'Something to declare' (via TheAge.com.au)

This is exactly how I felt in South America recently - "They have a habit of asking annoying questions such as "What's your second language?" Then you have to explain that, in Australia, we don't really do second languages."

"You can't just expect to get by with English and a little bit of Spanish in South America. You'll make it from one place to another, sure. You just won't be able to talk to anyone while you're doing it. You'll feel as though you're drifting across the top layer of a very deep society."

At the end of 3 weeks, I could pretty much count my "little bit of Spanish" on one hand. When I met the Peruvian guide who spoke 6 languages, I just felt... dumb :>

http://www.theage.com.au/travel/blogs/the-backpacker/something-to-declare-20121113-299au.html