Noel Agius left Malta in the search for something bigger and ended up landing in Spain, which he considers his home. 

I left Malta at the end of 1978. My wife and I decided to leave the island when I was offered a job in Vancouver. We like to travel and we like adventure, but soon realised the extremely cold winters were not for us. In February of 1979, I got a job offer in Spain, so we moved to Murcia. I spoke no Spanish and had to commence work immediately. I started off speaking in my own version of Italianised Spanish and after six months I was speaking the language. I love the south-east of Spain. There is very little tourism here, the weather is beautiful, our food is excellent and people are very friendly. 

I spent 30 years working in the clothing business, but at the age of 50 I decided to do something completely different. I realised the industry was shifting dramatically and that I needed a change. So, I decided to run a pain clinic, a new concept owned by a prestigious doctor that uses ozone therapy to alleviate chronic pain and strengthen the body’s immune system. Two years ago, I decided to retire. I used to travel a lot for work, and now I get to do it just for fun. I love 4x4ing and every month I take a trip up the mountains or down the coast. 

I spend every Easter holiday helping the needy in Morocco. We bring medical and non-medical supplies to the Moroccan desert and mountain villages. Once, we also brought building supplies and in three years built a hospital in Chinguetti, in the centre of the Mauritian desert. The best part was being able to do this with my son, first as a teenager and then as my second in command. We crossed deserts, mountains, rivers and sandstorms together. It has been a great experience so far.

I visit Malta twice a year, but I don’t intend to move back. It’s too small and crowded for me. I am now used to living in the countryside, close to the big city. I still love going back to visit my family and friends, who I still think fondly of even though we have lived apart for so many years.