Learning/retaining Spanish

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I'm really interesting in learning Spanish and would like to do an immersion program next summer (ideally spain, mexico if not). Has anyone done one of these, knowing basically nothing going in? How long does it take you to get to conversationally competent assuming it's pretty intensive one? If anyone has done this is Spain recommendations would be great, but thats a long shot.

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If you're from the US you should do a program in central or south america, not spain. Why? Because you're going to hear mexican/cuban/south american spanish in the US, not "spain" spanish.

I've lived in both Spain and Uruguay. I did an immersion program in Uruguay (1 semester and summer in college). I can't tell you how long it takes because it is different for everybody. People with a solid understanding of the roots of english words (Latin) will pick up spanish very quickly. If you do it for the summer (3+ months) you should be able to hold basic conversation by the end.

Again, if you're an american do yourself a favor and don't do a program in spain. I love the country but if you learn spanish there then when you come back you'll have to learn a new dialect to speak with mexicans and cubans. The difference between american english and British is very much like the difference between mexican/cuban spanish and "spain" spanish.

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This is something I certainly was considering, but I also would like to live in Spain for an extended amount of time, possibly getting a job/internship there is following summers. The difference you illustrated doesn't seem too large (American English vs. UK), but that may be because I'm so familiar and comfortable with the language.