Hello, my name is Tammy May and I am a student at University of Massachusetts Lowell. My major is nursing and the reason why I decided to take on study abroad is because I received the Riverhawk Immersive Scholars Scholarship. Out of the four opportunities given with the scholarship, I chose to study abroad. From the flier, I saw that San Sebastian was very beautiful so where’s a better place to be during the summer? It featured the blue ocean, clean beaches, a gorgeous and homey city, and I could pick up some Spanish while being there! It was unbelievable when I first arrived in Spain, I never expected it to be as mountainous and lush with vegetation. I can’t see much from my window in Olarain, the residency that we’re staying in, but a little further down, past these intricate homes is the landscape that was on the flier. 

After being here for a couple weeks, I’ve learned the way they live and I love it. They live a lifestyle that is stress free and comfortable. During my time here I’ve never seen anyone distressed besides us. This study abroad trip may be nice, but we still have a lot to get done as well as assignments. I wish we were able to stay longer and cross more off of our wishlists. But that’s why I plan to come back in the future, as it was truly enjoyable here. From the food, customer service, kindness, and experiences, everything was amazing. Besides one bus driver… Other than very few rude occurrences I’m very grateful for this opportunity. As my second time leaving New England, this experience was eye opening. I didn’t realize that we are living so miserably in the United States. Before this trip, I was eager to get a job and get started in the workforce as a healthcare worker. Then I thought that I probably won’t enjoy going back to the United States. The quality of life just is not as prioritized as it is here in San Sebastian or Europe in general. 

When we met Marty Buckley, I did not expect that experience to hit me the way that it did. Her story honestly inspired me. I was locked in when she told us about how she escaped the American lifestyle and followed her passion for Spain’s culture. I know that it took a couple years for her to get to where she is today but in the end it seems worth it. Marty Bucky attended Louisiana State University and studied abroad in Pamplona for 6 months. She fell in love with the cities and country of Spain. As her interests for basque grew, so did her passion for cooking and sharing her recipes, as well as experiences. Marty started cooking in restaurants and baking in bakeries soon after. There she recorded recipes and learned new skills. After she got accepted for a sponsorship from a big cook book company she studied how pintxos were made and how they came to be. Her books are highly informative and teach readers about the origin of pintxos and Basque culture. Marty’s first and second cookbook both took 4 years to create. When she first started both books she was pregnant and had a baby on the way. During the first book preparation Covid-19 also occurred. The world had shut down, family businesses closed, many people were ill or even died. She said she couldn’t interview all of the people she wanted to because they passed away during Covid-19. She was unable to find out how some of the best pintxos were created. As a perfectionist, she mentioned that she could’ve been done much sooner than when it was actually able to be published. 

It was fascinating to hear how some of the older pintxos were produced and what they were made of. Bars typically try to create their own signature pintxos and there are a couple that have the same type. Such as the very first pintxo, which is an anchovy, pickled peppers, and a green olive. At first it looked intimidating but then when I tried it, it wasn’t that bad. I enjoyed the pickled peppers and olive but the anchovy bones were a little too prickly for my tastes. For some, I was glad that I didn’t have a chance to try. Marty mentioned that she visited many provinces to see how some traditional pintxos were made. One of them was a sheep’s head that was boiled for hours. She also mentioned that every place makes them differently, there’s always at least one thing about them that’s different. 

The book signing with Marty Buckley changed my perspective on living somewhere other than the United States and might’ve even altered my future goals. I planned to live in the United States my whole life but outside of the United States is just as amazing. So on this trip to San Sebastian not only has taught me more Spanish but also taught me much more. That I still have a lot of time for change. That I should follow my passion and be happy with the life that I lived instead of slaving away at work for the rest of my life. As Professor Z quoted, “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go out and do it. Because what the world needs is the people who have come alive” (Howard Thurman).