How I learned to celebrate my life

A story by Monika

Country of Origin: Poland

Country of destination: Spain

I used to lead a hectic lifestyle, always running around wherever I was, whatever I was doing. I used to treat my everyday activities as tasks to fulfill, which were supposed to be done quickly, and I was always in a constant hurry. One day, I decided to go to Spain to study taking advantage of the Erasmus program. This quick decision has changed my outlook on life.

I lived in the northern region of Spain called Galicia with over 100 rainy days within a year. This taught me how to be patient, how to absorb new adventures independently of how unpredictable the weather could be. I promptly met local people who showed me that life consists of celebrating tastes, conversations, daily fleeting moments and also how to derive positive aspects from a rainy weather. I started to pay attention to what I eat, what I see and how I spend my free time. I learned how to savour the local food enjoying freshly-fished delicacies, aromatic fruits and herbs. That is how my curiosity towards cooking started.

There is a word in the Spanish language called sobremesa, which means after-dinner conversation, it is a kind of relax-time, when people enjoy chatting, drinking coffee or playing cards. There is no need to hurry, time stops, you open your mind and just listen to the story your companion wants to share with you…