My Spanish accent embarrasses me a lot lol, I can make you understand what I’m trying to say but it is VERY funny to hear me try and pronounce anything Spanish accurately 
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You are correct. But you have to realize the land mass that has English as their language is huge. The US and a large portion of Canada do.
While on your side of the world the same area has many many languages in that same area. When we cross our state line, which is like you crossing a country boarder, we are in just another place that also speaks English.
Another thing that adds to this: When many our ancestors immigrated there was a desire to fit in and the adults refused to have their native language spoken to “become more American”
This lead to generations not hearing or speaking another language. By not learning how to make the different sounds as a child, it is almost impossible to make certain sounds correctly. Thus really, really bad accents. This is true for people only learning one language until adults, not just English.
I do know when I speak to people that do not have English as #1 language. I try to speak in PROPER English and try to avoid all slangish. 
Edit: This is rapidly changing
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Reads like Belter patois to me! Welcome @roerlandianadamas. What’s your mother tongue bossman?
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Agreed, but at the same time, us Americans are reluctant to change and learning other languages it seems. Most other countries are bilingual in their native tongue / english by the time they reach high school. I know quite a few people who are bi, tri and even quad-lingual. Fluently. One thing they all share in common, they aren’t Americans!
My pops was born and raised in Bogota, Colombia, you would think I should be fluent in spanish. 
Sadly mom didn’t speak it, so we never spoke it around the house. Talk about a huge disadvantage NOW!
I have to say though, English always seems to be the “middle ground” language. Probably one of the most awesome dinners I have ever had was with 9 total strangers. It was my first night on Utila, hooked up with 9 other divers and went to RJ’s for dinner. 10 people, speaking 5 languages, representing 7 countries, and English was the common tongue for all of us. Most amazing dinner conversation ever.
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True as it is for most elders world wide and non English nationalities here in US.
That was my point. I would love to be fluent in Dutch. But nope just “no” and “thank you” 
I spent a lot of time in Mexico the past 5 years, so I got to practice my spanish more. Immersion helps, especially when the person you are dealing with doesnt speak english and you HAVE to find a way to communicate. I got really good at ordering food (I am kinda picky), and I can understand most of a conversation, I just can’t articulate responses too well yet. Google translate sorta helps, but google and an image, helps even more! lol (I managed a dive center, so even a google translation of what I needed often was nowhere near what I should have been calling it, a picture always worked). One example was zip-ties. I wanna say they are “cinches” but google translate is “lazo de cremallera”. Literal translation… The looks I got at the hardware stores…
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The main reason this is true in many schools outside of native English speaking countries is because English is the de facto international language, especially in business. There’s a few explanations why this is true, but a major factor is the vast prior colonization of the world by the British. Couple that with the economical power North America has exerted for quite some time, and it just is what it is. There have been efforts for decades for some nations to shift away from English as status quo 2nd language, but that notion hasn’t gained much traction.
Compared to many other developed, or even developing nations, the education system isn’t exactly stellar in the states. Can’t speak for Canada, Australia, UK, or other native English speaking countries (I’m American). I personally would add pushing for teaching a second language very early in formal education here, but add that to the long laundry list of educational problems in this country.
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Totally agree! When I was in Japan in '99, we were walking thru a park, and a soccer ball was kicked by us. We gave it to the kid (6, maybe 8 yrs old) and his parents rush up like “whats happening!”. The kid, calmly and intelligently, explained in english / japanese what we said / he said (basically thank you / you’re welcome). Here this 8 yr old knows more english / japanese than I did, or his parents did…
A few years ago I spent time on Utila, an island in the Caribbean. Many backpackers come thru there, so in 4 months there I met literally hundreds of people from all over the world. I even taught a basic reef ecology class in the 3/4 grade class on the island.
So many awesome conversations on education, healthcare, social services, etc. For the most part, we all live in our little bubbles in the world. Utila is a place where those bubbles collide, and it really opened my eyes to how other cultures live. Vacationing somewhere just brings your “bubble” with you, living there is a whole different story 
So most of us never learn of their education systems.
I recall learning spanish in kindergarten, numbers 1-10, cat, dog, thats it. Then nothing till like 8th grade. Such a big gap…
Spanish would be my go-to 2nd language here in the US for sure…
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I’d like this post twice if I could. Lots of pieces of truth and wisdom. I’ve had many similar experiences overseas as well. Living in a different country shifts your perspectives and ideals hardcore. You nailed it too…vacationing and living are 2 radically different experiences.
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I was in French immersion until grade 5.
I almost failed high school French because it was beneath me.
Knowing French helped me learn basic Spanish which means I can now be understood in around half the world.
I like listening to music in other languages even if I don’t understand.
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Are you Canadian by chance? It’s rare for elementary schools to offer French here in the states. Really only in private schools and very wealthy areas would that be possible.
French is another powerhouse. Soooo much colonization through history as well. Spanish and French are both invaluable tongues.
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My wife speaks French ,English,spainish from Spain not California Spanish lol she speaks that as well Tagalog
Me I speak a little Spanish little Tagalog and
Gaeilge
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I am Canadian yes. I was lucky it was an option in my area. Not always possible.
There’s something about knowing I could go to…Vietnam…and get by.
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I’m sorry for the British Empire but Spanish is more spoken in the whole world: 
More than 40 millions in the U.S.A. speak Spanish, so quite a lobby right now. It’s difficult for me to understand a quebequois speaking THAT french, I speak English, French and actually finishing German. There’s no way you can integrate-understand a country if you don’t speak like them.
I enjoy Koreans thrillers in Netflix, and watch them in Korean, slowly learning something 
.Every time I can I watch the films in their original language, I enjoy detecting german words in Danish, Finnish or Swedish films, wouldn’t stand watching a Japanese translated to Spanish … 
I think not learning other languages is also related with no travelling to other countries, I enjoy doing so because it widens your mind and enrichs your experiences.
I once read the Philippines is the only Christian country in all that region because the Spanish monks learned to speak tagalo and taught their religion in that language, that is why they assumed it as their own …
I know some of you are learning Spanish and even living here, I appreciate that effort of integration in one community, I know some Brits living in Spain since 20 years ago that cannot even say hello, times are changing and we hispanics are growing as community around … 
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Preciously brother’s so i qm happy withthose and this and rates please forgive the relation under society is fine elso my spaceman here were almost comply for the fells of de foreign manes yeah tenkiu’ll.
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10001100001110001 language
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WAaaa dmn bro yeah is innA UNDERSTAND .KIND REGARDS FOR U.
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It also has to do with leaving the resort once in awhile I think 
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Or you could just go to this place and be very confused
Is it French? Is it Spanish? I dunno.
Dont trate my language man.
Iam fine inna space.