My native language is "Nepalese" but I learned English from early childhood. It was bit of difficult in the beginning learning English. Nepalese was widely spoken in every corners of my hometown; speaking fluent English was bit of strange and difficult anyway. Although you understood what other people speaking in English but open communication was a real difficult. Presume it was just due to lack of practice. So by the time when I finished my school - I managed to write/speak satisfactory English.
I joined college afterwards where all the course materials were in English and lectures were too so it was kind of mandatory to improve on language side too. After finishing my college I went to University in England. Off course all the course and the teaching medium was in English. In order to join university it was compulsory that you take either IELTS or Cambridge Advance English Course. So I did the second one which enabled me to go to university for degree program. I picked up reasonably okay with all the lectures and all those English slang etc and so on. Because of this English was not that difficult to understand and to speak.
Another challenge of learning language is "Icelandic". I started working in Iceland in late October 2005 and determined to learn Icelandic too. Enrolled couple of classes did pick up bits and pieces. It has been almost 2 and half years in Iceland now I am still learning "the Icelandic". Confidence is something I need to build up on this language. Although my work environment, family environment are native Icelandic and does speak Icelandic all the time, it has been very difficult for me to adopt completely. However, in those couple of years I build up my understanding capacity when people talk. In fact I given up learning Icelandic many times but my inner feeling always push me to learn again - well one day!.
But I meet many people like me who been in Iceland for years and having difficulties adopting language skills. Perhaps they are not putting effort-don’t know. Maybe it is difficult language to learn. Hey I just been here approximately three years I can still confidently say - bless núna.