<p>Dionysus58, why is that a waste of money? That is like saying that because someone lives in the US, you automatically know all the proper rules of grammar, spelling, etc. you need to know to function at an appropriate level for business and socially. We take English classes throughout our education process here to master those rules, esp. in elementary and middle school. It seems perfectly reasonable to want to do the same in another language. That said, getting out into the culture (esp. w/ homestay or living with students who are native speakers) certainly will help you pick it up faster along with the language classes.</p>