Now, for the thread topic at hand ...

My father's parents were multi-lingual. My grandmother was French-Canadian, so French was spoken at home during her childhood, and she learned English outside her home. My Father's Dad's family were recent imigrants from Sweden. So my grandfather Peterson spoke Swedish, English, French, and learned Portugese and could get along pretty well in SPanish as well. The extra languages came in handy being Chief of Police in a community with many immigrant mill-workers.

I was fascinated with language as a child, and wanted my granfather to teach me Swedish, at least. I learned a few phrases of French-Canadian, but my grandmother did not want me to speak anything but English, so would not speak French around us kids, and didn't want Grandpa to speak anything but English to us. She had been looked down on as a "foreigner," and did not want us to go through the same trouble.

Having traveled to Beijing, it was amazing how many people there were learning English, and eager to practice it on Paul and me.

I find it very interesting to travel to other countries. But I know people who have no desire to leave the town they grew up in, never mind the state or the country. It's not that they have anything against people in other lands, (or towns), they just like it where they are. Different people have different interests, which I think is fine. What is adventurous for me might be torturous for you, and vice versa.