Hi flying cat,

I'm an American in Europe working right now also (Vienna). I've noticed that some of my American colleagues don't seem to think it's important at all to learn the local lingo, and I find this difficult to understand also..

It is very important to at least try, because assuming that everyone knows and will speak to you in your native tongue is, well just plain rude. Yes, most everyone does know some english, but as you say, it makes life soo much easier to know the language of the country where you are visiting.

I was at a job last week with an American who did not have a good grasp of the language, and who didn't even bring a dictionary with her! And we did not have translators with us. After I met our foreign colleagues, I asked one of them if she would rather speak in english, or in her native tongue. Of course she would rather speak in her native tongue, without a doubt! So I ended up being the translator (which I don't mind doing, but wasn't really my purpose in coming here) I myself simply can't understand why someone would travel to a foreign country without bringing a dictionary of the language spoken there..