"Janet Wilder" wrote in message
...
Stephen Farrow wrote:
Janet Wilder wrote:
Stephen Farrow wrote:
Janet Wilder wrote:
I just picked up all of my documents from the travel agent today. We
will be doing 3 flights within Europe. One from Paris to Budapest, one
from Amsterdam to Seville (with a change of plane in Madrid) and one
from Seville to Barcelona.

They are all e-tickets. I won't have a printer so I can't get boarding
passes. Do we just go up to the check-in counter and show them the
copies of the schedules the TA gave us? I'm assuming that they will
not speak English.

The check-in agents will almost certainly speak some English.

Of course, if *you* had any manners, you'd try to learn at least a few
phrases of French, Spanish, Dutch and Hungarian before your trip. You
are visiting their countries, so it behoves you to at least try and
speak a little of their languages.


I do have manners.

That's debatable, given that you didn't appear to be prepared to meet
people in the countries you plan to visit halfway by learning a few words
of their languages.

I also have a program on CD with French, Spanish, German and Italian,
and I've been trying to learn from it for 6 months. Unfortunately, I'm
not very good at remembering what I've learned.

Then buy a phrase book and refer to it as you go, rather than fretting
over the possibility that people in other countries won't speak English
(which, at airport check-in desks in Europe, they most likely will
anyway). You don't need to be fluent in each language. You just need to
make some effort. All you need to remember are a few simple words and
phrases. It's *incredibly* arrogant and rude to visit a country without
learning at least a little of the language - and "I'm not very good at
it" is no excuse.

So sorry I disappoint you. I do speak a little French and my DH speaks a
little German and Spanish, but we aren't comfortable enough to try
conversing in it. That's why I wanted to get our boarding passes ahead of
time.

It's possible you were so interested in flailing me for being an Ugly
American that you missed my initial query about getting boarding passes
printed while traveling. If that's the case, then I forgive your arrogant
attitude. If it's not the case then kindly STFU. I have better qualified
critics than you.



--
Janet Wilder
Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
Good Friends. Good Life

My experience is that even if you only say "hello" in the local language and
then ask "do you speak English" that people (be they check in agents, hotel
staff or just anyone) are almost always helpful and friendly. If they
indicate they don't speak English then mime works surprisingly well and if
that fails just smile, say thank you (preferably in local language) and move
on. Many people see English as something they want to learn and practice
(I'm not sure I think that's a good thing but there you are). I recently
spent 3 weeks in Japan and that seemed to work for me (and actually, I don't
think I ever had to move on).

Turn the problem on its' head. If someone approached you and spoke no
English but did speak French would you refuse to help? You might have to
ask them to speak slowly and repeat a few words but I bet you would do your
best. It's all a matter of give and take. You try their language, they
try yours, smile, mime, be friendly.