The major purpose of this study was to explore, in a phenomenological tradition, factors that lead some students to persist in foreign language study past the usual 2 years in high school. Factors that have been prevalent in the literature include language aptitude, motivation, grades, intellectual and cultural curiosity, language learning strategies, lack of anxiety, and positive attitudes toward the target language community. This qualitative analysis, through in-depth interviewing, captures the essence of the experiences of five students who spent extended periods engaged in abroad study in Spanish-speaking countries for the purposes of enhancing their proficiency and experiencing the culture. Data from the five interviews were categorized into five themes that represented several factors that lead some students to persist in the study of a foreign language. (Contains 2 tables.)