Business administration major Irma Hernandez quickly learned how different American culture is from European culture when she arrived in Basque Country last month.
Hernandez was surprised to find that many of the local businesses in the region close for a few hours in the afternoon for what is known as “siesta” time, when workers can take a break to rest, eat and socialize.
“I was like ‘wait, we can’t go shopping?’” she said. “I love this because people actually enjoy their time there. They’re not in a rush to be somewhere. They’re enjoying the conversations that they’re having with other people. They’re living life.”
Hernandez was one of five students who participated in California State University, Bakersfield’s first-ever faculty-led trip to the region, which straddles the border between northern Spain and southwestern France. The program, which took place June 10-20, included visits to major cities such as Bilbao and San Sebastian in Spain and Saint-Jean-de-Luz in France.
The students had the opportunity to visit museums and famous historical sites, participate in city tours and hikes, meet with local business owners and sample the cuisine the Basque region is well-known for.
“We had a wonderful time. We packed a lot into two weeks,” said Dr. Steven Gamboa, who led the trip and serves as director of CSUB’s Institute for Basque Studies. “We had a great group of students. They were open to new experiences. They were excited to learn about this unique place, its culture and history.”
Spanish major Lisbet Cabrera Rivera was amazed by how much they were able to see and do during the trip.
“We visited a lot of places. It was more than what I expected,” she said. “It was exciting when we got to go off itinerary.”
Fellow business administration major Valerie Santos also appreciates how much the group was able to experience during the program.
“Each town that we visited had its own personality, and at every turn, there was so much nature and greenery. I will truly cherish each day spent uncovering these beautiful areas,” she said.
One of the aspects of the program Rivera enjoyed most was being able to have in-depth conversations with local residents using Spanish.
“It was nice to connect with other people and understand what they were saying, how they think. We have a very different culture and ways of thinking than they do,” she said.
Hernandez also speaks Spanish and, like Rivera, appreciated being able to talk to residents and gain a better understanding of their daily lives.
Hernandez recalls when the students went out to a bar one evening and initiated a conversation with the owner, who proceeded to give them a tour and talk about the bar’s long history.
“Being able to talk to him and learn what they do there was beautiful. I loved that he was excited to share with us,” she said.
Santos was surprised by how willing people were to talk to her and the other students.
“I was not expecting for the people from the Basque Country to be so friendly and polite. At each store and restaurant, we would be welcomed and encouraged to speak in Spanish,” she said. “The social environment challenged me to be more outgoing. I’m somewhat shy when it comes to socializing with new people. However, with the support of the professors and the friendliness of the Basque people, it made it very easy for me to converse with everyone.”
Dr. Gamboa said he was impressed by the students’ willingness and ability to engage directly with the locals.
“Most of the students spoke Spanish, so it was an interesting opportunity for them, especially since the Spanish part of Basque Country is where we stayed the majority of the time,” he said. “I didn’t realize how much this would add to their experience. It gave them more opportunities to get to know people and engage in everyday exchanges.”
The group mostly used public transportation during the trip, in part because Dr. Gamboa said he wanted to show students how much more developed it is in Europe compared to America.
“One of the things I wanted to impart through this trip is the way European societies are much more invested in providing public, communal amenities and services,” he said. “I wanted to show how public services really get a lot of attention, investment and care.”
One time while waiting for a bus to arrive, Dr. Gamboa was surprised to see some of the students initiate conversations with other people who were also waiting.
“That was a real surprise. It didn’t anticipate that they would feel comfortable enough to do those kinds of exchanges,” he said. “Because they could communicate so well with the people there, they didn’t need me to be their translator. It really let me off the hook a little bit of having to be the intermediary for all of their exchanges.”
The only time Dr. Gamboa had to significantly help the students communicate was when they spent a day in the French part of Basque Country, where residents don’t speak Spanish. Hernandez said that was probably the biggest challenge for her on the trip.
“I felt out of my comfort zone because I didn’t understand the language. That threw me off a bit,” she said.
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