In cultures where you don’t speak the language, expect simple things to be more difficult- like riding a subway, ordering food at a restaurant or calling the cable company to tell them your box isn’t working. Don’t expect people to speak your language.
The continued frustration you feel from not being able to communicate can lead to culture shock.
Imagine being in a country like Japan where the language and the alphabet are completely different. You have no car so you head to the subway station or bus stop but you don’t know how to read the signs and no one speaks English. You could take a taxi but how would you tell the driver where to go if you don’t speak Japanese?