by Alexander Bisceglia

I am honored to have had the opportunity this summer to go on two study abroad trips through UML. In May, I traveled to the Azores, a picturesque set of islands left relatively undisturbed by tourism and brimming with its own distinct culture. Now in July, I have had the opportunity to visit two more European countries, Spain and France. This has provided me a unique opportunity to compare and contrast these three locations that have some surprising similarities and differences. 

Going to France

On the 17th, after a shorter than usual Spanish language class, we met up with the students from Session 1 of the trip and traveled as a group to two towns in the southern tip of France. These towns were Biarritz and Saint Jean de Luz, and like San Sebastian, they both are home to a large Basque population, and share the same cultural roots. However, these towns in France don’t see the same amount of Basque influence due to differences in how the Basque people were treated under both Spanish and French rule. While I didn’t have time to fully witness the culture of the French towns we visited, it was interesting to see how the Basque influence in each city differed. While there, we got ice cream and listened to a small group of musicians perform in the street, something I’ve noticed is very common here. Often we will just stumble upon a celebration by the water with live music and people dancing. We ate crepes and macarons whose recipe is such a secret that it is only known by three people. Needless to say, it was all delicious.

Architecture

Since I arrived, I have been fascinated by the architecture of San Sebastian, and Spain in general. So many of the buildings have such ornate features and beautiful designs. It feels like everywhere I look I see something as gorgeous as the only best looking buildings back home. On our bus ride up to Biarritz, I had the opportunity to watch towns pass by as we drove along the highway, and I was able to see some of the less urban architecture of the country, which is something I would not have gotten to experience had I only stayed in San Sebastian. If I can, I would love to travel to a more rural area of the Basque country later on during my stay here. As amazing as the city here is, I also would love to get to see the full picture of the people and the places here. It’s interesting to compare Spanish/European infrastructure and its counterparts in the United States as well. The roads and highways here, while functionally the same and visually very similar, are in other ways very different, including lane sizes, street signs, the color of road markings, and many other aspects. 

Cities and Tourism

Compared to the cities of Ponta Delgada and Horta in the Azores, Saint Jean de Luz and especially Biarritz seem to have a much more diverse population, likely due to the fact that they are not as secluded, and attract more tourism. Only recently has tourism grown in the Azores. From my observations, San Sebastian sits somewhere in the middle. This might be largely in part to its Basque heritage, which, similar to the culture of the Azores, is prevalent throughout every aspect of life here. It can be very easy to whittle down places like Biarritz to just its stunning beaches, but I can almost guarantee that were I to stay for an extended period of time in the region, I would be able to see the same rich cultural history that I saw in the Azores and that I see in San Sebastian.

Language Barriers

I feel very American whenever I visit somewhere that does not primarily speak English. While I took French classes in high school, I definitely don’t remember enough to feel confident speaking it to locals. I was worried when going to the Azores about the language barrier, since that was my first experience in another country that doesn’t speak English. But since then, and especially after staying in San Sebastian taking Spanish classes, I’ve become more comfortable living in a city where I might not know anything being said around or to me. Because of these prior experiences, for the first time I was able to go to a new country and feel confident getting around despite not knowing any of the language. What also helps greatly is the fact that everyone else also speaks English as a second language. When I say I feel very American, I’m referring to an experience I’ve had now in all three countries I’ve visited: I attempt to go to a store or restaurant and order something in the native language, only for the person I’m speaking to to respond in perfect English. It is definitely a humbling experience.

A Return To Town

After a long day of stunning views and sunny beaches, we returned to San Sebastian, just in time to witness the sunset along the beach. Unfortunately, I did get a flat tire on my bike earlier in the morning, which only made me realize how much I had been relying on it since I arrived in San Sebastian. Fortunately, the city also has good public transit, and is mostly walkable. I didn’t have long to mourn my tire though, not before myself and a majority of the students from Session 2 took a relaxing swim in the ocean and wandered around experiencing the night life of this amazing city.