Incidentally

I've been told several times in the last couple of weeks that my Dutch is getting much better. I still remain a skeptic, but it is sort of fun to just stumble your way through a language. Since I'm currently learning both French AND Dutch I sometimes end up speaking a hodgepodge of Esperanto. The looks I get are quite priceless, but the only way to really learn a language is to simply say something. Cliche, but true. I like trying to make sentances purposely more difficult to test my skills. For instance, instead of saying, "Waar is het toilet?" I'll say, "Waar can ik het toilet finden?"
Being here for nine months, a lot of what I've learned is simply by osmosis. There are quite a few TV channels that broadcast programs in English (besides the BBC and CNN) but they are subtitled in Dutch. I sometimes get a kick out of the differences between the audio and subtitling. Commercials and children's programs are also a good way to pick up some basic sentance structure and vocabulary.
All told, learning a language is kind of fun once you get over the fear of being a foreign mangler of the native toungue and the frustration of not able to express yourself in the way you're used to in your own native language. It's a process that takes time, but is very rewarding.
Plus my language skills are SWEET!!!