Day 27 of 50 day PPG: I was stranded on the island Malta for a month, just like St. Paul but I was not on my way to Rome to face Ceasar. Obviously. When I finished tenth grade, we were required to take what is known as the O Level (Ordinary Level) exams. It is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education. It was introduced as part of British educational reform in the 1950s. Thats was wiki said so if you want to know more, you can look it up. The reason I had to travel to Malta, and stayed there for a month all by myself, as a 17 year old, was three folds. One, the school that I attended in Libya was no longer allowed to administer the test b/c a few years before, our headmaster at that school was caught opening the exam packages and allowing some of the teachers/students to take a peek before the exam. That was one reason but a significant reason no less. Reason number two was because Libya at that time was not a friend was Egypt or Tunisia or anyone for that matter. But Malta was an ally because Malta needed Libyas financial aid. The third reason is b/c all of my friends are going there so it was an easy choice. That was the first time I was alone in a country away from my family. I mean, before that, I did not even go for sleep over at a friends house. My mother and family tried to join me in Malta but their visa was refused! So my father, at that time a pilot at Libyan Arab Airline, flew with me to Malta and set me up in a big rental house near the second largest cathedral on the planet (thats what every Maltese will tell you) after St. Peters cathedral in Rome. In Malta, I learned how to cook rice, how to make meals for myself, went grocery shopping, etc. I just made stuff up. Thank goodness, due to tourism in Malta, most everyone can speak English. Since the purpose of the trip was to take 6 O Level exams (Physics, Math, Chemistry, English, Biology, and French) I was all bent on studying up to the minute of the exams. I was very determined to do well on the exams and thats exact all I did in Malta. Study. And the results were pretty good. I got 2 As for Physics/Math, 2 Bs for Bio/Chemistry and a C for English. :-) And I skipped taking the French exam b/c I knew I was just going to fail it. I mean, come on, French would be my third language and they want to test me on it? No way. (French did came back and haunt me in College since I went to a Liberal Arts college and a second language is mandatory. God must really wanted me to learn French. :-) I will talk to God in French when I meet Him in Heaven. With my single mindedness about the exams, and I am sure I was just scare to venture out in Malta, I did not see any fun part of Malta. I did not go to the beautiful beaches, to the nice restaurants, meet anyone, nothing. Absolutely nothing. I went into the second largest cathedral in the known universe, but that was it. Looking back, I would tell my 17 year old self to be adventurous in Malta. Go to the beaches. I mean, take your books there to study. Go to the restaurants. That was your fathers money anyway. Buy souvenirs. Maybe meet a Maltese girl or two. I mean enjoy yourself. You will never be 17 again. Dont be so shy. Dont be so afraid. Dont stay locked up in your villa, bring some friends, and have a blast. And take that French exam, just for the heck of it. I man you are there for the exams so why not give it a shot. You have absolutely nothing to lose. So lets land this post. Today, what would you tell your 17 year old self? Have you made peace with God and yourself about what could/should have been?. I would tell you this. Live your life to the fullest. Find out what your Father in Heaven would want you to do and go do it? Today. Now. Who cares what others think. I double dare you! https://youtube/watch?v=S32bgx36G-0
Posted on: Sun, 09 Nov 2014 00:14:28 +0000
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