Travelling to different parts of the world is a privilege not many people get to experience, so when you have the chance you should make the most of it. There are so many museums, restaurants and sights to see, but sometimes people find it hard to navigate to places if they can’t read or speak the language. For this reason, it is a good idea that you learn to speak the language of the country you are wanting to travel to. You don’t have to become fluent but knowing key phrases will be extremely helpful for you. Need a bit more convincing, just look at our reasons why below.
Makes Life Easier
There is nothing worse than visiting somewhere where you can’t understand what is happening. A lot of people will resort to pointing or making gestures and hope that people will understand them, but this isn’t a great method and it only works so far. If you learn the language of the country you will be able to order at a restaurant, understand the street signs and go on transportation a lot easier than if you didn’t know the language. It can be hard to miscommunicate something when you aren’t sure of what you’re saying and it makes life difficult for you.
Experience Culture
If you want to immerse yourself in the culture of the country you are visiting, there is no better way than speaking their language. For example, the Mandarin word for ‘everyone’ translates to ‘big family’ and you can see how important family is in Chinese culture. This is evident all around the world and learning the language of a country can help you to understand more about their history.
Locals Appreciate It
Most people enjoy when others show an interest in them and the same can be said for when people try to speak another language that isn’t their own. The residents of the country know that you are likely a foreigner as you stumble over your words, but they will appreciate the effort you are putting in and will be more likely to help you. They will be more than happy to offer support when you need it, as well as building a bond at the same time. It doesn’t matter if you think you sound silly trying to say the right words, they will smile and enjoy the fact you are inserting yourself into their culture in a healthy way.
Boosts Brain Activity
You may not have realised this but learning a new language can help you become more intelligent in a number of ways. It is very beneficial to the brain as it will improve your memory, strengthen your problem-solving abilities and enhance creativity. As all these things happen, you will find yourself growing more confident in your skills and ability to talk to others with a new language. Not to mention, it makes you very marketable as a human being and can open up job opportunities in the future.
Meet New People
Not everyone speaks the English language and there are some incredible and interesting people out there in the world. You never know what stories someone has to tell and learning a new language means you will be able to understand them when you are travelling. These new people could become friends, colleagues or you might even be able to go on a date with them. You never know what you will discover when travelling and speaking another language helps in so many ways.
Makes the most of your travelling opportunities and learn the local language to better yourself as well!
