Jed,

    I completely agree with you on that point.  As an American, I'm constantly hearing people say, "Oh, if they're in our country, they should learn to speak English."  Okay, fine, everybody's entitled to their own opinions.  It's only when they go to another country and say, "Well, they should speak English.  I shouldn't have to learn their language,"  that's one of the most arrogant things ever.  This is the precise attitude that you can't have.  I think it not only "hampers your ability to learn pick up other languages," as you said, but also shows you have a complete lack of respect and understanding of other cultures.  After all, isn't the whole point to learning other languages to learn every aspect of it, including (besides sound and grammar) the culture which it was spoken at the time?

Reanna