Semester Abroad, Global Correspondents Le Qualité of Life

Goldsmiths, University of London

Tarah is one of the Semester Abroad Global Correspondents writing and sharing her experience abroad during the Fall 2022 semester. Follow along with the group of correspondents on our blog and look out for their images on the @pennabroad Instagram feed.

In Barcelona, they say “gracias” to say thank you and “salud” to cheers. The Italian when you say “grazie” they reply back with “prego” and “quanto costa” is to ask how much something is. The French will thank you by saying “merçi” and “bon journée” to have a good day.

While abroad the most reflective thinking I’ve done has surrounded around this idea of quality of life.

I’ve questioned and thought about this concept because of the things I’ve seen in London and in other European countries I’ve visited while abroad. I’ve witnessed people enjoying themselves with a simple book and lunch at a cafe in Paris. I’ve seen kids run through the streets of Barcelona chasing after one another, being as loud as they can possibly be with no fear of being scolded by adults because everyone’s kid is yelling and shouting. I’ve seen people at Piazzale Michaelangelo sitting with contentment while overlooking the landscape of Florence and singing songs of their home. Even the dogs (who are almost always unleashed) have roamed through Greenwich Park without a care in the world, seeing how far they can go, but always return back to their owners.

This is what true freedom and liberation looks like.

While in Paris, a man told me that the French, when they want to go out to eat, they go “à l'arrache.” No reservation or plan in advance, if they want to eat out, they will just walk around and see if something looks good on the menu. That whatever they eat, they know it will be good. A common trait I’ve seen between all the people I’ve encountered while abroad is that they make sure to prioritize themself and their needs first before anything else to ensure their happiness. What a freedom that is. Living with quality in their day-to-day lives. I’ve also noticed that because of how they prioritize, they are satisfied with everything they have in life. In Barcelona, you could not go a block without noticing a local family walking or dining together. With smiles on their faces, you could immediately tell how important family is to them and because they had each other, they had enough.

My last blog post, the advice I posed was to take courage. Today, I write to say -- find ways to find true sources of happiness and express gratitude to improve your own quality of life. Make time to prioritize yourself and what you need in order to experience joy.

It took me being forced to fly 3,000 miles from home to understand what truly matters. To undergo a reset and ask myself what my values are, what do I want out of this big wide world, and what will I do when I return home.

One thing I know for certain, I hope to bring pieces of Europe back home with me. Whether that is through using the Spanish and Italian I learned at local restaurants or engaging with fellow classmates more or even attempting to make my own Aperol Spritz. But now, I’m more invigorated than ever to bring the peace home that I’ve gained while being abroad.

Being abroad, I’ve felt like an actual person. Like an actual human. Where I’m free to wander without the stresses of harsh deadlines, meetings, and the constant pressure that I should keep going to achieve success. This semester, I’ve understood how to find pockets of joy that have added to “Le Qualité of Life.”  Each day I’m more and more grateful than the previous day.

I want to leave by sharing small moments that have added to my experience and will always stay with me. 

• Dinners at a local restaurant in Rome run by two nice owners who shared the same love for Donny Hathaway and Anita Baker and would constantly play old classics

• Having the best gelato at a Cremeria in Florence where I met the owner and she shared with me how COVID impacted her mindset on what’s important to her and how she can’t wait to return home to Albania with her family

• Taking a walk down the boardwalk of Barceloneta beach as the sun was setting and you could see the stars peeking through the sky

• Wednesday Walks through Greenwich Park and spending 2+ hours outside roaming and discovering new areas (all before the schoolchildren were let out and its pure chaos Haha)

This is what my peace looks like and I hope that you can find yours as well. Salud.