Don't know if I'd describe Spain and France as "the extreme parts of nowhere" myself, but each to their own (linguistic ignorance.)

Funny enough, if there's one place in the world where you can't expect to get by in day-to-day life using your native language it's parts of the Middle East. In particular those places with holes dug in them to let black gooey stuff out. You simply won't find a local working in a shop or restaurant or any other "menial" job anywhere in Dubai, Kuwait or Qatar. You might be lucky in Saudi, Oman or Bahrain to catch a local driving your taxi, but the bloke or sheila behind the counter will always be someone from the sub-continent, and the other sheila serving your beer or bringing your food will be from further East; Phlips, Thai or Indon. Thus, while the official language might be Arabic, the language by far most used and spoken is English. Usually with a Jinglish touch to it. Funny old world.