On our last day in Spain, we returned to the Bilbao School of Engineering for our final few presentations. The first presentation talked about the design process: identifying a problem, creating a rough draft, building a prototype, ensuring objectives are met, and creating a final product. The presenter, Mikel, elaborated on each step, explaining how…

Today we spent the day hiking! Our first stop was San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, a chapel on an inslet off the Basque coast. The chapel was difficult to reach, as we had to hike 241 steps through a narrow cobblestone walkway to reach the top. As someone afraid of heights, I made sure to slowly…

Today started early, as we had to report to the hotel lobby by 8 AM and be prepared for a company visit. It was extra chaotic, as we were traveling to Gernika, a small town in the Basque region where we planned to spend the rest of the trip. I was excited- we had spent…

Today we were back in one of the labs at the Bilbao School of Engineering, taking a closer look at the Oreka Balance project, an engineering lab that our guide, Saioa, had discussed earlier in the week. We met with a PHD student in her lab, Paul, and he walked us through how they developed…

Today we took full advantage of the sunny weather in Spain, visiting a flea market in Bilbao before heading over to San Sebastián for the rest of the day. The journey to San Sebastián was quick,and provided us with amazing views of the Spanish countryside on the ride there. We began our visit with an…

Today, we prioritized the culture of Bilbao, going to a cooking class and visiting a local market. As a member of group one, I was among the first to arrive in Kitxen, eager to prepare my own Baque meal. The class mainly focused on meal prep: we cut up onions, peeled potatoes and diced cilantro,…

Today, we visited Gorliz Hospital, a coastal hospital 45 minutes from Bilbao that started out as a child rehabilitation center. As time progressed it transformed into a hospital for adult care. The friendly, relaxed energy from its time as a children’s hospital is still evident with the layout of the hospital, which features several large…

Day 3 brought a balance of work and play into our routine, as we spent the first half of the day listening to fascinating bioengineering lectures and the second half exploring the Guggenheim Museum.  In the morning, the Bilbao professor that we are connected with, Saioa Herrero, talked about her research with Hospital Gorliz. Over…