While I struggle to make myself understood in French, the people seem to appreciate the fact that I am trying to work in their language. With as multi-ethnic as our industry is becoming, I think there is a lesson in all this.
Communication is communication, regardless of what language it occurs in.
Sure, you will butcher the pronunciation and they will all have good laugh at your struggles, but if you are willing to be uncomfortable in their language, they are likely to be more willing to be uncomfortable in English. We are all just people sharing the same planet. What language we do it in is really not that important in the scheme of things. On the travel front, we decided to flee the city for the peace of the countryside. Most of the day was devoted to wandering around the Palace at Versailles.