Today is our last full day of the program and I’m so sad it’s coming to a close. It’s been such a fun and enriching experience to participate in this program and learn from all the engineers, nurses, and other professionals involved in the healthcare system and innovation here in Bilbao.
We began our day with a final group presentation reviewing all the key takeaways from the program. We also discussed the Spanish healthcare system from a user’s perspective, and elaborated on the similarities and differences that exist between the US and Spanish system. After this, we visited the robotic arm prosthetic club and got to learn about the design process they’ve implemented. It was interesting to learn how they 3-D printed silicon pieces that were unique to the prosthetic user. These pieces would act as a protective barrier between the prosthetic and the users skin. We also visited a lab dedicated to designing electric guitars. The length of their guitar is actually unique to that of any other well known company, and it was fascinating to learn that they construct every part of the guitars themselves. I even got to play a little bit of a song on one of their finished models. It’s so cool to see how the university really encourages its students to participate in teams like these.
We had our final lunch in the cafeteria and it was absolutely delicious. My vegetable stew appetizer was simply exquisite! After our meal, we took the metro to Getxo to reach the hanging bridge. It was very very windy and rainy, but what would Bilbao be without its rain.
We took the elevator up the side tower of the bridge, and got to walk all the way across and back. It was very cold and windy, and we felt the bridge sway at times. The bridge is very cool because the cart that moved back and forth each end actually runs autonomously 24/7, all year round. The cart has space for a handle of cars and then separate passenger areas. It’s an impressive engineering design, but at times, I was a little bit worried the wind would blow us away. Once we got back down from the hanging bridge, we took a big group trip to a warm coffee shop, where we enjoyed some coffee, hot chocolate, and chocolate croissants. Truly a delectable treat.
After our midday break, we returned to metro to make the trek to our beachside dinner. I had one of the best burgers EVER, but more importantly, I had a fantastic time talking with all the friends I made throughout this program. Although the weather wasn’t in our favor, it was such a great day. I couldn’t be more grateful for having the privilege of joining this fantastic group of people on Plus3 Spain, and I hope to take what I have learned throughout this experience to become a better student and engineer. I hope the blogs were entertaining and thank you for tagging along!
Eskerrik asko Bilbao, hurrengora arte!
