Are you scared of traveling because of this?
Have you ever wanted to go in a country but decided otherwise because you were scared of not being understood?
I have a lot of friend that are impress by the number of countries I've visited. But they are also jealous of my adventures because they would never dare to go to the unknown like I do.
I went to Japan and China recently. Countries reputed not to speak a lot of English but you know what? I survived and manage to make myself understood.
How I did it?
Before leaving, I manage to learn the basic of the language of each country. It is not always easy and it can take some time, but here is an article that I wrote on a few methods you can try to learn a new language: http://karmapanorama.com/5-ways-to-learn-a-new-language-before-going-to-another-country/
You just need to find the best way for you. For me, mp3 is the best. When I go to work, I put my commute time into great use. Sure, some people most think I’m crazy when I’m practicing out loud, but who cares. I grew up not thinking to much of what people think of me and I turn out a pretty good person.
I must say that Chinese was the most difficult one for me because of my French accent. When they did not understand me, I use my mime skills. At least I made some Chinese laugh while trying to help me. Memorable experience that made my trip. That and so many great things that I saw on the way.
So happy a made a little effort before leaving to help me along the way.
If you like to travel, you can check out my previous posts on my travel blog:
8 tips to look like an angel and sleep peacefully on an airplane
http://karmapanorama.com/tips-sleep-airplane/
Ni hao China ! The dragon empire
http://karmapanorama.com/ni-hao-china/
A camel or Ferrari ride? Which one is the best option?
http://karmapanorama.com/pros-and-cons-of-local-transport/
How I Survived My First Explorative Style Trip!
http://karmapanorama.com/explorative-style-trip/
Essentials not to be caught off guarde on the other side of the planet
http://karmapanorama.com/essentials-to-bring/
10 ways to optimize your time at the airport
http://karmapanorama.com/optimize-time-airport/
Follow: @karma-panorama
Blog: http://karmapanorama.com
Sola: https://sola.ai/karmapanorama
I love traveling without prior knowledge of the country. That challenges me to improve myself out of my comfort zone.
This is the best way to travel, getting out of our comfort zone. But a little knowledge of the country before going is nice too.
Hi Karma Panorama
I definitely share your love for traveling!
I've mostly traveled to countries where English is generally spoken.
However, when visiting Uruguay I got to know enough Spanish to manage. Like you say, if you learn the basics you can get by. Even so, my sister and I had a lot of laughs, because we also had to rely heavily on miming. That was part of the fun though!
Enjoy your travels and thanks for the links to your travel blog.
English is spoken almost everywhere, especially when your visit big cities. As soon as you leave the usual touristic path, it become harder to find somebody that speaks English. But those are the best places to explore.
The miming and drawing part are always fun !
To the question in your title, my Magic 8-Ball says:
Hi! I'm a bot, and this answer was posted automatically. Check this post out for more information.
I'm using my hands even though the person next to me is understanding english, and nope I'm not Italian 😆. When you show interest in someone is a start. When that person is selling something you will definitely find the common grounds.
When it comes to buying something, they always have a little calculator in their pocket, they don't need to understand anything but the numbers :)