I'd never have learned to love mangoes if I hadn't gone to Guatemala. And I'd never have gone to Guatemala if I hadn't gone to Durham Tech.

It was at the community college that teacher Connie Gomez-Joines told me I had to go to a Spanish-speaking country to really test my language skills.

My Durham Tech classes opened my eyes to the community college, and to the world. I've been a booster since.

Maybe it's the small class size; maybe it's the emphasis on teaching that so often seems lost at the larger four-year schools.

Maybe it's the parking.

Studies show students who transfer to four-year schools after two years at Durham Tech often outperform students who started at those schools as freshmen.

It's no surprise really. Students at Durham Tech, often lower income, often older, are motivated to succeed. The two we interviewed Monday -- one working her way through college as a cashier, the other changing careers after the automotive and real estate industries tanked --thought hard about their choice.

That's not to say other students don't. It's just to show that Durham Tech is different.

And sometimes better.