Look at some of the GWS planes. The Slow Stick is an excellent way to start if you feel you MUST learn on your own. It's inexpensive and can use standard radio equipment so it can be transferred to other planes as you move on. The Slow Stick doesn't really lookmlike a "real" plane, but it's fairly easy to fly.

The GWS Cub and Tiger Moth both look like real planes, fly pretty easily, and would have plenty of room in your backyard, but are a bit more fragile. Still made of light weight foam and can be repaired easily.

The Cub and Moth require micro radio gear though, so you'd have to buy larger servos and receiver when/if you move to larger stuff.

I wouldn't recommend a wing as a first plane because it's harder to keep oriented as to their direction of travel, inverted or right side up. That sort of thing. Pretty important on your first 20 or so flights!

Good luck,
Dennis-