[Fausqueuego]

Yep, having a sensei / sifu who doesnt speak your native language doesnt help IMHO. My old Kung Fu sifu used to mumble a few things in half-English, to which we'd all nod, and pretend we'd understood....he'd demonstrate a technique by doing it once (or twice if you were lucky), and we'd try to copy him...often with comic results

I can vouch for how good it is to have someone explain in your native language "no, its more like _this_ than _that_, because...etc", and how much quicker you learn. I think its good to know the proper Japanese term for a technique, but its more important to understand how to do it properly.

I sometimes envy non-native English speakers though. English is becoming the universal 2nd language (blame America / computers / the fact that its easy...discuss), so if its not your first language, its the obvious choice as the most useful one to learn. As an English native - what do you pick? Most other languages arent that useful unless you're going to _that_ country, and lets face it, many are pretty tough to learn in comparison (any Thai speakers here?)



Dave