I've only been studying Mandarin for a few months, so I can attest to the difficulty of understanding tone. Having learned a few languages over the years, inclu

I've only been studying Mandarin for a few months, so I can attest to the difficulty of understanding tone. Having learned a few languages over the years, including Spanish, Japanese, French, Italian, and Tagalog, I'd say that the hardest part of the learning process is getting the courage to speak to a native speaker without looking like an idiot. It's hard enough to order a meal in the language, but an on stage interview on camera is another level entirely. I applaud anyone brave enough to do that after just a few years of study.