I spent three months in Sweden for a job once.
I'm pretty good at picking up languages, with the ability to read French, Spanish and Russian. I've got a pretty good ear.
But being basically very shy and introverted at the time, I spent those three months in Sweden in the hotel bar. Where the bartender spoke English.
Why, you may ask? Because after working a damned hard job for many hours a day, I was tired -- and communicating to these strangers was a challenge even in my own language. Learning another language, by speaking to other people? Holy ****, no chance.
I think one of the reasons that people are so split on Semin is that a lot of us identify with him. Basically a nice quiet guy who keeps to himself, wants to do his job, doesn't quite fit in. The classic introvert.
A bunch of people who are unlike him -- and therefore unlike us -- say things like "if he gave a ****, he'd learn the language". People who have pretty much no clue who this guy is and what he's about.
In talking **** about someone like Semin, you are, whether you realize it or not, talking **** about someone like me.
He's gone. Cut the guy a break, and cut us a break too.
