Recommendations for learning a language (pt 2)

Basic words and mechanics
Knowing advanced grammar helps with understanding complex language and beautiful literature. But the key first words of any language should always be useful -- knowing the word for danger, caution, etc. Then essential words like hunger, thirst, and bathroom are all key. Necessities should always have priority over other parts of language simply because in extreme situations they could save you a lot of grief.

Immersion
If you can handle it, there's no better or faster way to learn. At first, native speakers will often get frustrated and give up and its often embarrassing, but you get instant feedback on your progress. Since your budget might not allow travel ...

Find someone to talk to
One story I heard was of a man who would strike up conversation with anyone who even looked vaguely Spanish. He was so warm and friendly, no one minded.

Regardless of how, there's a powerful difference between reading and speaking a language (even with Spanish). Even if you seek out someone trying to learn your language, this can still be beneficial. You are forced to speak with someone who is trying to understand you and who you are trying to understand.

Taking a class
If you're taking a class, your whole world should be your class. From the first day, hit your work hard -- don't put off anything. Its not like your other classes that you can put off until a few days before the test. Try to bring elements from class into your everyday life -- any extra work you can do will make the midterm and final easier.

Small amounts add up
One metaphor that works is to imagine the work you do as a drop in the bucket. After 100 days of small amounts of work, you will have an enormous amount of water. This helps prevent frustration associated with learning a language without letting you forget anything.

You may feel like doing just a little everyday is taking too long but keep in mind most people and newspapers know and use around 1,000 words. That may seem like a lot of work but knowing a language already, you automatically have a vocabulary of 10,000+ words and sayings.

(part 1)