There are courses like Rosetta Stone that train one to speak and understand a foreign language naturally. And it gives one an appreciation for foreign cultures and one isn’t dependent on a tiny English speaking elite in a foreign country to understand life there. Of course, some foreign languages are easier to learn than others.
For about a half a year now, I’ve been learning French on Duolingo, and best of all, it’s free. I can pretty much read French articles now, but it still is a struggle to understand native speakers.
OK, I should have been more general. I don’t see how I could make friends with someone without having a common language up front.