on travel and learning languages:

"Those of us in possession of the wallflower gene know that the world is full of special hells: communal showers; mandatory company parties; high school. And then there's travel. Travel's tricky, because unlike, say, high school, it can actually be simultaneously enjoyable and enlightening. But learning to speak a new language and engage in a new culture is a veritable minefield of potential misunderstandings and compromising situations. When you travel, you're not just paying for the privilege of seeing and experiencing new things, but also for the opportunity to make an ass of yourself."

... and don't I know it!

This is from Elizabeth Little's Biting the Wax Tadpole: Confessions of a Language Fanatic. Little's book is a funny and enjoyable read for those who love learning languages or learning about languages. Check it out.

UPDATE: Thanks to Jessica's tip I changed the author's last name from "Small" to "Little". Oops. I can only assume that I figured that it means the same thing so what difference does it make? A big difference apparently. Thanks, Jessica.