Despite the fact that it was a cloudy and overcast day today, I decided to risk the walk and headed to Mgarr to take the bus back rather than just catching it in Ghjansiliem. Something about the water always seems to beckon me. (Maybe it's my affinity for the 70's song, "Brandy"?) When I got there I headed to one of the snack carts for some crisps. The guy working the counter asked if I was American and said he was too. Like the girl from the bus he's also from New York. His family moved to Gozo when he was 9 years old. He was a nice kid, eager to talk since it was a slow day. He said his parents have a bar i Nadur but it's small and h doesn't want to work there. I asked him what he DOES want to do and he said "I don't really have goals." I couldn't help but laugh, and thankfully he did too. He continued, "I have to be honest. I don't. I just want t make money and spend it somewhere living my life." We talked about his love for travel, how he's been to Prague, Vienna, Italy and some other places even though he's only 22. He's trying to plan a trip to Thailand for a month if he can get off of work. He did confess that he MIGHT take a course at the University of Malta but he's not really too worried about it. And really, what does he have to worry about? In Gozo, it's perfectly acceptable and respectable for him to work at that shop and perhaps own his own later and stay working in the harbor until he retires. He doesn't really need anymore schooling for that. Though I wonder if he'll feel different about it when he's in his mid-thirties or 40's. The people I've talked to about it seem split down the middle. Some say that if they could go back again they'd do more schooling. Others say there's no reason for it. I suppose that's similar to my parents generation in the U.S. as well but it's still interesting to talk to someone so young who feels that way.

Only 2 more cemeteries to go before I head to Belgium. When I return I hope to hit 2 more on the first Sunday of December and then I'll have officially been to every cemetery on the island.