”To speak another language isn't just cultured, it's a blow against stupidity”

 – the title of the article I’ve just read speaks for itself. Though in Poland we’ve recently been observing a cultural pressure to learn as many foreign languages as it is possible, in the UK the situation is totally different. As stated in the article, after modern languages were removed from the core curriculum, the number of students willing to take up studying any foreign language has enormously decreased. Hence, the question arises – is it really necessary to learn foreign languages if one already speaks English, which, as we know, has become an international language?

Actually, I believe that in order to be perceived as a well-educated society, learning foreign languages is crucial. Not only does it help us to communicate with people of various nationalities, but it also develops our general knowledge concerning the world itself. Knowing a language is connected with knowing foreign culture. Thus, in such a way we can become more tolerant and open-minded towards different beliefs and customs.

What is more, nowadays, when working abroad has become a prevalent issue, speaking various foreign languages is a crucial aspect for employers when approving people’s applications. It is no longer enough to be familiar with one or two languages, since there are more and more people knowing even five different languages.

Finally, assumption that the English language is the only needed language in the world fails to take into consideration significant aspects, such as – for instance – the influence Asian languages have. While few years ago there were only few people interested in taking a course in Chinese, now the number of people studying it is increasing every single day.

When taking part in the IST project in France two years ago, I felt ashamed of not knowing the French language. Taking into consideration French attitude towards using English, it was quite an obstacle to communicate with the citizens. Although such a French behavior of unwillingness to use any other foreign language by tourists is really bizarre, I hope to take up learning that language one day. The thing is, learning any foreign language should not only be a MUST, but also pleasure. 
Hopefully, students from the UK would sooner or later follow my opinion.