Several people back home have had the same curious question: "How's the language barrier?" So I'll just address the issue on here in case others are wondering as well.
Everything around me is in French: street signs, ads, announcements (in trains/metro), menus, conversations around me, etc. But although the mother language is French, 98% of the people speak English as a second language (even if it's just the basics).
At first I would ask people, in French, if they spoke English. But this was a waist of time because everytime they'd say, "oui" (yes). Not to mention a waist of humiliation on my part with my ridiculous French accent lol. So now I approach people with English right off the bat. If that doesn't work then I try Spanish, and if neither then I resort to charades and awkward Chinese nods lol. Interestingly enough, my Spanish has helped me get by quite a bit. Obviously with the Spaniards and also the Italians and Portuguese who speak Spanish as a second language :).
I've had only two bad experiences with the language barrier and they both involved getting screwed over with food. Don't get me wrong, the food here is AMAZING I just couldn't communicate what I wanted to my French-only speaking waiter.
So, all in all, I don't really know what's going on around me but I've been getting by just fine =).
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