Going Abroad Next Semester

Next semester I'm headed off to Madrid, Spain for the semester and I'm really excited to start a blog while I am there to document some of my experiences.  I was in Spain last semester too and I also did a blog, but I think this time I will be a little more prepared after taking this news writing class.  I'm going to try to take the principles I learned from this class and apply them to my writing next semester.  For example, just making the intros to my blog posts catchy and exciting, just like a good lead in a news story, will be very important.  Although these blog posts will probably be predominately read by family members, that doesn't mean the posts can't be snazzy and provoke interest.  Also, I would really like to try to get up the bravery to test out my interviewing skills in Spanish.  I would love write mini articles on my blog with quotes from real Spaniards to add a touch of intimacy.  That way I could actually record some stories from people and gain insight into aspects of Spanish culture I may never have realized otherwise as well as helping to increase my fluency in the language.  For example, the economic crisis in Spain is a big deal right now with trash workers going on strike in Madrid and trash overflowing on the streets because there's no one there to pick it up.  It would be so cool to interview a trash worker or a citizen who's fed up with trash lining their street in order to understand more completely the effects of the crisis on the average citizen and get that out to people back in the US who may never hear about what's happening in Spain.