I am a native speaker of American English. I'm migrating toward Canadian English, slowly but surely.
I'm curious about our non-native English speakers. The language can be difficult to learn, even when it's your first.
If English is not your first language, which is it (second, third, etc.)? How/When did you learn it? Did you learn English in your own country, or did you travel somewhere to learn it? Have you ever lived in an English-speaking country? Among the non-native speakers you know, how good is your English? What else do you want us to know about your English skills? Inquiring minds want to know!
I seriously doubt whether English is my Second or Third language. I had contact with English third (After my first, Portuguese, and the one I heard later, Spanish.) I, however, learnt English quite fast, and I still need to study and perfect my Spanish as it is nowhere near the level of my English right now. I can get my point across in Spanish pretty well, speaking or typing, but I feel like I take too long to type messages in Spanish and that I should know it more (as I actually have to use it more In Real than English due to a few reasons.) But back on topic!
I am seriously unsure how I learnt English or when did I learn it. All I know is that ever since I was 12, more or less, I have typed the same way as I do now (With a few modifications -- For example, now I know the differences between "Then" and "Than".. finally.) I guess that the way I honestly learnt english was probably through computer and television shows itself - Since little, I'd watch shows in english and read (I love reading, although I don't think I classify as a bookworm...) the subtitles. Computer gave me practical use. (Such as reading game rules.. and typing.. and etcetera.) Of course I started with the "Ur, urs, u" and the usual, but I had the luck of finding a chat that actually used correct grammar, developing my own English.
I have never went into an English-speaking country, much less another country at all.
About comparing myself with other people from my own country, I'd have to say that I have considerable skill in English. Most Brazilians I know have deplorable English skills, except for a select few that I have seen over the internet; most people I have met in classrooms and such also had difficulties with English, and even after doing a few English Courses in the country, in practical use I'm still over them.
As for a bit else of my English skills... When I talk to myself in real, I often find myself talking in English. I can read something in English without even noticing that I'm reading it (I.E -- I easily forget I'm not reading Portuguese in a while.)
I also have little knowledge of the technical uses and rules. If someone asks me, for example, "Why do you use "an" before "apple"?", I'd probably take quite a bit to reply. (Not that specific question, others.)
Last but not least, I seem to have a hard time when I'm translating things from English to Portuguese. When I look at a word in English, I know what it means, I can think of several other ways to say the same thing, but I still cannot give a definite translation to Portuguese without stretching the message a bit. This happens both for me being too used to English to the point that I know more of it than I do Portuguese, in a way, and for the fact that English words have way too many meanings once you get to use English more.