Emily Bowman is a student at University of Denver and is an ISA Classmates Connecting Cultures blogger corresponding with the World Affairs Council of Houston. Emily is currently studying in Bilbao, Spain on a Fall 2 Program.
This morning, I turned on the TV in my host mum’s kitchen to watch the new 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 Beatles’ “Hello Goodbye”
So, if you are at all curious about Bilbao, why not explore the city with a funny man on a bicycle?
I’m living in Bilbao at the moment as an Erasmus student, this made me smile so much! :)