What Education?

So, I had to make these calls to Mexico today to ask for some information. Its usually a totally waste of time as all you get is voice mail etc.

So I was calling all these Mexican numbers and surprise surprise everyone spoke Spanish when they picked up the phone.

Now here is where I need to confess the absolute uselessness of my language education. I had a little French when I was 9 and lived in England. When we moved to the states we had to start learning Spanish...not too bad as it's quite similar to French. But when I moved back to England (and was enrolled in a school for kids who travel a lot) I had to learn French and German and then got signed up for Spanish as though it was a treat to give up half my lunch hour to learn a language I was already sure I was incapable of learning. So I had 3 years of French (I later took it in Uni), 2 years of German, and 6 years of Spanish and can't speak a word of any of them (well I can say hello in all and ask for a 1st class train ticket in French. god only knows why that was the only think that stuck with me)

So back to today when this poor Spanish Bloke answered the phone and I froze, not even saying hello and automatically said "um, do you speak English?" "no" was his answer and one that I didn't need a Spanish degree to figure out.

so just when you think you won't have to know a language, you just might confuse a Spanish receptionist and wish you had paid better attention.