Alison’s blog: Sevilla, Spain

Alison is participating on the ISA Sevilla Fall 3 program.  She writes, “I have never felt more blessed to be granted the opportunity to study abroad at the Menéndez Pelayo International University in Sevilla, Spain. I recognize that I have been given the opportunity of a lifetime and definitely plan to take advantage of my three months in this beautiful country. I am planning on taking exclusively Spanish Language and Culture classes in order to progress my Spanish fluency as well as my understanding of the Spanish way of life. I am also thrilled to be a part of the “Intercultural Development and Global Culture Understanding” internship with my university, where I will be working with kindergarten students with the goal of increasing their understanding of American culture, while tutoring them in several elementary subjects.”

Read more on her blog:  http://mysevilleblog.blogspot.com/

Explore Bilbao on a Stationary Bike

This morning, I turned on the TV in my host mum’s kitchen to watch the news while I ate breakfast, like I do for most meals. However, this morning, I was greeted by a very happy surprise!

Euskal Irrati Telebista (Eitb), the Basque Country‘s public broadcasting service, has created a program called “In English, Please”, to entertain and educate the people of the Basque country in English, of course.

The show is hosted by Alan Griffin, an Australian politician, who has apparently taken a break from his day job to ramble around Euskadi on his bicycle, attempting to speak with locals in English along the way.

Not only is this program highly entertaining (just get an eye full of the title sequence, which shows Griffin pedaling away on his stationary bike at various locales to the tune of Queen’s “Bicycle Race“), but you actually learn a lot about Bilbao about the Basque Country along the way.

For instance, you can explore the Guggenheim Museum

You can learn how the Bilbao Fútbol Club was founded by the English

“In English, Please” 5th Lesson: Bilbao Fútbol Club

Hear from locals about how Bilbao has changed from an industrial backwater to a modern metropolis

“In English, Please” 6th Lesson: Bilbao

Explore the city’s lovely parks and plazas

Or, you can just enjoy this video of Basque children singing The Beatle’s “Hello Goodbye”

So, if you are at all curious about Bilbao, why not explore the city with a funny man on a bicycle?

– Emily Bowman, DUSA Student Blogger, Bilbao Fall 2012