Czy mowi pan po angielsku? Do you speak English?

This week I have started the leg work of going around Warsaw in order to establish my life here as a foreigner. Since I have been here only a week, my Polish is pardon the pun; 'unpolished.' For example, yesterday I went to the University to find the building to sign up for Polish classes. It seemed easy enough to find on the Internet, but I in fact had the misfortune of looking in every building at the University until I found it in a decrepit corner nestled behind the music department. The problem was that I tried to speak Polish. After saying 'Czy movi pan po angielsku?' most people replied in English-NO! To their displeasure I informed these souls that I in fact spoke a little Polish and that they could instruct me in their mother tongue and I would probably understand. Because of my decision to speak Polish in finding directions instead of moving on to one of the million other people here who can speak English, it took me half the morning to find a building that was literally in the middle of the capital city of Poland. Anyway, one would believe that I learnt my lesson. Hardly! I continued to press the 'Czy pan mowi po Angielsku?' question around at the hospital, where I received in a steadfast manner that in fact the receptionist didn't speak English. So I bravely tried to explain my curious situation about obtaining the mandatory student health certificate in Polish without looking for an English speaker. After about thirty seconds of another Polish language fiasco, another nurse barked out from the corner:'Go upstairs to the second floor!' With that short chalk talk, I said a cheery 'Dzienkuje bardzo!' and flashed up the stairs. Whereupon I made my appointment confidently in English. After a few hours if pounding pavement, it was a successful day. I managed to enroll in a Polish class, and make a doctors appointment in my own language! Can you get more intelligent than that? I hope not?