(anonymous) says...

Susan,

It seems we have two different experiences in Mexico. All I know is we have found when you get away from the Hotel zones or the big cities, no one speaks English. We flew into Cancun last January and took the bus to Playa. The driver did not speak English nor did any of the riders other than one other tourist couple. The two weeks we were in the area, none of our taxis drivers spoke English. When we went out into the "real Mexico", none of the villagers or people in the towns we visited spoke English.
One other time we were there, and we still laugh about it, we were trying to buy a Styrofoam ice chest. Well, we whipped out the English to Spanish dictionary and tried to combine the two words. We have about 6 to 8 Mexicans standing round us laughing and trying to figure out what the heck we were trying to say. Needless to say, we enjoyed the interaction but never got our ice chest until me ran stumbled across it.

I asked a Hispanic co-worker who visits her "hometown" which is about 60 miles outside of Guanajuato. I asked her if anyone spoke English there. She said, "No. That you have to be in the big cities to find anyone who spoke English and the English they speak is very little. She said in the big cities they do teach a little English but it is very little.

Next time you are down there, try only speaking English. I have a sneaking feeling you are using your Spanish skills more than you realize it.

Take care!

October 28, 2009 at 1:02 p.m. ( reply | permalink | suggest removal )