Memsurs,
Ah's a Hoosier, though I live in Ohio. And let me tell you, it's not just the back woods of Ohio where they talk 'funny.'
Tryhard,
I guess that's what I meant. Sure, millions of Americans go abroad, and I'd expect that the ones who aren't merely tourists learn the language, or try to, of the other country. But there are way over 300 million of us, so even all those millions who do go abroad are just a drop in the bucket.
And, as in my case, even if you do learn another langage in school, if you have no call to use it, after a while it goes 'pfft'
In fact, and this seems hard to believe to me, it can happen to a person with their mother tongue. I know a Japanese woman who has lived in the US since she married an American (maybe 30 years ago). She has said that when she visits her family back in Japan, she sometimes has a hard time following the conversation.
........
I think knowing another language helps a person in many ways. For one thing, you probably pay more attention to using your own language properly. But more importantly, I think it helps make your mind a bit more flexible. Physical exercise is good for the body and mental exercise is good for the mind.