Today marked our last full day in Bilbao. It still feels unreal that the trip is already coming to an end. Over the past week, I’ve had the chance to meet so many incredible people, learn from amazing professionals, and experience a completely different culture and healthcare system. It has been such a meaningful experience! I know these memories will stay with me for a long time.
We started the morning back at the university for one final discussion focused on healthcare, pinpointing several differences between the healthcare system in Spain and the United States. One topic that stood out to me was how healthcare decisions in Spain are much less influenced by cost. It seems that care is much more accessible for people in Bilbao. Specifically, we learned more about prenatal care and how expecting mothers in Spain routinely receive regular monitoring and testing throughout pregnancy. Comparing this to the United States really highlighted how factors like insurance coverage and affordability can affect the quality of care people receive. This also influences our country’s maternal mortality rate.
After the presentation, we visited two different student engineering projects at the university. One group showed us a prosthetic arm they have been developing using 3D printing. They explained how they are working directly with an amputee to improve the functionality and comfort of the design. It was their first year with this project so it was not done yet, but it was very impressive to see how much they did in just one year! It was also inspiring to see engineering and healthcare combined in such a practical and impactful way. We then toured another lab where students design and build electric guitars from scratch. They walked us through the entire process, including assembling the electrical components.
Later in the afternoon, we took the metro to Getxo to visit the famous Vizcaya Bridge. We took an elevator to the top and walked across the enclosed pathway above the river. Although I am scared of heights, this felt very safe to me! The views were beautiful and the experience was unlike anything I had done before. Watching cars and people being transported underneath us made the bridge even more fascinating and unique.
To finish the night, we headed to a restaurant by the beach for our farewell dinner. We shared appetizers together before enjoying our meals and dessert while reflecting on the trip. It was bittersweet knowing it was our final evening together, but the atmosphere was full of laughter and appreciation for the memories we had made. On the bus ride back to the hotel, everyone sang karaoke and spent the ride joking around and enjoying each other’s company one last time. It was the perfect end!!
This trip has been eye-opening in so many ways. I learned not only about healthcare and engineering in another country, but also about the importance of stepping outside of your comfort zone and connecting with new people. I’m incredibly thankful for this opportunity and for everyone who helped make this experience unforgettable! I will forever be grateful to have been able to experience this!
