The Best Tips For Effective Travel And Communication

Some things become inherently trickier as a solo traveler visiting a country where English is not widely spoken. Having good language skills definitely helps when traveling, but we are not all blessed with multilingual skills.

Without a friend or companion to lean on for help, and not being able to speak the local language, can make travel and communication a challenge.

We have all been caught up trying to muddle through a foreign language in a foreign place, and while it’s harder, it’s not impossible.

I’ve been traveling alone to non-English speaking countries for over a decade and I’ve found that as long as you are willing to give it your best shot, effective communication is always possible.

Below I have listed some of my best travel and communication tips so you can find a way to communicate when it gets difficult.

Tips For Better Travel and Communication

Whether you’re traveling alone or in a group, learning how to communicate when you travel is key for a successful time away. Here are some of my top tips to improve your travel and communication skills.

1. Learn common phrases

One of my biggest pet peeves are when people assume that everyone in the world should speak and understand English.

I always make sure to learn a few key words and phrases in the local language of wherever I am traveling.

Even if you fail abysmally, I’ve found that the fact that you’ve made an effort to try and speak their language will always work in your favor.

Whenever I meet locals or have the opportunity to interact with new people from where I am visiting, I make a conscious effort to try and learn words from them too.

More often than not they are more than happy to share and teach you a few things. In fact, they even like to learn a little English from you, and you can get into a kind of language exchange which makes for a memorable experience.

This is even possible when neither one of you can understand a word of each other’s language. Just point a lot. And smile.

2. Use language apps and communication devices

We are also lucky that we are now in a world filled with smartphones and there are plenty of great apps out there to help ease the difficulty of traveling in a foreign language.

I often use Google Translate to quickly get an idea of food or ingredients on a menu or to see what a specific word mean. You can also use it to explain to your…