Our day today began a little earlier than most! We had to be at the university about 45 minutes earlier to get on a bus to the town of Tortosa, about an hour ride. When we arrived we were running a little late due to the bus being late, however in true Spanish fashion we still took about 20 minutes to stop and get coffee and little snack! I ordered my usual of cafè con leche, and then split a little breakfast sandwich that had tomato and eggs on it in the cafeteria at the URV Tortosa campus. Afterwards we took a group photo with some of the professors from the university and then saw a little bit of the campus over there! Got back on the bus to tour a geriatric facility. It was Hospital that was functionally separated by floors. The first floor was more of an outpatient type rehab center, and then it seemed to be more permanent as we moved up. In the second and third floor there were physical therapy and occupational therapy units where they told us the patients would stay for longer care, about a month, and work on there physical skills after a surgery or an injury of sorts. There were also units on the floor that had full rooms with kitchens and multiple beds so family members could come and stay with their loved ones if they chose to stay in the hospital for their last few days and pass peacefully in the facility. The very top floor was what they called the nursing home, so the longer term facility for elders to live if they can’t live on their own. Due to the universal system in Spain we learned most facilities are completely public and paid for by tax dollars, this facility being no exception. It is completely public, therefore they have waiting lists for resident spots in the nursing home and it can take a little while to get your family member placed there. It was very obvious that the nurses were well liked, as they had orchids and many other flowers and items given to them by the patients and their families they were able to get close to during their time there. It’s awesome to see so much appreciation for the nursing staff there and know that they truly do touch the loves of patients! Something to look forward to in the future! After that tour we’re teeates to an amazing lunch that consisted of four courses and wine! I personally had bread and salad, a seafood macaroni, pork ribs with potatoes, and then flan! The food was amazing and it was so nice to experience new foods together. Some students tried the rabbit legs, which looked interesting and were apparently tasty! Lastly, we took a walking tour of the city of Tortuga, which was extremely historic and the beauty of the buildings, roads, artwork, houses, and culture was just as breath taking as it is in Tarragona. We saw another cathedral and roadways that the Romans also built that are said to still lead back to Rome. Overall it was a jam packed day full of learning new things about the healthcare system and history of Spain, and wine of course 🙂
Market in Tortosa
