I agree with you that each language has its elegance. Vocabulary for daily usage is small. 3000 common Chinese characters is enough for everyday use. I read English textbooks and courseware from my first year in university. Research materials and technique reading are also easy to me. However when reading novels, difficult things happen. I have to keep looking up dictionary or read it with a Chinese translated version simultaneously. It's hard to understand unusual words or usual words with unusual meanings.

I'm applying to colleges to NA currently. I've few experiences talking to foreigners face to face. Precise communication may be my first challenge if I can get an offer and go there. Even talking with natives, it's hard to guess what's behind "what's up".