I've been living in Japan for 6 years now and have studied enough to have regular conversation no problem. It has been invaluable and open all kinds of doors for me.
I know that many people teach abroad just to travel and for the experience but this is a great chance to learn a foreign language and before you go back home and wish you had listened to that guy's post, ... study, learn the language and make use of your time.
Maybe, you'll never need it and maybe you'll forget all you learned once you returned, but maybe it'll lead you to all kinds of wonderful places and provide you with various opportunities.
It has also been a great help in the work place and given me some respect amongst my Japanese peers.
Anyway, I speak the language where I live.
Mark |