Doris was born on the 13th of August (clarify) in 1946, one of 10 children, on Merchant St. in Valletta near the Parish church of St. Paul\u2019s Shipwreck. Her maiden name is Degiorgio and at the time of her birth, many of her family members had businesses on Merchant Street. She was one of 10 children. She was very proud to be a Valletta girl (still is).\u00a0 She used to boast about it when she lived in Valletta. There was no where else to go in those days for nightlife or fun daytime activities.\u00a0 The girls would parade up and down Republic Street with the boys standing would be watching on the pavement. \u201cThere was no Facebook in those days,\u201d Sharon Cusens added. It was around 4pm when the girls and boys would be out.\u00a0 The girls had to be back at home by 8:30pm. She was first introduced to Tom that way. \u201cI chose him\u201d, she proclaimed. She was around 15 or 16. They had their own cliques so to speak in Valletta. Doris\u2019 friends would congregate in the Upper Barrakka Gardens.<\/p>\n
Doris was a force to be reckoned with even in her early years. Sharon says that her mother is known as the \u201cWoman of Many Firsts\u201d. Perhaps the most revealing evidence of rebellion was back in the early 60\u2019s. Doris and other Valletta girls were part of an all female football (soccer) team called the ICE Club whose premises were on South Street in Valletta. ICE apparently stood for Information, Culture and Entertainment – not referring to the much desired ice in the heat of the summer months. It was in Gzira at the old National Football Stadium where they played in the first female football match. Doris laughed as she recalled telling one of her teammates to kick the ball.\u00a0 That teammate inadvertently\/unknowingly kick the ball towards the wrong net. \u201cWe didn\u2019t really know the rules\u201d she says. She recalled walking into school the following Monday all stiff from the competition – only to be sent out of the class by her teacher. \u201cOut Doris!\u201d. Doris said she must have been told about 7 times to get out.\u00a0 What Doris didn\u2019t know is that the Sunday newspaper had a picture of their match and apparently Doris was visible in it to the readers. \u201cIt was a scandal, taboo\u201d she says. Even the Sisters\/Nuns were upset with her.<\/p>\n
Doris was a pioneer with the \u201cKeep Fit\u201d movement in Malta; it was kind of a liberation for women. She ran philanthropic fitness shows for many years. Because of these great efforts, she received an award for her contribution to Maltese women.<\/p>\n
Having felt that she accomplished all that she wanted to do in fitness, she became a licenced tourist guide. She said she always wanted to be a guide.\u00a0 Her younger sister was one. Can you guess her most favourite place to guide in?\u00a0 Valletta of course. She attracted many clients including VIPs such as Roger Moore – Mr. Bond. More than the finer details taught at the university, she loved to tell stories of the places and people within Valletta; we are coming full circle with this piece. She received the award for top guide out of approximately 800 guides in 2012.<\/p>\n
Excerpt from: \u201cValletta – A Personal City Guide by 8 tourist guides from Malta\u201d Midsea books<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I had the great pleasure of meeting Doris at her home along with her husband Tom and daughter Sharon. Doris doesn\u2019t live in Valletta anymore however she grew up there so I figured there would be a good story to tell.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":179,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n