You don't say what kind of trainer it is, but if it's the typical .40-sized glow-fuel balsa trainer, it's going to be tough going to learn. One thing not touched here is that there is a lot more to learn than how to fly. The plane must be checked to make sure it is flight worthy, and trimmed out in the air, both of which are tough when you're just starting. The engines themselves require a lot of experience to learn all about them.

If you have no choice, after you crash your trainer, I would suggest a U.S. Aircore which will survive almost any crash, or, if scratch building is your thing, the Spad Debonair (www.spad.org). The Aircore is probably a better bet because, in my experience, the design is so good that not only can't it be damaged in a crash, but it tends to protect your engine and radio equipment as well.

Good luck!