The Importance of Multilingualism

I have noticed that many people have finally come to realize that there is a need for people to speak multiple languages. I, being from the United States, grew up in a monolingual household. My parents only spoke and speak English. Is this bad? Not necessarily, but they are from a different generation. I think that the people of today, of all ages, should be able to speak at least two languages. Why? Frankly, it is just how the world is going. English is an important language, yes, but not everyone speaks it, at least, not to a great degree. Many people who move to an English-speaking country feel isolated because we don’t speak their native language. They might speak enough English to get around, but is that really enough? I will forever love this quote by Nelson Mandela, “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.”
I am assuming the reader is from some English-speaking country, so if you are not, please excuse me. Imagine travelling to a place, say China. Not many people in China understand English. Sure, there will be diplomats and interpreters at certain places, but that’s it. You are alone in a country with literally a billion people. That is the feeling that most immigrants from Central America and other countries feel like when they come to the United States. In the United States, immigrants are basically forced to learn English. Why is it so hard for us to at least try to learn theirs?