Fran, I do understand how your dad felt; and you do have reasons to be proud of your old guy.   

     For me it´s no flaw in his work life or family life the fact of not having formalized his status as a translator and English connoisseur, this diminishes in nothing his job.

    On the contrary, due to the bumpy road he took, it´s a wonder what he did, from what you let us know.

     I was in similar craggy road, and only too late (in a number of ways) I discovered a light fancy for English, and didn´t work with English that much. It´s a new world for me, I would say.   I liked English from day one, when I was in the "5ª série" and it was introduced to me, it opened the Pandora´s box!

    Sidney, you have presented a very interesting concept, tough everyone knows, but that are plenty of people that wish to learn English, but they don´t stay on the tracks for long. Discipline is part of the game.

    http://writeordie.drwicked.com/2009/07/ritual-vs-habit.html  

    Here an interesting (for me) piece of advice to whom wishes to learn English, or for that matter, anything else.  Consider making, e.g. learning English, a ritual.  Just like brushing the teeth or taking at least one shower a day.

    Another way to incentive (ourselves) is to think about what we get in the long run; we can sing with our fave singer, understand what people are talking about (abroad), we can read news and so on and son.

  PP.