One way to reduce your language worries: Expect the unexpected. I’ve seen some pretty surprising things said by fellow live streamers of some sports game I’d be watching online, via the live chat feature. The same goes for those online casino gaming platforms featuring rolling live chats as part of the experience.
In light of that, imagine what lies in store for you if you actually physically go someplace else, where the culture and language are different.
I felt nervous about visiting Mexico for the first time this winter. I was curious about other countries, but I hadn’t experienced a full-blown language barrier. When I began to think about traveling on my own, I found myself in a panic that I wouldn’t be able to overcome.
To be honest, I was even afraid that the words I was speaking might offend others.
If you want to travel on your own, don’t forget to prepare yourself for new experiences.
Speak the language you want to be understood in the places you want to go. Understand the native culture and try to take in as much as you can. There are a ton of travel blogs out there that are willing to help you overcome the language barrier and even help you avoid some of the crazy situations that you can find yourself in if you don’t.
Some common reasons I’ve had to communicate in Spanish and other languages over the past few years:
Traveling with family
English-speaking strangers
Cultural demonstrations
Local people
A street performer who stands on your street corner
Employees at museums
A random opportunity to talk to an out-of-towner
A gypsy fortune teller
A dinner that doesn’t include any other language than Spanish
They’re just a few of the ways you’ll be able to feel like you’re in another country without breaking the language barrier. If you’re nervous about traveling alone, start preparing yourself now. One you get on the “horse,” your mind will only be too happy to assist you. For instance, I know how to say “the best” in Spanish, so it was easy for me to discern that “the best” in Portuguese is similar when I heard someone saying it. Hey, I could even tell that someone was referring to the best casino when they said something about meilleursjeux casino, which I don’t even need to confirm with 100% certainty that it’s French.
Maybe you’ll even find that the things that are difficult to communicate in your native language aren’t a problem when you’re trying to travel outside of your comfort zone.
How you talk to locals has a lot to do with the culture you’re encountering. The language you choose depends on the kind of culture you want to blend in. If you want to feel like you’re making a difference and helping your community while you’re traveling, go with a specific culture you want to assimilate into. Otherwise, you’ll run into more situations where you’ll feel like you’re out of place than if you went with another language.
Traveling isn’t about going to a specific country and moving to another part of the world. You’re going to find yourself where you’re meant to be in any location. Your perspective will change as you move from place to place, because you’ll be experiencing different cultures and backgrounds.
No matter where you’re traveling, you’ll get what you need if you plan to interact with the locals on a personal level.
An effective way to connect with someone in your native language is to speak in a consistent pattern.
