How I did it: The first thing to do is to be born in a country with a ridiculous-sounding language that barely anyone speaks. This will motivate you to try to get out of that country, and to do that, you must learn a more useful language. I learned english, since my rather meaningless country shows a lot of television in english, and when I was 7, I realised my mission in life: To become British. First thing to do - learn the language!

Lessons & tips: Buy a lot of kids books in the language you are trying to learn. I read "The Cat in the Hat" when I was 13, and, the brilliance and touching story of the book aside, it taught me the basics of grammar, language and culture. (Not to like green eggs and ham)

Also, I started watching movies and talking to myself in english, instead of my stupid little useless first language. For example, to look in the mirror each morning and say "Good morning! Have you had a nice sleep?" in stead of my native tongue "För i helvete! Var fan är bilnycklarna?".

Resources: Books in varying difficulty levels, movies in that language. Make an internet-friend who speaks this language, who can also teach you some naughty words not to say in public.

Please note: it is essential that you pick an important and influencial language. You don't want to waste time learning to speak an ancient dialect of some little known language that only 200 people in a remote village of China speaks.

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Oct 10, 2008, 06:51PM PDT | 0 comments | 7 cheers