Interesting posts, Ms. Malone! Perhaps this might be as good a spot as any to suggest some foreign language study as a useful survival skill? I am unable to imagine the limitations on a monoglot only because I’ve never been one that I can remember; I started out with three languages and added from there as I grew up. You are quite right that being able to communicate with some of those immigrants could make some difference in the food bargains you get. A language is a ‘private club,’ not as tight as one of blood but still a bit exclusive in its way so being admitted to one has its privileges.
They’re not always new immigrants either.:) I made a bet with my family once, when I was very young, back in the 1970s, that I could live in New York City for months and speak only Greek, except for a minimum of official business, and I did that with no trouble. I can do that with Spanish in nearly every large city in the country – and in the Southwest, I don’t even need English for any official business. In fact, it’s getting increasingly difficult in this country to find work that deals directly with the public unless you are bilingual. As a conservative, I don’t really approve of that situation, but it would be foolish not to prepare for it anyway.