As travelers, we’re used to encountering more difficult situations than most people. There are many variables that couldn’t be predicted, and that’s why traveling is fascinating. Still, some issues along the way might not be that simple, and they could lead you to serious trouble.
One of the most common issues that come with traveling to different countries: the language. When you enter a different culture, you must be able to decently communicate with foreign speakers.
This is a predictable aspect that we can take care of. Learning a language is not an easy task. But in order to survive, you don’t need excellent foreign language skills – you need to make yourself understood.
During today’s article, we’re going to talk about few practical strategies that’ll allow you to learn any language faster and better. Let’s begin:
Learn The Basic Words and Phrases
Whenever you’re traveling to a new country of which language you don’t understand, you have to do some basic homework. Firstly, think about the most important 50 keywords/phrases that you use every day.
For instance, these words could look like something like this:
Thank You
Hello
Good Evening
How are you?
Please
Help
Is anyone here?
I am John, I am from the US, and I love football
Think about what sort of situations you’ll come across during your journey. Of course, not everything is predictable, but you can at least prepare with common words. With time, you’ll start to understand more and more of what’s going on.
Prepare Yourself with a Few Language Courses
If you are staying more than one week abroad, it’s time to get more advanced. It is time for you to enroll in some language courses.
This is pretty flexible, and it doesn’t have to be an A/B situation. You can either do it before you start traveling, or you can do it the moment you arrive. It’s all up to you. If you’re too afraid of not being able to understand and speak with locals, you should do this before the trip.
Here’s a good resource that lists some great free and online language learning platforms.
Don’t Be Afraid Not to Make Mistakes, Just Speak
Mara Lewis, HR manager at BestEssays suggests that “When we have to say something in a different language and we’re not sure that we’ll get it right, we often shut up. This is our fear of failing, and it’s a terrible symptom which drags us down completely. If you’re afraid to try, you will never be able to succeed.
That’s why it is important not to be afraid to speak. Even though you’re speaking with people that perfectly know the language, they’re also humans, and they understand that this isn’t your native language.
You’ll be amazed of how well some people will treat you, even if you can barely speak with them. Most people love travelers. They see us as peaceful beings that want to earn experiences. Why would they judge?
Listen Actively and Try to Imitate
When you’re listening to someone that speaks that you want to learn, you should begin to actively listen to him. If you don’t know the proper definition of active listening, here it is:
Active listening represents a communication strategy which is mostly used in training and counseling. The listener must fully concentrate on the speaker, and he must understand, remember, and respond to what’s been said.
In other words, you must be perfectly focused on the speaker’s message and tonality. If you put your focus into active listening, it’ll be easier for you to imitate the same words and phrases in different contexts.
Learn to Speak Simply and Correctly
When you are traveling, your purpose is not to become a professional language speaker. You don’t want to perfectly master 20 languages (or maybe you do?). I believe that your goal is to always enrich and improve your traveling experiences. That is why you must not treat this too seriously.
When you learn to speak a new language, you should firstly learn the basics. After you can understand other people and make yourself understood, you should keep it that way.
Instead of focusing on improving your vocabulary and accent, try to speak simply and correctly. Develop the way you pronounce and spell the words, and let there always be simple language coming from your mouth!
Conclusion
If you want to always do well when traveling abroad, learning the country’s basic language level is a must. You can come across so many issues along the way, and not being able to communicate your needs and problems will make traveling less fun.
Besides that, knowing how to communicate with other people from different cultures will definitely enrich your traveling experience.
