I envy you that. Usually in my travels I've been in a cocoon of Americans, have had to work to get out into the "real world". I remember in Africa being in lodges where the very large dining rooms would have groups of Japanese, Germans, French, Danes, Italians, etc. It was possible to greet them and then be included in conversations through the kindness of someone such as yourself who spoke English, too.

It is a bit embarassing to realize that many people in the world speak two or three languages well and have had the rich experience of coming to understand other cultures, while I was stuck with English. I've met Asians who are regarded as sort of simple by people over here because of their halting English, and who speak 4 or 5 other languages, are making it in a strange culture through hard work and family teamwork.

In Central and South America, too, even in the remotest villages I could find someone. In Tlachichucha in Mexico the extremely kind and comely Graciella found me at the market, and assisted me even though I didn't really need help. I understood pesos and kilograms. She had learned English working in Cancun, and was a tremendous resource. We palled around a while, and finally climbed the same mountain. She turned out to be a member of the local Mountain Rescue group, too.

I sort of look American. In Mexico City one time a very large policeman, wearing a tan uniform I didn't recognize, as opposed to the more normal blue or black, came up to me when I was looking at a map. He asked me what I was looking for. I asked, in jest, how he knew I spoke English. He didn't smile, clearly wanted me out of that area. I left.

One thing I like to do is ride buses to the ends of the line and back. It gives me a chance to see how people live, interact, where they work, that kind of thing. It's a cheap tour, and I'm not interested much in cathedrals, fountains and so on. I was about to board a bus in a small Mexican city with a bunch of people who looked to be even poorer than the average person at that plaza when a very neat Mexican policeman in full uniform came up to me and spoke halting English. He told me to not take that bus. Didn't ask where I was going, why I wanted to, just said that I would be "wrong". I didn't. (Many Mexican "police" are kids with AK-47s and a T-shirt that says "Policia" on the front and back. Nothing else. Ride three to a Toyota or Datsun pickup, one in the back.)

I've found that if I walk around the plaza someone will come up to me and want to speak English. Met some very interesting people that way. A retired oil company engineer in Mendoza lectured me on trying to be an "Andenista" at my age. It was fun talking to him about Argentina, foreign influences, the political climate and so on. But I couldn't have done it if he didn't speak English.

Thanks for the opportunity to relive some memories. And I really do envy your linguistic abilities. What a gift!

Arf