Why author Christopher Mannino moved his family from Delaware to Malta

Christopher Mannino, a 45-year-old author, moved with his wife and two young children from Middletown, Delaware, to Swieqi, Malta, in June 2025 to “worldschool” his kids on the 122-square-mile Mediterranean island, he said. Mannino said the idea grew from freelance work during the pandemic and reporting he did on families who travel and educate children abroad.

After a monthlong test in Ireland in 2024, the family looked for a country where they could legally work remotely and where English was an official language; those constraints, plus a preference for nice weather and relatives in Europe, narrowed their choice to Malta. He said his first trip to Malta was in April 2025 to secure a rental while his wife and daughter stayed in the US, and the family planned to try living there for a year as a worst-case trial.

Mannino described Malta’s culture as a unique blend of English, Arab, and North African influences, with ancient sites, a friendly, family-oriented feel, many kid-focused activities and a slower pace that encourages a different work-life balance. The island’s small size has changed daily life for the family: Mannino said he has gone seven months without a car, relying on walking and buses, and that shorter distances make it easier to do frequent family outings — from museums and an aquarium to chartered boats, dolphin watches and sea caves.

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