Foreign Languages?

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Ok, my mom and I are in a disagreement as to what foreign language I should learn for college.

As a computer science major, I have to take two consecutive semesters of the same foreign language.

I want to take Japanese, but my mom wants me to take Spanish.

Arguments for Spanish:
*More prevalent in the area we live
*Easier to learn
*I already took it in HS

Arguments for Japanese:
*More prevalent in my chosen profession
*I already have an affinity for it from watching anime
*I can always call my Aunt Yuriko in Boulder for help with homework, etc. She was born there, so she knows the language.

What do you guys think? Would I be better off with Spanish or Japanese?

Very good arguments for both, but I would think that Japanese might be a great idea for your particular situation. You will most likely encounter it from time to time in the computer/electronics industry and it's a skill that may even bring you some extra compensation in your future line of work. I used to work in the Bay Area for a small spin-off of Casio in the dot com boom and my boss was the only one who could speak Japanese and communicate back to headquarters in Japan about the business. She was golden!

The Japanese are building the cars that most Americans are buying...Toyota and Hondas...and getting rich because of it. Cars are made with computer components... and knowing the Japanese language would help you in any business career.

How many cars do you think the Cubans are producing...or in any other Latin American country? Simply by looking at the GDP
for Japan and countries like South America, Cuba, Mexico and other Spanish speaking countries will show you what language is
more "worthy" of learning.

If you want to work in healthcare or serve the "poor" and indigent, then Spanish is a good language to learn. If you desire a high
income in your lifetime, then follow the money. The Japanese have more of it.

You should definitely learn the language that YOU want to learn, not what anybody else wants you to learn. You are a lot more likely to succeed learning a language you enjoy. I know this from experience - I have studied French and German because they were compulsory at my school, and I was ok in French and terrible at German. I am now studying Russian, Italian and Spanish at home just because I love those languages; I am awesome at them. Ask your mother if she'd rather you were mediocre in Spanish or awesome in Japanese.

Another option would be to learn one language at school, and learn another language at home (just Google "learn [language] online"). I have found it a lot easier to learn online, because I can go at my own pace and I don't have to be in a class full of other people.

does your aunt know english though?

Yeah, she does. Sh's been back and forth between Japan and America for almost 10 years now. Her English is still a little choppy, but she knows enough to be fluent.

I want to learn all the languages , what the right way

I prefer to learn german, french ,and hindi

Not an easy task :D There are over 6000 languages in this world. I think the record is held by Cardinal Mezzafonti, who lived in the 17th and 18th centuries and spoke 38 languages perfectly, 30 more fairly well, and understood 20 more.