Day 11: Diputación and Casco Viejo (Bilbao)

By Alex and Thomas

To start the day, we all went to our students’ classes. Following a small breakfast with my family, we walked across the bustling street to the school. I had a Basque class in which I knew little about, but the teacher showed us a short video in English on the basics of Euskera grammar…. I still struggled to understand it.

After that first hour, we took the metro into downtown Bilbao, where we were given twenty minutes to get a drink or other refreshments. Me and two others went to the nearest cafe to get the notorious “Cafe con leche” as we were all still half asleep. We were later given a guided tour of the old town hall (Diputación). This tour was full of interesting rooms and facts that left us ever more amazed by the country's rich history and culture. Specifically, there was a room dedicated solely to individuals that made a significant social impact. At the end of the tour, everyone was given a cultural headpiece signifying relationship status. Most of us put them on and took selfies with each other and the one and only Carlos.

Following the tour, we were given an hour and a half to walk around the city and shop. The city was full of stores and centers to buy things from clothing to an ice cream. I found it fascinating to see advertisements in languages other than English, living in a different city was definitely something that had helped in broadening my horizons and goals. To finish our time in Bilbao as well with our weekly schedule, we went on a guided tour of Casco Viejo, which is the Older district of Bilbao. The stores and apartments that we saw were older than the United States and was full of culture and diversity. The guide was really good in telling us about the significance of each location and why they were esteemed destinations.

Day 11 Diputación and Casco Viejo (Bilbao) de J. Carlos Martínez

After a quick train ride, we arrived back in Algorta around mid-afternoon. Everybody shuffled off the train; following the teacher's out of the station and back to the school, we were greeted by our exchange partners. After quick conversations, everybody said goodbye to each other and went back to the houses of each Spanish student. After all, we had to rest up for a big party we were throwing later that night! Every student was given the chance to do whatever they wanted in the time before the party; some chose to chat with others, some chose to relax and watch TV or a movie, but most students chose to take a nap, or siesta, so that they would be awake and energized during the party. Meanwhile, instead of relaxing and resting up for the rest of the night, my Spanish student and I decided to play​ a few matches of ping pong which quickly turned to many; leaving us with no time to sleep.

After some time, most of the students met up and made their way to the function hall, a small, but quite nice and clean, place which was rented out by the Spanish students for a single night for a certain period of time. Each student brought their own refreshments and food; some prepared the location for the party, making sandwiches, pouring drinks, setting up furniture, anything to make the time more enjoyable for everyone. Finally, after great preparation, and the arrival of any stragglers, the party began! People joked and people laughed. People danced as a mixed playlist of Spanish and American music was blasted through the speakers. And after many exciting hours, the party began to die down and one by one students left to go home so that they could sleep and feel rested for the few remaining​ days we had left in such a beautiful country​.