I was talking to some of my students today and a couple of them were saying that they weren't going to take Spanish any more because languages are too difficult for them. It's always interesting for me to hear people say things like this because I know that they've already been through the most difficult parts, learning a language from zero and trying to adapt to new ways of thinking and expressing ideas. What I know from experience, though, is that after the first couple of courses, languages get easier. Once someone has built a base to work from and has a good idea of the fundamentals of a language, then it becomes much easier for them to learn new concepts, for they just kind of plug them in to the structures that they already know and are able to use. It's kind of a shame, actually--so many people give up on things like languages just when they're about to hit the part that's easiest, and the part that's the most rewarding. So many things in life are like that--they're terribly difficult at the start, but as we get better, they get easier. Unfortunately, the difficulties make many people give up before the ever hit the easier and more rewarding part, and that, I can promise you, is a shame. Let's not give up because the way has been difficult. It won't always be so, but if we give up, we'll never know for sure.
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