pais vasco

From Britain to the Basque country

By Sarah Vallis

Why I came to Spain

To improve my Spanish

To learn about the culture

As part of my university degree

For a once in a lifetime opportunity

Bilbao

Places I have visited in the Basque Country

Ermua

Durango

Getaria

San Sebastian

Gernika

Butron castle

San Juan de Gaztelugatxe

Places I have visited in Spain

Barcelona

Oviedo

Cádiz for carnival!

Seville

Madrid

Mallorca

Differences Siesta and Sundays

In the UK shops are open between 9 and 6. Shops are open on Sundays but with limited hours.

Kettles and Tea

We love our tea and have it everywhere. Kettles to make tea are common in every house.

Strikes

A lot more common in Spain. In the UK students don’t have the right to strike.

Differences

Houses

In the UK the majority of people live in two-storey houses with a garden.

Fashion

It is very common to see men wearing Basque berets. Piercings are also more common here.

Learning Languages

There’s less emphasis on learning languages in the UK.

Food and Drink

Pintxos do not exist in the UK.

In Britain, this is fairly common on the weekends…

Food and drink are quite cheap in Spain, especially alcohol.

Similarities

THE WEATHER!

In both Britain and the Basque Country the weather is unpredictable.

In Bilbao it rains 45% of the time (according to Wikipedia).

Thank you for an amazing year!