Today was our final day in Bilbao, and I can’t believe the trip is already over. I’ve met some of the best people, and I truly couldn’t be more grateful for this experience. In the morning, we headed to the School of Engineering one last time. We had a presentation about the healthcare system in…

Today was our second-to-last full day in Bilbao, and it started bright and early with a company visit. We went to Tekniker, an engineering firm located in the mountains. We began with a brief presentation about the company. It is a private, non-profit organization with around 100 collaborations and projects with businesses and hospitals. They…

Today, we started off by heading over to the School of Engineering for a few presentations. The first focused on balance and its three main components, which are visual, auditory, and vestibular. We learned that if one of these systems is impaired, balance can be affected. We also discussed concepts like the base of support,…

Today, we headed over to the School of Engineering right after breakfast. We visited a research group to learn about different types of wheelchairs and how they can be better suited for patients needing long-term care. The specific wheelchair we looked at had pressure sensors designed to help prevent falls by tracking the patient’s center…

We started the day with breakfast before heading to a nearby restaurant for chocolate and churros. It definitely felt a little weird to have chocolate that early, but it was so good. After that, we went to a flea market and spent some time wandering around and shopping. There was jewelry, books, CDs, flowers, and…

We started our day on the bus heading to San Sebastián, a coastal city on the Bay of Biscay. First, we went to the top of a mountain, which had beautiful views. There were a couple of rides at the top and a few cute shops, so we wandered around for a bit and took…

We had another bright and early morning with breakfast before heading to another hospital tour. We started with a presentation that gave a brief history and overview of the hospital. It was really interesting to hear more about the differences between our healthcare systems. One of the nurses mentioned that she had lived in the…

Our day started bright and early with breakfast before getting on the bus to visit Gogoa Mobility Robots, a private hospital and research center focused on rehabilitation technology. We learned a brief history of the facility and how it has developed into a leader in mobility support. One of the most interesting parts of the…

Today was our third full day in Bilbao, and it focused on learning about research, education, and how ideas are applied to real-world applications. We had two presentations in the morning. During the first presentation, we compared nursing education in Spain versus the United States. My biggest surprise was how many clinical hours nursing students…

Today was our second full day in Bilbao, and it focused on healthcare in a different setting. After breakfast, we took a bus to Gorliz Hospital. The location immediately stood out because the hospital is right next to the beach. Without even stepping foot inside, I could feel a sense of calm, and I realized…

Today was our first full day in Bilbao. After a long travel day and a good night’s rest, we started the day with breakfast at the hotel. We went to the Bilbao School of Engineering and began with an information session about Bilbao and everything the school has to offer. It was really interesting to…

Hi, my name is Kyla Spengler! I am a current freshman at the University of Pittsburgh majoring in nursing, and I also plan to complete a Global Health Certificate. One day, I hope to become a CRNA. I’m from Nazareth, PA, and although I’m not too far from home, I’ve really enjoyed living in the…