The importance of languages

We tend to forget that speaking the language of the place we are travelling to makes all the difference!
As CPO's and security professionals we are the first ones to know that good communication is of critical and high importance PRE- IN- POST task, but yet we see many companies advertising all sorts of courses, but never language courses.
Learning the language, dialect, traditions and customs, country history etc.. All this may save our lives one day yet many still don't do it.

We tend to think we are the best because we speak English, we tend to think that English is the best language in the world and that everyone should speak it including in very poor parts of the world.

Not everyone speaks english, not everyone likes/wants to speak english, not everyone had had access to English lessons at school and not everyone is educated.

We need to get over it and learn languages, they are great and they show the host country that we respect them enough to learn about their country.