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To begin with, it should be said, that what is written on these lines is not just an outcome of the typical swedish modesty. If the content sometimes makes a depressing impression, I promise that it's not my intention to have anyone feel pity for me, but only to tell the truth about my English knowledges. 
	Since you probably already fear the worst ("the poor student can't say or understand a single word in English") I better begin with my strength when it comes to the different skills of mastering this language - namely that of reading. Two terms of literary history studies forced me to read hundreds of pages in English. I remember myself struggling for days with novels like Wuthering Heights and A Room of One's own - always with my dictionary beside, and with the great intention to check all the unfamiliar words up. Unfortunately I never made it to the end of neither of these books, and had to go through the following seminars, still wondering whether Cathy finally married Heathcliff or not, and if someone agreed in Woolf's ideas about womens right to a room of their own. When it came to the original versions of Shakespeare's dramas I didn't even venture on giving them a fair trial, but borrowed the Swedish editions instead. To be honest I never thought I'd read one single novel in English again, unless someone forced me to. But here I am, glad about the fact, that all books aren't written in the 17th century, and that I actually understand a lot more than I thought.
	When it comes to my ability to speak English I've had certain problems in the last two years that I didn't have before. After Secondary-school I went to Spain, and stayed there for ten months. Although I'd never before had problems with my English while travelling, I somehow became the only swede that didn't speak English. I put so much effort in learning spanish, and taking part of the Spanish culture, that I even picked up my spanish friend's unability to speak English - I even started to pronounce the "r" in a way I'd never done before. These days my brain seems to have accepted the fact that it's possible to master more than one language, and even though I have a lot more to learn, I'm no longer afraid of speaking English. My spanish friends are impressed by the fact that I've learned so fast. But this might have something to do with the fact I never told them I'd studied English for nine years in school, before I met them.
	Since such a big part of the television programs is from English-speaking countries, I believe I understand the language rather good, without thinking of it. Well, I do have to admit the ability to understand naturally depends on wich kind of movie, or program it is. A show like Friends does not cause me the same difficulties as the CNN news might do. Naturally, there is also a difference in the way I understand certain accents or dialects. In most cases I find British English easier to understand than American English. But even the most bright and clear accent of Oxford can be truely hard to understand. 	
	For me, writing in English, is not an everyday occupation. As a matter of fact, I can't remember I've written anything, except for a few letters, since secondary school. But the writing itself, that is, in swedish, is more important to me. It might be therefore I find myself really frustrated at the moment, having so much problems with an essay like this. 
	As a summary of what I've told you about my English knowledges, I'd like to finish this where I started, namely with the skill of reading. This because - although I understand the importence of the English language its big role in the world - I believe that the main reason I want to approve my proficiency in English, is that I some day have to go through with the Wuthering Heights. Especially since I haven't come by the Swedish edition to a reasonable price, nor found a nice movie, based on the novel, that would make things a little easier to me.
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