Quote Originally Posted by Des Parrot View Post
Virtually everyone I've come into contact with has spoken English, fortunately at work it's a prerequisite as it's the language of the (Japanese) company. If the person doesn't speak English then we normally get by with a series of grunts and nods. I can read quite a few words and once you start to understand the structure it helps. I've got no chance with pronunciation though. Rz = J !!! The closest city is Lodz pronounced Wootch (dz = ch and what look like an L is more of a W as the L has a line through it)

My favourite so far is when I went into an Ice Cream shop and the elderly lady behind the counter dragged out what I think was her grand-daughter, who was around 8 or 9 to ask me in English what flavours I wanted.

I'm in a place called Ksawerow, outside Lodz, about 90 minutes SW of Warsaw.

I used to work in Venray NL, not too far from Wankum
I lived in Kevelaer, 25km east of Venray.