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there was a line of students waiting to use it. Early one night while I was studying at the library, I made a call and spoke Spanish. One of my law classmates overheard me speaking Spanish and asked me where I was born. I told her I was born in Cuba. She then asked me if I was returning to Cuba to practice law after graduation. I looked at my classmate (and anyone who knows me knows that I do not have a poker face) in total disbelief. But I had only seconds to decide which road to take — either to educate or to say something I might regret later. I chose the former. I said, “Yes, I speak Spanish, but no, I would not return to Cuba after graduation to practice law.” I explained that my family came over on a freedom flight one month before the missile crisis in 1962 seeking freedom in the United States from the Socialist/Communist tyranny of Fidel Castro’s Cuba. I explained that I would never return even to visit Cuba while the rule of communism existed. I also added that I had just finished almost five years of military service before enrolling at Iowa Law. Finally, I explained that exchange students were not allowed by Castro and the regime. She apologized and I told her no worries. We became friends after that and I was so happy I chose the high road. But I realized then that not everyone knows the “Cuba” story like we know it in Florida. Year one ended and I was on my way to becoming Perry Mason. More on my Iowa experience in Part IV.

a combination thereof — and I needed all the help I could get, so I always prayed before those exams for wisdom and knowledge. I was staying in a downtown Iowa City hotel and proceeded to walk to St Patrick’s. It was only a block or so away from my hotel. I got to the church location and saw no church. I asked myself, come on, it was here on this spot. But I concluded my memory failed me, so I walked a few more blocks in search of the church. No luck. I scratched my head and was perplexed, I could not believe I couldn’t find the church located right in the heart of downtown Iowa City. Finally, I saw a police officer and asked him where it was, and I felt foolish in doing so because I had been there so many times. The officer told me that the church was destroyed in a 2006 tornado. I was shocked. Each week I faced the challenge of law school and each week I felt stronger and more confident. After almost five years in the military, and earning my undergraduate degree by attending night school while on active duty, I realized how blessed and fortunate I was to be a full-time student without any other responsibilities. Another interesting incident happened to me at Iowa Law that I found sad, but quite frankly, also humorous. The lesson I learned from this incident is that not everyone knows your story, or keeps up with the news, and you can either educate them or be a smart aleck. I chose to educate. In those pre-cell phone days, I used the law library telephone. Each call was limited to just a few minutes, and usually

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