Why You Should Learn A Second Language Before Traveling

By Author: Manoj Upadhyay
Total Articles: 22
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Learning a new language poses a significant challenge for most people because they are scared of feeling embarrassed in front of the native speakers. You might have also got this feeling that it is better not to learn a new language at all rather than make an effort just to look stupid to the natives. However, this mentality is based on myths, not facts. The fact of the matter is that the locals take pride in someone who tries to blend with them using their language. They love to join you in their laughter as you make mistakes while pronouncing a word wrongly. There are a lot of reasons, not just one, for learning a second language before you plan to travel to the relevant destination.
 
Easy to get around
 
It is the most obvious benefit of learning a foreign language when you are traveling to a country that does not speak English or your native language. Add on to it the fact if you are not even good at English, you might be stuck at many places in the world. If you are in Japan or Germany, you will rarely find anyone who speaks English. And in countries like Japan, the online ...
... translators don’t really help. That is why; it is important to learn at least a few basic phrases that you can use to ask for directions, find the correct metro route, order something in a restaurant, and ask for help in emergencies.
 
Making friends with the locals 
 
It is a popular saying that if you talk to someone in a language that she recognizes, your words will go to her head. But if you talk to her in her native language, you don’t have to make any efforts to reach her heart. This is absolutely true while traveling to new countries that you can easily make new friends just by speaking a few words in their language. Talking to the local people helps you make friends with them in no time. You never know, they may invite you to dinner, a wedding, their parties, or even office. Several travelers find their romantic partners abroad because they are able to connect with them better in their language. A lot of possibilities are opened when you have the additional talent of a second language with you. Your traveling experience is entirely renewed just because you are able to communicate better with the locals.
 
Save money
 
It sounds tricky but you can actually save a lot of money when you know the local language. You may have to spend on overpriced groceries and clothes from the shops and malls situated around the tourist places. However, you can ask from the locals about the cheap markets in town where the neighborhood people go to shop for things. While negotiating for Self Driven Cars, you can have a positive effect on the provider when you speak in his language rather than yours. The taxi drivers love to give discounts to people who can be friends with them. The possibilities of saving money are endless just by having a new language by your side.
 
There is one thing that you must keep in mind that you don’t have to be fluent in a foreign language to get around easily on a new land. It is totally fine if you cannot grab the accent instantly; no one expects you to do that as well. People understand that you are different from them and you are making efforts to blend with them. Don’t mind your fluency and just go with the flow to enrich your travel experience with a new language.