Travel Advisor: Do I have to Learn Every Language!?

While planning her first international trip, one of our blog subscribers reached out. She will be traveling to 4 countries over the course of a few weeks and was worried about the language barriers. She was overwhelmed, knowing she couldn't learn multiple languages in a few months' time. She was sure we must have faced this issue, so she contacted me, looking for a solution.

Christy receiving a traditional welcome in India

We travel to as many as 8 countries a year and stay anywhere from 1-90 days per country. I at least want to be able to exchange a friendly greeting, but at that pace, it's very difficult to learn enough to be conversational - especially when I lack that level of motivation! Yes, I would love to be fluent in multiple languages, but frankly, that requires A LOT of effort, and well... With over 7,000 known languages in the world it's overwhelming! I need some serious motivation because my limited knowledge doesn't even come close.

Despite my 4 years in high school as a straight 'A' French student, I can only speak a few phrases. I can understand a moderate amount, which is sometimes helpful, but sometimes I understand just enough to be comical. Let's just say, my experience with Parisians, is that we may not want to know their brutally honest opinion of Americans. Ha ha. I understand a bit of Italian and know several words and phrases. Reading, I can muddle through most Latin languages and catch the gist. And, estoy aprendiendo español (We are learning Spanish). Sometimes I feel pretty proud of those skills, but then I meet people who are fluently multilingual, aaaand I feel far less impressed with myself.

So, as a language learning slacker, what is my strategy to get by? First, I go out of my way to learn more about traditions and cultures: Is a common greeting a handshake? A bow? A kiss? Is it proper in the culture to shake hands with someone of the opposite gender (for example, in predominately Muslim countries, it is only appropriate to be touched by someone of the same gender)? If I have friends or contacts with the same background, I'll ask them for firsthand knowledge. Sometimes, I ask for advice in a travel group on social media (beware, in travel groups, you'll have to carefully sift through to find the best answers). And, of course, there is trusty Google. Just make sure to find good sources.

Next, I try to learn a few key phrases wherever I travel: "Hello," "goodbye," "please," "thank you," "yes," "no," and "I do not speak (whatever the language is)." Sometimes, for simplicity, I just Google the phrases I want to learn and start memorizing from there. Google will even offer correct pronunciations. I like to learn these phrases in different languages, as it enriches the experience when I can communicate with the locals. The locals typically appreciate the effort and often will go out of their way to try to help. A little effort goes a long way. Don't be intimidated if you struggle, to be perfectly honest, nearly everyone in a tourist area will speak English (as well as several other languages. You would be surprised by the number of people who are multilingual; anyone from taxi drivers, porters, to front desk clerks at hotels). If you leave tourist central (which we usually prefer), you will find fewer English speakers. This requires a different strategy. This is where the few phrases you have learned will be appreciated, but you'll need more. There are numerous translation apps you can use, or - if you have data or wifi, you can simply Google search words and phrases. Personally, I LOVE Google Translate. Download this and make sure your settings show that it can be used offline. Practice with it before your trip. You may be using it on the fly, trying to quickly gather your thoughts mid-conversation. You'll want to be comfortable with it. I have been in situations with a non-English speaker where we will converse solely through Google translate. It can be a cumbersome process, but it works (Disclaimer - If you're in a hurry, like about to miss your train, I would recommend you either keep looking for someone who speaks English or translate a single phrase, like "Help. Platform number two?" and repeat it like a parrot to anyone willing to listen and assist.) If you do want to learn more than a few phrases, I have a few strategies. Personally, I learn best through immersion. Throw me in the deep end and I'll sink or swim! I have several friends from Mexico, so I often convince them to try to hold a conversation with me. It's an effective learning tool for me, and they often find my attempts quite entertaining. Like when I broke my leg and couldn't quickly piece the words together for the very long explanation of my horseback riding accident. I simply told them "Caballo del diablo" (devil horse) as they laughed. For an app, I like Babbel. It's definitely Jordan's favorite way to learn. As a boring accountant, he appreciates the structure. I also really like to watch Spanish cartoons with English subtitles - and my guilty pleasure: telenovelas. They are SOO dramatic. As an anti-drama person in real life, I don't get my fascination, but I must admit, they keep my attention! Listening helps me with pronunciations. Also, Google Home does "Spanish lessons," which is useful for learning vocabulary. I feel like these strategies could easily be adapted for most languages. Best of luck and Happy Travels!