My Urdu Experience Today Hi, today I went to a Pakistani restaurant to buy nan while I was in Manhattan. Standing there, waiting online, I was debating whether to speak in Urdu or English. I consider that if I don't speak in Urdu, then it makes all of the effort I put into learning less meaningful, so despite feeling nervous, I order in Urdu. I can speak very well, and had no problem communicating myself elaborately. After saying what I needed to say in Urdu, the man behind the counter, looking as uninterested and unengaged as possible, avoiding eye contact, simple asks, "to go?"; I answer. And that was it. I felt humiliated as he made me feel like an idiot, not showing any appreciation or admiration for someone who obviously is not Pakistani, trying to assimilate in the culture through language. My wife suggested that he may have thought I was Pakistani, but actually this isn't an isolated incident. Whether I could hardly say anything and trying to speak or nearly fluent and trying to speak, the majority of Pakistanis I have encountered were not the least bit interested in humoring me by showing interest in the effort I have put in. Does anyone want to comment on this? Perhaps someone else has had a similar experience feeling discouraged?