you'll find alot of info on "hacking it" in these fourms... but it takes alot of practice, patience, and perseverance. it takes a while to get used to the way x-cart does templates, then how smarty works, then php, then how to make it all glide like butta'. But you'll get it, but don't expect to learn it overnight
Ease in, and keep at it, and it eventually all starts to click. It still doesn't all click for me, but it's been a slow process and I'm getting there.