Learning language when visiting a new country!
Traveling is something that is so fun but, it can also be stressful and let’s be honest… a little scary. If you are traveling to another country where your native language is not the native language; the most unknown factor of your trip is how to communicate to others while you’re visiting and if that will cause you any issues.
When Allen and I travel we always take it upon ourselves to learn a few words and/or phrases in the language of the country(s) that we are visiting.
We believe that this does multiple things.
It shows respect to the people of the country you are visiting. That you have tried to learn the language of their country.
It makes having basic conversations/asking questions with others easier.
In our experiences by learning those few words or phrases it makes the locals so happy. They are so excited to see someone that is obviously not a native wanting to learn the language and be vulnerable to speak those words that will come out wrong. They are always excited to help and maybe even teach you a new phrase or word.
Lastly, you hear so often people say “if you come to America, speak English”. So we only believe that we are traveling to another’s country then it is only fare that we learn what we can in their native language.
If you live in the United States and your native language is English then most of us are not exposed to many different languages on a daily basis and you could get caught up in the thought that everyone in the world speaks English. And while everyone does not speak English, a good chunk of the world does so if you are traveling we have found that most people know a little bit of English even if it is broken. Now it is also important to note; in our experience we’ve observed that most young people ( thirties and younger ) know English. However in our experience we have also found the older generations don’t know a lot, if any English because if they are in their home country and English is not needed for them in their day to day then it is not necessary for them to know it. But this is when having a few words, “hi”, “bye”, “thank you”, “do you speak English”, “where is the bathroom” are all good words or phrases to know to see how you can best communicate with them. And learning these words is as simple as a google search and YouTube video watch. There are lots of apps and things that you can pay for to learn new languages. And in some cases that would be good, but if you are visiting for the first time or just need to have basic words we live in a world full of free information and resources right at our fingertips, so take advantage of it and learn what you can, it will definitely make your travels better!
So, we highly encourage you to learn some words and phrases in the native language of the country you will be visiting. It makes the trip fun because you get to meet new people and make a memory from your trip. To be respectful can also get you a long way in life and it will definitely make your trip anything but regular.