I spent the 1991-92 school year in the Basque Country, trying to learn Basque and learning a bit more Spanish. It was my first time to the Basque Country and it really opened my eyes as to what life was like in the Basque Country. I had learned something about the traditional culture, primarily dance, when I was a kid, but I hadn’t realized that the Basque Country, like everywhere, was a modern, vibrant place that was continuously evolving. All that to say that the exchange program that I participated in was, literally, life-changing. Ateak Ireki is a new cultural exchange program with the goal of exposing young Basques in the diaspora to the life and culture of the Basque Country today. If you are interested, registration for summer 2026 ends soon.

• Ateak Ireki means “Open Doors” in Basque and the program has the primary goal of giving young Basques in the diaspora the chance to experience life in the Basque Country first hand. For three weeks, these youngsters spend time with families in the Goierri region in southern Gipuzkoa (where incidentally Mutiloa, the town my great grandfather Blas Telleria was from, is).
• The program hopes to strengthen ties between the Basque Country and the Basque diaspora. Participants learn about traditional aspects of Basque culture including language, dance and literature but also network with local and business leaders to help establish new professional connections.
• Participants live with a local family that speaks primarily Basque at home (though knowledge of Basque beforehand is not a requirement). Each family also has someone at home of a similar age to each participant and each also has an English speaker at home. All this to make each participant feel as welcome as possible while they also get an immersive experience.
• Registration for the summer 2026 program is open until December 7. Participants must be between 18 and 25 years old, become a member of the North American Basque Organization after being accepted, and participate in all activities. There is also opportunity for chaperones.
• The program is inspired by the cultural exchange program between Boise and Oñati that occurred in the 1970s. That program, spearheaded by Pat Bieter and Jon Bilbao, was instrumental in giving the Basque diaspora of Idaho and by extension the American West a huge boost. Many of the leading figures of the Basque diaspora of the United States participated in that program.

A full list of all of Buber’s Basque Facts of the Week can be found in the Archive.

Primary sources: Ateak Ireki