(08-03-2021, 09:19 PM)searchinmyroots Wrote: Yes, we were encouraged to take a language. Actually, in elementary school I did take French for a very short while. Then in High School, Spanish. Never really excelled or took either one seriously at the time but looking back, it would have been nice to really know another language.
It's really strange how people in other countries usually know more than one language and most of us here in the USA, in my opinion, don't really care about it.
Nice to hear about your school system. Spanish, French and Hebrew besides English is a lot I would say.
For me, it's hard to learn new words and grammar. I'm more of the math type. English however is an exception. I must have been about 5 years old when I first heard it and I was passionate from the very beginning. Learning English at school was ok, but I haven't really learned to speak, read and understand. That came with my visits to Scotland, Ireland and England. I'm still struggling with your prepositions and when to use which time.
I think school is in part a waist of time. I had Latin, French, Spanish and English at school - so many hours that I could have spent better. For example, how to deal with life's challenges and learn Hebrew.
For me, the amazing thing with a foreign language is, that I can speak with other people who don't speak my language and really understand what they say.