The day started with a bike ride to La Cunza, the school where we study Spanish with other international students. Biking through San Sebastián in the morning is the perfect way to see the city at its most peaceful and scenic time of the day. The smell of cafes opening, families walking by the beach, the ocean breeze blowing as we drift through the streets. After class we were visited by the author, Marti Buckley, who wrote the books, Basque Country: A Culinary Journey Through a Food Lover’s Paradise and The Book of Pintxos: Discover the Legendary Small Bites of Basque Country.
Marti shared with us an amazing story of how she came to live in Spain, her pursuit of culinary arts, and her journey of becoming an author. Hearing Marti’s story in person gave so much more weight to the books we read prior to the study abroad trip. She talked about how she first came to Spain temporarily, where she worked in a restaurant kitchen of predominantly men and worked her way up to becoming an experienced chef. It wasn’t easy, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that she wanted to come back and build a life there. Eventually she found a program that allowed her to return to Spain permanently through visa, and that’s when she really started to dive into experimenting with Basque cuisine.
What stuck with me most was how she realized that no books were made specifically about this culture’s food and decided she had to be the first person to do it. I also admire her courage and perseverance because she didn’t begin with any type of professional test kitchen, but instead she did it right in her apartment even going into the late hours of the nights after work. She experimented with recipes, testing and tweaking until she got them right. Those experiments eventually paved the way to her cookbooks as she was able to publish them through the help of her connections with one the best publishers around.
Beyond food, Marti’s message was really about pursuing a career that fulfills you. She also reminded us that even though our parents can seem disapproving or unsupportive of our choices, it often comes from love and wanting the best for their children which is something I resonated with.
Afterwards, we shifted gears completely and went to the Albaola Maritime Culture Factory. We caught a city bus and then walked through streets near the port until we reached Albaola. Albaola is both a museum and a working shipyard, dedicated to keeping Basque maritime traditions alive. At first I was a little skeptical because I’m personally not a fan of museums but I’m pleased to say that this tour certainly did not disappoint.
Inside, the air smelled of sawdust and resin which a lot of people seemed to like for some reason . The people worked with hug wooden beams, fascinating tools, and other traditional methods passed down through centuries. We learned about how Basque shipbuilders were among the first and best in Europe during the Age of Exploration. Their ships carried explorers and fishermen across the Atlantic, and they played a huge role in whaling as well. It blew my mind to realize that Basque sailors were able thrive on the boats living off cider for months before reaching land.
What made Albaola special was that it wasn’t just about looking at history behind glass. It’s a living school, where people from around the world come to learn shipbuilding the traditional way. Watching people dedicate themselves to preserving these techniques reminded me of Marti’s message about persistence. Whether it’s cooking or carpentry, a meaningful career is worth striving for.
From there we took a boat ride to Pasai San Juan, a small fishing neighborhood across the water. Compared to San Sebastián, it felt tucked away and almost frozen in time. Narrow streets wound between colorful houses with plants on balconies, and you could sense how closely tied the place is to their maritime culture. For example, we stopped inside a church that reflected that connection in a surprising way. Built into the decorations were models of ships and other related symbols which I found to be very unique.
Biking home through the streets of San Sebastián, it struck me how these lessons all blend together. Whether it’s writing a cookbook for others or building a ship by hand, the Basque Country shows that fulfillment comes from dedication, patience, and a willingness to keep going even when the path is uncertain.