Today was another exciting day of hospital visits and exploring! We had the chance to see even more rehabilitation devices in action, but the most fascinating by far was the robotic exoskeleton walker. It was designed to help patients with mobility issues regain movement and independence. Watching technology like that being used to improve patients’ quality of life was incredible, and it really showed me how engineering and healthcare can work together to make such a meaningful impact on patient care. We also got to participate in a reaction time test where we competed against each other to see who had the fastest reflexes. Naturally, I won.

After the hospital visit, we returned to the university’s main campus and toured several different labs. It was interesting to see the various tools and technologies students use in their education and research. We then attended a presentation from one of our professors about women’s health. One statistic that really stood out to me was that America is the most expensive country in which to give birth, yet we still experience some of the highest rates of complications during childbirth. It was surprising because you would expect that, with how much money is spent on healthcare, outcomes would be much better.

Once everything at the university was wrapped up, we headed to San Juan de Gaztelugatxe. The hike to the top was definitely long and tiring, but the view at the end made it completely worth it. Standing at the top and looking out over the ocean was crazy; the sea seemed to stretch on forever. It was also really cool visiting a filming location from Game of Thrones, even if I was the only one who really appreciated it. After making the trek back down, we relaxed at the beach and got ice cream before heading home. Overall, today was full of adventure, learning, and unforgettable views, and I’m excited to see what the rest of the trip has in store.