Surely each of us has listened to the tale of a friend's semester or academic year abroad. "It changed my life" is the most common opening line. In a survey of study abroad alumni conducted by The Institute for the International Education of Students (IES) in 2002, most respondents reported that studying abroad influenced their careers and educational choices, marked the beginning of lifelong pursuits, increased cultural awareness and tolerance, and launched lasting friendships.

Yet study abroad doesn't just offer these glorious benefits to college students! Educational travel is increasingly popular among curious travellers of all ages. With programs as short as a week, or as long as a year, study abroad offers students young and old the opportunity to study almost anything - academic subjects, local culture, language, the arts - while immersing themselves in the culture of another country and reaping the benefits.

The good news is you'll be astounded by how quickly you can improve your Spanish living in a Spanish-speaking country. Before I moved to Spain, I used to pop over regularly for immersion courses - a month here, 2 months there- and even then I was amazed by how important immersion is to language learning. Speaking a language. Listening to it, all day long. Hearing it in the background, having to spit out that sentence if you want to buy a train ticket.

The bad news is that even after years, it still takes effort to keep my Spanish in shape. To communicate the way I want to.

I was whining to my Spanish teacher about all the time I spend writing in English (because that's how I pay my bills) recently. I feel the impact of all of that English on my ability to be quick and fluent and funny and well, me, in Spanish at the end of the work day.

Well, I have a tip for that, too! I lived in Chicago before I moved to Spain, and fed my burgeoning Española by getting together once a week with a group of Chicagoans learning Spanish. We'd gather ever Tuesday at a a local Spanish restaurant, order up some tapas and vino, and officially ban English.   more »