Where have I been? Bilbao!

Since the last blog post I have changed countries and continents, arriving in Bilbao, Spain. This is where I've been since the start of June. 

I intend to make more posts explaining much more about my experience here in the Basque Country (and posts that finish recapping the trip my girlfriend and I took to Malaysia this May). But in this article I am going to summarize some key parts about my stay here in Bilbao such as what brought me here, my perceptions of life in Spain, and some of my favorite activities I've done in and around Bilbao so far. 

Last spring I got help finding a summer internship from my Spanish professor at the University of Toronto. He was born in Asturias, but later moved to the Basque Country for his early education, so when I asked for suggestions regarding Spanish-speaking places, he quickly suggested Bilbao. 

My professor also helped me secure an internship with Agirre Lehendakaria Center, a social development organization that takes on community-based projects in Spain and around the world. They work with regional governments as well as with the United Nations on projects relating to food systems, political involvement, and clean energy. For the past two months I've been working from this organization's office in Bilbao translating documents, conducting interviews, and producing informative videos like this one. 

The organization itself has a lot of functions. It conducts field research by hosting community dialogues  to gather stakeholder perspectives. It also produces research to advise local governments on socially equitable transitions. And ALC participates in conferences (like this one in Madrid) to share findings and spark social change. Many of it's partners and employees live abroad and work remotely, so I was in the office with about 5 people on any given day. 

Other than the internship, I've been able to observe and experience the Spanish lifestyle given that this is my first time visiting Spain. But make no mistake, because the Basque Country tends to distinguish itself from the rest of Spain at every turn. This region is the epicenter of Euskara, an ancient language found nowhere else in the world which was banned under the Autocratic Franco government which ruled from the 1930s until the 70s. Other unique aspects of the Basque Country include their sports, their music, and their form of government which I may touch on in future blog posts. 

One of my main goals this summer was to speak more Spanish. For three years I took Spanish courses in university, and I've had lots of opportunities to converse in Spanish with coworkers, strangers, and the friends I've met since arriving in June. Some of my favorite people to talk to include Jon Ander, a local around my age who studied for one semester in Saskatchewan; Fede, an Italian with whom I play basketball and frisbee; and Santi, a Madrileño who has two cats. 

I have been very happy with the neighborhood where I choose to live in Bilbao. It is a tourist's paradise given that it's close to public transport, surrounded by bars and restaurants; and always alive with activity. This Instagram post from my radio show shows a musical parade through the street (which is not out of the ordinary) as well as other music-playing buskers. 

Bilbao was officially established in the 1300s, and this neighborhood is the oldest part of the city: Casco Viejo. One of the city's most anticipated times of the year is Las Fiestas: Aste Nagusia. Lucky for me, because the spectacle begins in ten days with concerts, pop-up restaurants, and a scary person in a masked doll costume that is the mascot? 

Fun fact, I have seen these masks while riding on the metro in the corner of a municipal garage. I guess they're saved up all year until Aste Nagusia comes around. From what I hear it's really going to be a riot. 

I have been living in a shared apartment at the corner of 4 consecutive bars. It's a busy spot throughout the day, and very different to Toronto! My roommates have all been students or recent graduates, and I've lived on the third floor in a room with a balcony. It's really been sweet. There is a small courtyard where I store my surfboard and bike, and I've gotten several letters from family while I've been here. 

At the end of June I spent one week away from my internship and traveled to an English camp in Navarra only a few miles from the French border. I had heard about the camp online, and I figured it was a chance for a change of scenery, an informative but non-commital way of finding out what being a teacher must be like, and free food for a week. I enjoyed hiking and walking around the town with the kids, but it was a tough week. Personal growth though, eh?

This summer I have continued to record and release episodes of my college radio show, Tracks From Abroad, which is broadcast every Monday at 6pm EST on CIUT 89.5 FM. Every episode of the show focuses on a different country, and some of the episodes that stand out for me include Indonesia, Colombia, the Netherlands, Quebec, Japan, Vermont, and more! I am now building a team of students to continue my radio show after I graduate. 

I've got to wrap up this post, so I'll just say that I'm getting ready for my last semester at the University of Toronto, planning the week I will spend with my Dad hiking, and playing some tennis too. Check out a video I made of my wall tennis:

-Jesse, 2023