White Socks

I remember when living in England that I was teased for my white socks. I think more than the wardrobe is the sense of entitlement that most Americans have while traveling. There have been many times while traveling in Europe that I have been absolutely embarrassed to be American. I remember one woman in a train in Italy almost twenty years ago complaining to my mother that no one knows how to speak English. If they want our tourism they should learn to speak English is what she said. I do not know every language. I have to admit that I was lost in France. Yet, I learned the few phrases such as "hello" and "thank you." I also spoke Spanish to people abroad before I broke into English. I was surprised the other day in going to IHop that their menu had everything on it also in Spanish. We have immigrants not just traveling, but moving here, and they are not expected to learn English?