Best Ways to Travel without knowing the Local Language, when it occurs that you’re traveling to a country or state that you do not know how to speak their native language, things may not seem alright with you. However, here, we have carefully shared how you can cope in such cities and countries. This article explains how to travel to a place when you don’t know the language.
Well, it’s fun to explore new cities/countries and learn new languages, but there are quite a lot of things to consider. As addicted travelers, we have had so many experiences and we’re sharing them (title by title) on this site. So, are you ready? Let’s roll.
#1 Learn the basic words/sentences
Let’s say you speak only English, fluently and you’re going to travel to a Francophone (French-speaking) country. It would be difficult to start learning French from the floor, most especially, when you don’t have much time before the planned travel. So, here’s where you start from; learn the basic words and sentences.
The basic words and sentences include how to say Goodbye in French, how to greet in French, and how to show gratitude. Also, you can go ahead and learn some other common words said often by people living in Francophone countries; such as “Hello,” “Yes,” “No,” “Thank you,” “Please,” “Do you speak English?” “I’m lost,” and “Help.”
Finally, learn how to say “How much” and also learn how to negotiate with a foreign language.
#2 Download a language translator app
Thanks to technology, these things are now handy for all of us to access. Simply install a language translator app and start practicing how to read, understand, and speak foreign languages. Different people will love different apps for this purpose; however, Google Translator is still one of the best you can always trust for accurate translations.
#3 Try to be friendly and nice to indigenes and citizens
Not only when you travel to countries where you don’t speak their language, but whenever you travel to a new destination, try to be friendly and nice to everyone you see. Wearing a cute smile will always help you a lot and will attract people to help you anytime there’s a need for that.
#4 Gestures will help
When you arrive in a foreign country, try using hand and head gestures to pass information to the people you meet. For example, when you visit a shop, simply point at the stuff you need and signal to the seller that you want to buy it. That would save you from having to engage in a talk with the seller. It may sound funny, but gestures remain one of the best means of communication when you arrive at a foreign country or state that speaks a different language.
#5 Use a smartphone and activate location tracking
You should always move with a smartphone and make sure your device location is activated. Well, this is merely for security reasons; however, it helps you to learn new routes and know the places you visit often in the city. Also, with your smartphone, you can record interesting moments that would come your way.
#6 Find indigenes to teach you their language
Finally, look out for the indigenous to teach you their local language while you also teach them your own. If you’re fast in learning, this is one of the best ways to adapt to a foreign city.