I am learning Japanese for more of a personal reason than any course/degree requirements. I am passionate about Japanese culture (especially the food), and also intend to travel to Japan only after I have picked up the language to a moderate extent, so that I could get a better appreciation of the experience.
What I have found challenging after the first four weeks of classes is that the way Japanese language is structured is just somewhat different from what I have encountered before, which reminds me of my experiences when I first picked up English as a second language. I guess what my high school English literature teacher said was right, in that a language is not only the words and sentences on paper; it's the people, the culture, and ultimately the way they live with each other. I am right now very excited about the progress I have made in learning Japanese (for that, I really want to say a big Arigatoo Gozaimasu to my Sensei), at least I could go shopping and ask where the restrooms are in Japan without sounding too much like a total foreigner, and I guess it just takes a little bit time for any new language to sink in for anyone. Well, maybe not the sinking in part yet, first I need to at least intuitively understand why there are so many different writing systems (Romaji, Hiragana, Katakana, Kanji) in Japanese.
