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Words, words, words. What word could possibly describe the hard work of learning a foreign language better? I started to learn English as my first foreign language at the age of nine, and at that age the studies of language basically consisted of learning words. How to spell them, how to pronounce them and how to use them. We also learnt the most basic phrases, like "My name is...", "What time is it?" and so on. 
The teacher was always eager to tell us how important it was to learn lots and lots of words, but, speaking about myself, I know that this was something I did not quite understand until I first visited an English-speaking country. My first visit to England with my family learned me that when going to the supermarket, you cannot ask the staff for Swedish grocery-brands, like "O'boy". Another thing that also turned out to be almost always impossible was to use the Swedish word for a vegetable, for example, but pronouncing the word in an English way. So, at the age of ten I realised that words really were just as important as the teacher had told me at school. The phrases I had learnt was not really useful at that moment since I did not always understand the answers to the questions. 

After all the word practice, the English-classes tended to be some kind of concentrated word and translating sentences course. At the "gymnasiet", we had lots of grammar lessons, I could not tell you what we were up to all these grammar lessons, but I do remember having them. Every now and then, the teacher tried to make us speak as well, but most of the students (including myself) found it a bit ridiculous and artificial to make up a subject just for the aim of trying to discuss it in English. I suppose that it had to do with our age, since I do not find it that ridiculous today. 
So, for me it took some time before I actually spoke English, but once started I realised the fun in getting familiar with another extra language. Why only have access to one when you can have more than that? 

Lately, or the last three or four years, I think that my English has developed a great deal. After finishing the "gymnasiet" it was as if some kind of psychological barrier loosened up when it came to speak foreign languages. With the English but also with the French, it suddenly became a lot easier. When I went to England to visit my sister, who moved there a couple of years ago, I started to converse with her friends instead of just listening, hoping that nobody would start talking to me, mind you, I might would have had to say something. Anyway, the years of only listening to English, have made me good at following conversations, if I am to say something positive about it. I do not know if it has to do with increased simultaneous ability, but today I cannot only listen to a conversation but also take part in it. Some progress!

As progress has been made in speaking and listening, I tend to read more in English as well. Maybe because I prefer to read books in their original language, if possible. What is good about reading in English, is the fact that you are exposed to many words, if speaking about that again. But it surely is useful to learn lots of them, as my teacher once said. And you are also exposed to many new expressions, which is funny, and good, to know. I cannot think of anything more irritating than being in the middle of a discussion and then, suddenly someone utters an expression you are not familiar with, or a word. I speak English on a rather frequent basis since my sister is settled in England but also because my parents have English, or Scottish, neighbours who I see a lot when I am at home. I guess the writing-part is the one I am the least good at, probably because I do not practice that very often. But since my experience of learning languages is, so far, that "practice makes perfect". I hope that this will apply to learning how to write well in English as well.
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