There are plenty of radios to pick from, and the more you pay the better quality you get. The ones that are $50-60 aren't the best, and you won't pick up much outside of North and Central America, at least this is with my personal experience. Your best bet would be to buy one in the $100-150 range, which is actually a good deal. Radio Shack has a lot to pick from, or you can buy online here:
http://www.universal-radio.com/
Also, something good to pick up is The Passport to World Band Radio book. It has a wealth of information, inculding schedules and station addresses in case you want to correspond with the stations. Great companion when listening.
Don't worry about the language barrier as most stations broadcast in their native language AND English. But if you're studying a language, its a great way to test your skill.
Let us know how it goes!