Guten tag - German Part 1

My goal this summer (other than earn a ton of money) is to at least start learning the German language. I checked out every "Learn German" cd pack and book from the library. I started one of them this week and man this language is easy yet very difficult at once. 

Deutsch is pronounced completely
 different than you would expect. It does not sound at
all like an American word you may be thinking of.

Right now the word I can not pronounce correctly is                              

                 "sprechen" 

                                  

It's like, Shchpr-eken.

Which is a train wreck coming out of my mouth.

Things I find difficult about the language.

1. All the back in the throat sounds
2. The invisible "R". They sound out their "r" like Utahns say their "t's".
3. They have masculine and feminine wording. For example if I want to say my nationality, or a street or a plaza you use different "the's" and different endings. I guess I just have to memorize what is feminine and what is masculine

Things I like about the language.

1. There are many similarities in the sound of words like; here, is , and, yes. I love those words! 
2. I sound like a character from some exciting European movie. (Well I think I do.)
3. It is totally new to me, no background.

Anyway I don't think that after all these tapes I will be fluent, but hopefully have some sort of understanding of the language. Maybe be able to read it? I sure hope so. 

Everyone tells me that, "Everyone speaks English there!" but I know that is impossible and I am sure that they would rather be speaking German than English. So I want to learn the language. Actually my goal is to become fluent or at least close to it.  

How much German I speak as of now

I can say, hello, how are you? I speak a little German, I understand a little German. Do you speak English/German? Are you American/German? Where is this street/square? Goodbye, yes, no, please, pardon, and good. 

Pretty good start I'd say.