There are a number of Spanish-speaking radio and cable TV stations you can listen to on a daily basis. You wrote "immersion". That's the key.
You forget what you don't use and remember what you use frequently.
The only reason I stopped was the fact that the local yokels were teaching me to say things that would get my face slapped. Once you get the hang of Spanish, take up ASL. You'll be worth big bucks, salary-wise.

what's ASL?

As a language teacher and learner, I can tell you that sitting and studying and memorizing and parrotting a language, which is the typical method, will be a frustrating endeavor.

My motto is that 10% of your language learning should involve studying (learning the grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, etc. in a formal way). 90% should involve practice, practice, practice: talking to native speakers, listening to native speakers, watching TV or movies, listening to the radio, reading newspapers. Do something you like or already know using the language. Make it a real experienc or you won't learn the language. Just sitting and studying is no way to learn a language.

Quote from AKUUS

As a language teacher and learner, I can tell you that sitting and studying and memorizing and parrotting a language, which is the typical method, will be a frustrating endeavor.

My motto is that 10% of your language learning should involve studying (learning the grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, etc. in a formal way). 90% should involve practice, practice, practice: talking to native speakers, listening to native speakers, watching TV or movies, listening to the radio, reading newspapers. Do something you like or already know using the language. Make it a real experienc or you won't learn the language. Just sitting and studying is no way to learn a language.

Very true!

I am also a language teacher and learner and couldn't agree more.

I spent five years in school studying French but when I got to France I couldn't speak to anybody. I spent two years studying Hindi-Urdu but since I had Indian and Pakistani pupils to converse with every day, progress was rapid. When I got to the sub-continent it was relatively easy to communicate. Since I arrived here in the Phils I became fluent in Visayan in less than six months - met a beautiful girl who didn't speak English - motivation!!

The beauty of learning a language the natural way (as opposed to language courses) is that speaking becomes "automatic". You don't have to constantly analyze, construct and do mental intrepetation to and from your first language. What you hear and say in real-life situations stays with you and the whole process becomes a pleasure rather than a chore.

what exactly is the "natural" way? Just moving to a foreign country?

Quote from Otis the Sweaty

what exactly is the "natural" way? Just moving to a foreign country?

Riding bareback on your choice of senorita,is the most natural.

LOL I think you should learn to say "filthy illegal aliens" in Spanish.

Seriously, if you weren't being facetious, if that's your attitude, perhaps you should consider a different career path.

Quote from KellyMac

LOL I think you should learn to say "filthy illegal aliens" in Spanish.

Seriously, if you weren't being facetious, if that's your attitude, perhaps you should consider a different career path.

Have you ever had 20,000 "filthy illegal aliens" invade and destroy your community?

Quote from AKUUS

Have you ever had 20,000 "filthy illegal aliens" invade and destroy your community?

Was it like a mob of zombies?

Quote from KellyMac

Was it like a mob of zombies?

Yes. Mayhem and madness ensue all in the name of multiculturalism, political correctness, and "celebrating diversity." They are loud, rude, arrogant and violent. And they are indeed "filthy". America is now, due to illegals, dealing with diseases again that we had formerly eradicated or controlled, e.g. TB & leprosy. Other health problems they cause include Chagas disease and various sicknesses spread by "hard-working" food service people who "share their culture" with us by not washing their hands after poohing.

Quote from Otis the Sweaty

what's ASL?

___________________________________________

ASL stands for American Sign Language.

I don't want filthy illegal aliens here. But they are here and won't be leaving any time soon; so I might as well make some money off of their ignorance of English.

The question about how long it takes to learn a foreign language depends on its usage. If you use it daily, you will 'accustom' to it quickly.

Age should also to be mentioned, children living abroad, going to a school which is not using their native language, and living together with other children, helps a lot to speed up the study of a foreign language.

There are languages, which are easy to learn, out of similarity with the own language, others are more difficult to learn, as they belong to a totally different language group.

I think, daily usage of the foreign language is the most important part of it, and the importance to use it in both, spoken and written, should not be ignored.

To talk only but you cannot read and write is not enough - especially if a different writing system is used - to ignore how the foreign language is written, makes you to an illiterate.

Quote from AKUUS

Have you ever had 20,000 "filthy illegal aliens" invade and destroy your community?

Those bloody saxons,they get everywhere.