Hey, if you look "interesting" to the locals, i.e., like you have lots of money (and are easily bilked), or you may have posed in Playboy (if you are female), then you could be speaking Inuit, badly, and you'd still be beating them off with a stick. Its like in the US if your friends describe you to members of the opposite sex as "sweet" or "fun to be with", you know its going to be an uphill battle to get any hot dates. Are the Chinese thrilled when foreigners try and speak the local lingo (however badly), or do they just give you this superior look of contempt for having the gall to mangle their beautiful, ancient language? :-)

oh,oh,Chris~~

its nice to know 20 years later that my jr. high school spanish still works!