Azbuka is fun! Why are you learning? I learned it within hours. We were taught on musicology schwabacher this way: sit down and write your life as an essay. Keep writing whatever like in school. Two pages later you don't look for hints anymore.🤗 Then do the same thing with printing letters, because they're vastly different 😬
(It doesn't apply to arabic, hebrew and asian languages😬) 

 A couple reasons. Both related.

Curiosity about cultures and histories.

Reading texts in original languages reveals much more about the author's mind and intent than the best translations. 

I like the technique you mention. I'll give it a try.