It's always good to hv someone who can speak with & talk to, to learn the language faster, e.g. with real bx or associated with via business/dealing, etc...
Reinforce with some online/language disk. No practice no improvement like my case... now probably dwindle down to 0.01% proficiency only. Worse if didn't even go 'practise' at 51, Vn-joints or HCM at all after months of hibernation.
Even after learning the ABC..123 (mot, hai, ba..) I m stucked there. Just trying to recall "20" (hai muoi) also cannot...
How to survive Vn-isation? sigh..