7 tips to travel when you don’t speak the language
You don’t need to be bilingual to travel around, but make sure you pack a phrase book and take note of emergency telephone numbers and important addresses, in case you get lost or need some help.
Don’t be afraid to approach the locals and ask them for help. In general, people are usually willing to help; even if they don’t speak your own language, they’ll try to understand and help where they can. Give it a go: you never know who you’ll meet!
You’ll find yourself pointing at everything: when ordering food, asking for an address, shopping… But be careful with hand gestures: some of them have different meanings around the world.
When we’re in a place where we don’t speak the language, we sometimes tend to say “yes” a lot. But this isn’t always the best option. What about smiling and seeing if you can understand something else?
Most of us are guilty of it… when you’re talking to someone and they don’t speak your language, you speak slowly and loudly. Extremely loudly! This can come across as patronising – they can hear you just fine thank you very much.
Take a look at our travel course and learn the essentials! Prepare yourself for when you get to the train station, or the coffee shop, and you need to ask for help. The locals will appreciate you making an effort to speak their language. This can help you to meet new people and discover amazing places.
Not speaking the same language means that you’ll need to come up with creative solutions to communicate in different ways. But don’t focus on how difficult it is; try to find a solution! Getting to know people will enrich your experience!
