Introduction

During the summer of 2023, I had the opportunity to take part in the USAC program by studying abroad in Bilbao, Spain, for five weeks. The city is located in the Basque region of northern Spain, just about two hours from the French border. It is known for its unique architecture and attractions, including el Museo Guggenheim, el Artxandako Funkilarra, which leads to a popular look-point point, and el Estadio San Mamés, where Athletic Bilbao plays.

 

While I spent most of my time in Bilbao, I also traveled to Madrid, Sevilla, Barcelona and San Sebastian. I witnessed these cities' cultural, architectural, food, and language variations. The most distinct among them was San Sebastian, a Basque town that shares food and language with Bilbao. ​

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The Basque Country

The Basque region constitutes a small portion of Spain, known for its unique language and cuisine. The fundamentals of Basque have little to no similarities to Spanish or any European languages, isolating the culture. The Spanish Basque provinces include Alava, Bizkaia, Gipuzkoa and Navarre, while the French provinces are Labourd, Lower Navarre and Soule (Basque Culture).

 

Due to the isolated nature of their culture, a distinct type of food was created on the Spanish side of the region. This type of cuisine is called pintxos, which are snacks resembling Spanish tapas. The unique plating and types of ingredients differentiate Pintxos from other meals found in Spain. These typically consist of chorizo sausage or cheese placed on top of a slice of baguette bread. San Sebastian is the best place to access a wide variety of pintxos. While visiting the city, I tried squid ink croquetas, chicken skewers and pepper-sausage pintxos. Bilbao had fewer pintxo bars, but one restaurant offered the best-tasting calamari and sausage pintxos.

 

Sports is another cultural element that is unique to the region. In the more agricultural areas of the Basque country, towns hold the traditional practice of Harri-jasotzaileak, or stone lifting. During this sporting event, two competitors attempt to lift a heavy stone as frequently as possible within a specific time. The one that lifts more regularly wins. Basque people are also fanatics of soccer and have adopted a unique tradition. Only those who grew up in the region can play for the local Athletic Bilbao team, ensuring that the identity of their soccer team remains culturally distinguishable.

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Academic Experience in Bilbao

During this time, I took an advanced Spanish course and a surfing class, which amplified my Spanish grammatical skills. Conversations with my host family allowed me to leverage the content learned from class to speak more proficiently and utilize more Spanish colloquial words. Further, my host family taught me some Basque words, allowing me to appreciate their culture better.

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Spanish Cuisine

One of the most famous Spanish cuisines is tapas. These are typically small portions of food enjoyed by groups of friends and family. Some of the most common tapas include patatas bravas, jamón iberico and gazpacho. Patatas bravas consist of fried potato chunks covered with a spicy mayo sauce. This spicy sauce made the tapas my favorite since most meals in Spain lack spice. On the other hand, jamón iberico is a type of dried ham unique to Spain because of its distinct flavor and texture. During the summer, Spain can reach very high temperatures, so gazpacho soup is a perfect way to cool down. It is a creamy and rich vegetable soup with a tomato base. While visiting Sevilla, I had the opportunity to try this, and it was perfect for combatting the high temperature in Southern Spain.

 

In addition to tapas, another important meal is tortilla española, an omelet of eggs and potatoes. While preparing the tortilla, cooks add ingredients like cheese or jamón iberico, enhancing the flavor. Since it is a heavier meal, Spaniards often eat it during dinner or for celebrations like holidays. Another important meal is paella, a massive platter of food enjoyed during lunchtime. The meal has a rice base, with various meat or vegetables (Spanish Sabores). On the last day of study abroad, my host dad cooked a seafood paella, which has topped every paella I have tried since.​

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Madrid

While studying abroad in Spain, I took advantage of the weekends to join group trips to nearby cities. The first group trip was to Madrid, where we arrived at 6 AM after a five-hour overnight bus ride. We explored the city for two days and visited La Plaza Mayor, Palacio Real de Madrid, La Gran Vía and other attractions. We also had the chance to try churros with chocolate and visit El Mercado San Miguel. The market featured various food options like empanadas, seafood, pastries and more. The most beautiful site was the Palacio Real de Madrid, the palace of the royal family of Spain. It features a large courtyard overlooked by the castle and a nearby cathedral.

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Sevilla

Shortly after the trip to Madrid, I took the weekend to fly down from Bilbao to Sevilla. It is a major city located in the Andalucian province of the country. Some of the significant attractions are the Torre de Oro, Giralda, the Cathedral of Santa María de la Sede and the Setas. The Torre de Oro is one of the most antique buildings, originating from 1220 during the Arabic occupation of Iberia. Due to its Arab origins, the older portions of the tower consist of Arabic architectural design. Like the Torre de Oro, the Arabs had constructed the Cathedral of Santa María de la Sede and its Giralda tower. The rectangular form and glorious design distinguish the church from other cathedrals built during its time. The Giralda is attached to the cathedral and contains Arabic design throughout most of its structure. Towards the top, it consists of a Spanish style. ​

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Barcelona

I spent two days in Barcelona for the final trip of my study abroad experience. The night I flew in, it was the feast of San Juan, a significant catholic holiday in Spain. To celebrate the festival, people party on the beaches, light fireworks, and spend time with family and friends late into the night. While there, I spent time with friends from the USAC study abroad program and enjoyed the exciting atmosphere. The day after, I visited the Sagrada Familia and explored the city.

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Conclusion

Studying abroad allowed me to grow through the new cultures I encountered and the cities I visited. Studying Spanish and surfing in Basque was incredible and pushed me to new limits. I enhanced my Spanish skills and learned to become an international traveler after visiting Madrid, Sevilla and Barcelona. Despite belonging to the same country, it was fascinating to learn about the different elements of each city that make them so unique. I will forever consider my time abroad an enriching experience that has transformed my worldview.

 

References​

Basque language origin | Basque Culture. (n.d.). https://basqueculture.eus/en/the-land-of-basque/languageHaun, M. (2023, October 24).

50 Best Spanish Tapas Recipes. Spanish Sabores. https://spanishsabores.com/spanish-tapas-recipes/#1_Tortilla_de_Patatas

Wikipedia contributors. (2024, March 4). Harri-jasotzaileak. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 19:22, April 1, 2024, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Harri-jasotzaileak&oldid=1211857710​​​