The first foreign language I studied was French, Christine. Because it's also a tongue full of exceptions to every rule, I didn't realize how difficult English was until I started studying Spanish. Spanish was so easy compared to English - although I never mastered it. For me, the gendering of nouns was the only BIG problem with Spanish, but that was also true with French. Still, studying Spanish helped me realize how dang troublesome English is and gave me a great appreciation for everyone who masters English as a second language.

Same is true of my grandchildren. They were raised bilingual, but like most children, they resented speaking a language that was different than what they heard neighbors and people in public speak. They considered Spanish to be difficult until they began studying English and Spanish in school. That's when they realized Spanish is so much easier than English. They both excel in their Spanish classes, and speak Spanish exclusively at home.