Charmaine Panlone’s journey from Saint Catherine, Jamaica, to Barcelona, Spain, is one of discovery, resilience, and self-realization. Raised in Jamaica until 15 years old, Charmaine’s early years were marked by a deep yearning for a place that felt like home.
“I think deep in my soul I knew I wanted to leave Jamaica, and I wanted to live elsewhere,” she shared with the L.A. Sentinel in an exclusive interview held in Barcelona. After raising her kids in the South Bay of Los Angeles, she decided to restart her life in her early 50s — starting with a transatlantic move from L.A. to Porto, Portugal.
Her early love for travel led her to explore places like Hawaii, Canada, and Mexico, but it was her experiences in Europe that truly resonated with her.
“As I started to travel to Europe, I realized that the European lifestyle aligned more with the way that I wanted to live,” she stated.
“In California especially, you’ve got big houses with empty people; people who are lonely in their big homes. [So many people] rarely get a chance to associate with other people unless it’s a planned outing. In Europe, people have outlets; housing is smaller, but the public spaces are larger. You don’t have to plan and pack up for a day at the park, because enjoying life is a priority here. It’s a different mindset.”
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Quality of life was not the only improvement that Charmaine noticed. In Europe, she felt healthier due to the E.U.’s notoriously superior food quality as compared to the United States.
“When I went to Europe when I was younger, I always lost weight even though I was eating more. The food just didn’t make me feel as bloated as when I was at home,” she recalled.
“And yes, there’s something to be said about being on vacation and always feeling good. But now, I’ve lived in different countries, and I understand that even the junk food here doesn’t leave me feeling like I have a tire in my stomach!”
Healthcare was another stark contrast. “I broke my tooth [while living in Portugal] and I was so scared about what my insurance covered. But it was 50 euros to extract the broken tooth with no insurance.
Meanwhile, in the States, my son needed two root canals and an implant. We were looking at a $34,000 bill! And Portugal is not a third-world country — this was state-of-the-art technology and care that I got. And I thought, why? Why is there such a discrepancy?”
One of the biggest surprises for her was the sense of security she felt in Europe.
“In Portugal and Spain, I trust the police. In Porto, I could walk in dark alleys if I was coming home late. Of course, petty crimes happen, but I don’t worry about my life. Because I don’t worry about my life, my mental health is better here. There’s a difference you feel when your mental health is not restricted.”
She also found it fascinating to see Black people of different backgrounds. “I would see Black people, and I would run to talk to them. They said they all felt safe. They didn’t have to worry about their lives.”
Charmaine heavily stressed the importance of financial security before moving abroad.
“If you’re not independently wealthy, it doesn’t matter how many YouTube videos you watch — if you need money, you need to figure out how you’re going to support yourself first, so you don’t have to do it twice like I did,” she warned, alluding to her leaving Portugal for a temporary job in California. Fortunately, that job allowed her to negotiate remote work in Spain.
One of her favorite parts of living in Europe is that she can go almost anywhere in the world for less money, because Europe, the U.K., Asia, and Africa are all closer.
For Charmaine, moving abroad wasn’t about running away.
“I’ve always believed that travel and living in other countries enriches us and teaches us so much more about the world. When you go to other places, it adds value to your life and to the world.”