When I was 25 years old and still working toward an AA degree in Journalism/Mass Communications at what's now Miami-Dade College, I was accepted into the College Consortium for International Studies' Semester in Spain program. For 12 weeks in the Fall Term of the 1988-89 academic year, I lived and studied in Seville, Spain's third largest city, along with 41 other students from around the U.S.

Not knowing what, exactly, I was getting myself into, I also volunteered to send dispatches from Seville to Catalyst, my home campus' student newspaper as its first foreign correspondent. Having had several years' worth of experience as a reporter and section editor, I thought that it would be a somewhat tricky but still manageable assignment, but in the days before the Internet and e-mail were available to the average person, it ended up being harder and more frustrating than I'd bargained for.

Nevertheless, I did manage to, as we reporter types like to say, get the story, and between Dec. 1, 1988 to December 13, 1989, Catalyst ran an intermittent series of columns I wrote both during and after my study-abroad stint.

Because my thoughts and impressions of the time are far clearer than any I could try to write down some 18 years after coming home, I present the prospective study-abroad student (or his parents) with an article written nearly 12 months after my homecoming from Spain.

All prices and expenses mentioned below are, of course, from 1988; if you are interested in participating in a study-abroad program, head to your college or university's Foreign Language Department and inquire within.

From the December 13, 1989 issue of Catalyst, Miami-Dade Community College (South Campus)

Study-abroad program gave me learning text never could

Alex Diaz-Granados

Managing Editor

One of the most interesting aspects of taking a foreign language course is the opportunity to participate in one of the various study-abroad programs offered by the Foreign Language Department's Overseas Study Program.

I know because last year I participated in the Miami-Dade Community College/College Consortium for International Studies' Semester in Spain program.

For three months in the fall of 1988, 42 students (including me) from colleges and universities all over the United States lived and studied in Seville, one of Spain's largest and most beautiful cities.

And, for many of us, it was a learning experience unlike any other.

Not only did we learn more about the Spanish language, but we also came back with insights about Spain's culture, history and people that aren't available in any textbook.

We went to classes (ranging from the required language courses to classes dealing with Spain's history, political system and artistic heritage) Mondays through Thursdays -- either at the CCIS Center or the main campus of the University of Seville -- while most Fridays we went on cultural visits to places of interest in and around Seville.

There were also day trips to such places as Jerez de la Frontera, La Rabida and Cordoba.

We also went on an overnight trip to the city of Granada, the city whose architecture inspired George Merrick when he founded Coral Gables back in the '20s.

Of course, there were other benefits as well.

We learned how to live in a vastly different cultural environment on our own. (Even though one could make an argument that transferring to an out-of-state institution is a similar experience, it's like comparing cats and dogs.)

We not only had to learn a foreign language and take a 15-credit course load, we had to adapt to the average Spaniard's lifestyle (especially mealtimes), difficult as that may have been to us Americans.

My fellow CCISer Wendy Page, sophomore, said, "My experiences in Seville have helped me become a stronger person with broader horizons in both heart and mind."

My own horizons were expanded by my three-month stay in Spain. I learned a great deal about how other people live, and how those people perceive the United States, mainly through living and arguing with two Spanish roommates, Demetrio and Juan Carlos.

The cost of my trip to Seville, including hotels, tour buses, tuition (for 15 credits), and airfare was approximately $3,500. Rent and extra food was another $1,500.

This may sound like a lot of money, but you can get guaranteed student loans from Financial Aid. Also, Pell Grants will cover cost of tuition at Miami-Dade prices ($76.80 for a three-credit class).

It's Veterans' Day. If you are currently on active duty, a veteran, a service spouse, or relative of one of the men and women who wear the uniform of the United States of America, thank you for your sacrifices, devotion to duty and love of country. To those who say that reading books about military history is not "for" them, I can only say this. I respect you and wouldn't want to twist your arm to read at least one good book about American soldiers at war, but I think that enough of us read, say, Citizen Soldiers or Day of Battle, we'd understand the meaning of Veterans Day a bit more and feel more connected to our airmen, soldiers, sailors, Marines and Coast Guard personnel.

Where have all the HVs and Comments gone?  I write good reviews on a regular basis, read and rate other reviews every day, and as of late, I'm lucky if I get just one rate and/or comment.

I must be on a writing groove today. Not only did I do a review here today, but I also wrote an article for Associated Content!

For those who may be interested, here's the URL:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2316952/five_terrific_gift_ideas_that_wont.html?cat=46

Yowza! I broke the 75K View Barrier! Hopefully I'll get to 100K review reads way before September of 2010!

300 reviews! I finally did my 300th! Of course this was more, shall we say, relevant in the pre-VIP days when Viewpoints had the Publisher's Circle award for 400 reviews. Now it's probably less impressive.....But I got to 300. That makes me somewhat happy.

I've updated my review of Band of Brothers to reflect my recent purchase of the Blu-ray edition of that awesome HBO miniseries.  The basic content of the Blu-ray set is essentially the same as the DVD edition, but HBO Home Video has addressed some of the issues I had with the DVDs (pricing and lack of English-language subtitles) plus added a few new features exclusive to the Blu-rays!

Today there's some improvement as far as my cold is concerned; I still get a few coughing fits now and then but its mostly dry coughs now, and my nose no longer runs. My throat is still a tad sore and I have a bit of a headache, but I was able to get some online work done and a review written....... I want to thank my Viewpoints friends for all their kind comments and good wishes; they raised my spirits and quite possibly speeded up my getting-over-the-worst-part-of-the-cold stage! Thanks a billion, gang!

Funny (peculiar, not ha-ha) bit of data: Writing and colds don't mix well, at least not for me. Even if I don't have a headache (because the DayQuil has it under control), my nose tends to run when I'm trying to concentrate. Not exactly fun, since I can't sit still and NOT write!

Ugh. I have a nasty, nasty cold.  I managed to write something for today - barely - and now I feel as though I ran the marathon.

Wow! I like the new badges and titles! I know there's still room for improvement in some things, but all in all, I like the new VIP program.

Got my 280th Review in, too!

Happy Independence Day since it'll be July 4th by the time most of my VP friends read this!

Did my 250th Viewpoints review today. 250th! Who'd have "thunk" it?!?!

Check out my recently published content on AC:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1620547/obamas_first_100_days_the_trouble_with.html">Obama's First 100 Days: the Trouble with Hugo, or Re-Engaging a Leftist-Leaning Latin Americ

Thanks to everyone for the nice comments regarding my reaching the Writer 4 rank; I really appreciate it.  Hopefully it won't take me 15 months to get to the next level. (Maybe we ought to have Writer 5 ranks to make the climb up a bit more tolerable?)