It matters the subject or requirement. Learning can be good when you are learning something big and important and learning can be bad when learning bad habits and more. Hope this answers your question :D
-empathizes with Juan's situation.
The author's empathy for Juan is shown when it says "Poor Juan!". Also it is shown when it says that he is a victim of "one of fate's dirty little tricks." The narrator knows that Juan did not mean to get himself in the situation and feels bad for Juan because Juan is now in a difficult situation that he didn't mean to be in.