Our last Saturday in San Sebastian, or as the locals call it, Donostia, started a little earlier than most, namely the night before at a Blues festival. It took almost an hour by bus to arrive at the festival, but once there it was well worth the trouble. We saw several bands playing: some were local and many from the United States; I enjoyed both. Some of my music major friends were a little miffed that they only played the same chords but I can’t tell the difference, so I enjoyed it despite their apparent flaws.
We caught the 12:30 bus back to Donostia and made it back around 1:00, where we then proceeded to meet up and hang out with some friends instead of going to bed. On our way back home we encountered a fellow American who had enjoyed the benefits of wine being cheaper than water a little too heartily. The poor fellow did not know where he was and was a danger to himself. The police were called but could not do anything to help and told us to just leave him on the street. As a nursing major I could not let this poor kid fend for himself all night in the streets when there was a chance of him hurting himself. With some friends (two of them fellow nursing majors) we got him off the street and stayed with him until we could get and ambulance to take him to the hospital. In all honesty I enjoyed having that encounter because it was my fist real nursing experience.
Donostia ended up not only being the place where I better my Spanish but also where I get my first hands-on experience for my major. Finally getting home around 3:00 in the morning, I preceded to sleep until 1:00 pm, by which point I dragged myself out of bed and went to meet some friends at La Concha (one of the beaches) to watch the boat races. Fortunately the day took a turn for the better and we enjoyed a nice day of shopping and relaxing in the presence of a shy sun.
The day ended with delicious empanadas from a region south of Donostia where my host mother’s family is from. Unlike a traditional empanada, it almost looked like an apple turnover but with meat filling; it was delicious. That night we decided to check out some bars in the old part of the city (Parte Vieja) and then go dancing at the local discotec. We met people from all over the world: France, Australia, California, and even a couple of locals. All in all it was a long, fulfilling day, just one of many in the adventure-filled world that in Donostia.
