Since it’s now possible to search blogs with Google, it’s also possible to leave comments on interesting ones(as yours) ;-)

Sorry for some of your readers, I’m an awful Frenchie “Frog-eater” … but also Esperanto speaker…(among other languages).
I feel abashed that so few people know about this wonderful means of communication, even in Europe and especially here in France!!!
Could anyone be able to learn a foreign language in a very short time and use it straightaway to communicate with people from very different origins worldwide ?
THIS is possible with Esperanto ; I’ve personally been experiencing it (with lots of other people!!!)
It’s the easiest language in the world (16 grammar rules; no exceptions; no irregular verbs; easy and regular pronunciation !!!).
You can learn it for FREE on LERNU.NET and immediately have penfriends on the 5 continents!!
You can also travel around the world and get FREE accomodation with a guest service if you speak Eo.
It’s a particularly rich culture you can also get to know : thousands of books (translated literature or original one), music (lots of mp3 can be downloaded for FREE).
Every year lots of international meetings and congresses are organized around the world; people meet and communicate WITHOUT interpreters !!!
If you still have any doubt about the growing importance of Esperanto, just have a very short test : type the word “Esperanto” on the Google research engine !!! (Millions of pages !!!)
I’ve been teaching English for 35 years in a comprehensive school and I feel depressed when I notice the results… Even motivated pupils can hardly have a real conversation in English!
I’ve been participating in organizing school exchanges with 6 other European countries for years… and it’s terrible to notice the importance of what we are used to call “the language barrier” !
If you happen to visit my lovely country, you will certainly have to face difficulties in communicating : even though we welcome about 70 million tourists a year, we are still unable to have real conversations with them.
Don’t you also think it’s about time we had a real international communication tool??!!
Esperanto has a real advantage : it does NOT belong to any nation, it is a FREE tool that anyone is FREE to use or not…
Why should any national language be superior ? It’s often a dangerous root of serious conflicts … Misunderstanding is so frequent and can be so devastating !
On the opposite of national languages (that originated terrible nationalist wars, especially in our “old” Europe !!) Esperanto carries a wonderful message of PEACE because everyone has to initiate a (small) step towards the others… (isn’t it also “a great step for Humanity”…??!!)

Sorry for having been that long, but I wanted to answer some comments and support you sincerely in your studies !!!

I would also like to add my friendly greetings to all the American people !!! Don’t believe what the press say about us French and Europeans!!!
I was very impressed and saddened when visiting Normandy D-Day graveyards this summer…so many young men lying there for us to be free now… And that horrible nightmare for you with the hurricane …not to talk about the dreadful pictures of the Twin Towers we all keep in mind…
Peace & Love to everyone…

Amike el norda Francio!
Mike59 (Michel is my real first name)

Todd, you can learn Esperanto for free at http://www.lernu.com, all the Esperanto I’ve learned has come from that site.