Fear of not speaking the language? Fears that keep you back, hinder you more than they shield you from experiences. Most of us are worried about traveling to places where the language is not spoken. Not being able to communicate can be annoying, but it might even be a little frightening sometimes. But don’t let a fear that you will not speak the language discourage you from traveling.
Learn The Basic Words
First and foremost, make an effort to learn a few words in advance such as, please, thank you, hello, good-bye. It’ll go a long way to demonstrate the locals you’re trying to. A phrasebook can help, but keep in mind that the response you get is not necessarily understandable. Write everything down such as the city names, the hotel you have selected, and any places you plan to visit.
This helps show a taxi driver or anyone you’re looking for directions from if you’ve written this down. It is safe to write it down since it’s impossible you’re going to pronounce it correctly.
Remember that the universal language of travel is English. Occasionally signs are written in both local language and English at tourist attractions. If you’re going to a tourist destination, you’ll hear locals speaking at least a few basic English terms. Yet try to speak slowly and clearly when you’re speaking to them and use basic vocabulary. Such method can abolish the fear of not speaking the language.
Body Language
When hand gestures and miming work well, a large part of interaction is in the body language. If you can’t tell what kind of meat is something when you try to order beef, moo like a cow, flap your arms like a chicken, swim like a shark. Don’t worry about looking foolish, you’ll be heard and you’ll probably find the person selling the food even more welcoming.
Reserve A Tour
If you’re not overwhelmed by knowing the language, booking a tour might fix your problem. If you want somebody else to take care of all the specifics, book a full-length organized tour. Nearly every minute you’ll have someone who can speak English and the local language, and they can help you with any questions you may have. This is also a nice way to feel like you have a safety net, and you might feel better able to tackle the language barrier every time you go on a tour. You can also book a day trip to begin your vacation, or a handful of day trips during your holiday. Thus, you will have the advantage of an English-speaking guide, but you will have a little more freedom to do as you please on your journey.
Read Online Forums On Travel
For reassurance, read online travel forums. There’s a lot of other people who’ve traveled to the destination you’re thinking about. Find out what people say about how easy it was to get around without knowing the local language.
Conclusion
If someone else has been traveling there and has found a way around the language differences, you can do that as well. Just keep trying to convince yourself that you’re going to believe it, and once you get there. You’re going to feel fantastic afterwards that you’ve met and achieved in a challenge head on. It’s one of the many reasons why many tourists enjoy traveling.
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