Is Mandarin difficult to learn?

Michael （US）

I'm studying Chinese. I'm only studying speaking/listening. Writing/reading Chinese characters would require a serious amount of commitment and hard work – qualities I don't have. Plus I enjoy talking to people and I think by being able to speak to local Chinese in their own language opens up a different world. Studying Chinese is not really hard work, it's just work. Practice every day for 45 minutes and within a very short period of time you will be able to hold decent conversations with people. Writing characters though…It's a different thing altogether. I get bored of trying after one hour.