No guys, it's very simple. There are a few languages that are as widely spoken as English. Spanish is one of them. Learn basic Spanish.
French is another.
As a bonus, once you know one, the second one comes at half the effort. This will of course not break down all language barriers, but it will solve a lot of 'problems' you might encounter instantly. It is also a nice civilised feeling to know a bit more than your mother told you eh?
Really, you don't have to be fluent, just knowing some words will improve things 100% already. How nice is that? It just takes one weekend of study.