I'm from the state of California, also known as the " Golden State " . I started learning Deutsch around July 2013, on and off on my own. I haven't taken any college courses or private tutoring at all. I never heard of this site, until I bumped into it by accident. I thought to myself why not give it a try and see what happens ...it might help speed up my learning. If it doesn't...I shall delete this account. I would like to be of assistance to any native Deutsch speaker learning English and in turn that He / She will be of assistance to me. We can help each other in our path of learning a new language. I'd really appreciate it. If you're wondering why I'd want to learn Deutsch ? Well there are 5 reasons, but I'll only mention 2. Because I have part German ancestry, having had a German grandfather AND to be able to connect with my German roots. Keep his memory close to my heart. Wish you all a great year. God Bless, Patricia