Marching About

My first mission upon arriving in any country is to learn a few key phrases that I have found will make my life substantially easier and help me to find nicer, and more helpful people (although I'm sure I still look like a stuttering idiot). Generally just saying hello will prompt someone to babble at me full speed in whatever language I've spoken to them in. Causing my eyes to widen and a profoundly confused look to come over my face. Despite this, I generally answer in the affirmative. I feel very strongly that even this small gesture in single-word communication shows an immediate respect for someone in that you have come to their country and make even the slightest effort to respect and speak to them. I'll admit that after getting to the fourth language I was starting to slow my roll a little bit. After about a week in Poland I was able to ask for and understand directions and express interest in a variety of different foods and road hazards. I guess more time would...