In November a group of 16 topographers came to Úbeda from Państwowe Szkoły Budownictwa im. prof. Mariana Osińskiego in Gdańsk.  The objective of the trainees’ work was to create 4 different topographic plans of the North Park in Úbeda, using the AutoCAD program. They had the possibility to work with new tools that they had never used before. The plan was as follows: find the base points, measure the coordinates between these points and do a topographic survey.  Each day they started with a theoretical part and immediately had the possibility to apply the theory in practice, going out into the field. The topographic survey had to include all the details, such as curbs, trees, benches, culverts, etc. The weather didn’t help them during the work as it was raining a lot, but in spite of that, the trainees from Gdańsk achieved the final goal.

Apart from their practices, they also had a possibility to travel around Andalusia region; their first trip was to Granada which is located at the foot of the mighty Sierra Nevada. For centuries its landscapes and magnificent monuments has delighted the viewers. The biggest development of the city took place during the reign of Muslim dynasties. The trainees had the opportunity to hear about the history of the Reconquest and the importance of the Catholic Monarchs: Isabella and Ferdinand. In addition, they visited, among others, the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary since the Incarnation; The Royal Chapel where rest the bodies of the Isabella and Ferdinand are. And the last point of the trip was the long-awaited Alhambra where Ferdinand and Isabella posted a flag as a symbol of the conquest of Granada. They also visited Córdoba, a large Andalusian city located on the banks of the Guadalquivir River. Córdoba was the largest city in the Mediterranean basin, as well as an important center of science, culture and art with countless mosques, public baths, hospitals, libraries and colleges. The city was culturally tolerant, which allowed the peaceful coexistence of three major religions: Islam, Christianity and Judaism. Finally, they visited Baeza which is a town located near Úbeda, in the province of Jaén. It is famous for one of the best-preserved examples of Renaissance architecture in Spain. Baeza together with Ubeda have been on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 2003.

For each of the students the internship in Spain was unforgettable experience which helped them improve their skills but also make friends and get to know Spanish culture. Some of them will definitely come back here soon!