toki! I'm glad you've decided to give these lessons a look. Hopefully this introduction will answer any questions that you might have. If you think you'd like to learn Toki Pona, this intro will also give you a little feel for the task that lies ahead of you.

In all honesty, Toki Pona does not have a huge following, but the Toki Pona community does include at least three fluent speakers--a claim that few other constructed language communities can claim. But if you're one of those people whom I encounter every rare once in a while who thinks that Toki Pona has several hundred thousand speakers... well, you're WAY off. At any rate, I'd urge you to consider Toki Pona not so much for how well it can entertain you or how large of a following it has, but more for the insight it can give into the ideas of simplicity and a more natural way of thinking.

If you're like me, along the path of learning Toki Pona, you might find that the frame of mind that Toki Pona relies upon might conflict with how you have always approached an understanding of things. It's not so easy to adopt the way of thinking that Toki Pona requires. But be patient; eventually, even if you don't agree with the ideas behind Toki Pona, it will at least broaden your mind and help you understand things better.

You should now be able to decide whether or not you'd like to learn Toki Pona. A last word of advice: Don't feel like you're alone in learning the language. I'd be thrilled to help you with anything that is giving you trouble; feel free to find out how to contact me. I'm also in the Toki Pona chat room fairly often, and if I'm not there the first time you enter the room, just keep trying occasionally and you'll get me eventually.

With that said, enjoy the lessons, and good luck learning Toki Pona!