Did this in South Africa a few years ago. I practiced for months ahead of the trip until I could say, nearly flawlessly, “I’m an American. I’m sorry but I don’t speak Xhosa,” in Xhosa, clicks and all. The white South Africans i met thought I was an idiot (“why bother?”) but it seemed to be at least marginally respectful. Xhosa speakers I met loved it, and seemed to think it was funny and weird-in-a-good-way.
You can go a long way by learning how to apologize for your own ignorance in the native local language. (In Germany I concentrated on learning to order Bratwurst and beer)
