Is It Getting Better or Worse?

Haha, no this blog doesnot involve bitching about the lack of work for myself,  I'm done talking about that.  I'm actually talking about my Chinese and not sure if it's getting better or worse.  I try to practice my cantonese when I can with friends or when I'm buying things.  Sometimes friends say "very good" and sometimes they are like "what the hell?!" .  I've gotten good at saying "I don't need the plastic bags" at the grocery store and how much is it etc.  But sometimes I wonder.  Just yesterday I was in a health supplement store in Soho and was looking at some protein powder and just simply asked how much it is in Cantonese, she kind of gave me a dumbfounded look and then just answered in plain English.  After that I had noticed that it happens alot.   Just last week I was on my way to a casting and asked where a certain street was and the woman just answered me in English (as best as she could  ).  I ask in Cantonese and they almost always answer in English.  Is that a normal thing or is my Chinese so bad that they don't bother answering in Cantonese thinking that I won't understand?