How do Languages and Traveling Compute Together?

Do you ever stay up in cold sweats fearing you will die without knowing a foreign language? Do you ever wish to exit the miserable confines of monotony with a trip abroad? What if you could do both… at the same time!

Ready for an amazing journey? Level up your travels by learning a new foreign language! Connect with locals and break down cultural barriers to get deeper insights into their values. All while boosting global empathy and expanding horizons through individual skill development – the possibilities are endless!

Experience a whole new level of excitement by challenging yourself to pick up a language on vacation! Want to try something unconventional? Watch movies in the language you’re studying, sample local dishes and ask locals for explanations of the ingredients, or join a local meet-up with like-minded language learners. Alternatively, why not discover the culture and expand your vocabulary at museums and historical sites? Have the time? Check out a language exchange program or take a course abroad!

Learning a new language abroad can be quite the journey—daunting, yet full of potential! So don’t be afraid to spread your wings and make mistakes. It’s okay to feel intimidated, but challenge yourself to overcome that by taking risks. Make learning a game! Set yourself a goal: how many words or phrases can you master each day? The skies the limit! Especially when you consider Duolingo’s mascot is a bird!

Don’t overlook the resources available! Leverage technology to find convenient and cost-effective materials that’ll fast-track your journey towards fluency – from software programs, audio lessons, books, apps, and more! Take your language-studying game to the next level: combine a trip and language courses for an unbeatable experience! I did this in Morocco – and it was amazing.

You spend days absorbing the local culture and knowing the land, and nights getting into a consistent study routine. Plus, language schools have tons of out-of-classroom activities, so you can dive deeper into the local culture – all while immersing yourself in the language and meeting fellow travelers!

With all that being said, just how do you go about this bilingual blitz of a journey?

Getting Ready to Learn a New Language

Preparing yourself for this journey starts with understanding your target language, brushing up on basic phrases and keywords, and joining a community of like-minded language learners.

For English speakers, it can be especially difficult to pick up a new language, but with some effort, you can definitely make progress while traveling. There are many different ways to approach learning a foreign language: taking classes at local schools, downloading language learning apps like Duolingo or Babbel, or engaging in conversations with native speakers who can help you understand colloquialisms and accents. Whatever method you choose, practice makes perfect!

Learning a foreign language while traveling is an incredibly rewarding experience that has the potential to open up your world in ways you never imagined. So why wait? Start learning now and get ready for your next international adventure! The best way to approach this is to invest in resources that allow you to practice language learning long before you ever touch the tarmac.

Language learning resources before you go

Whether you’re looking for something more comprehensive like a full-fledged language course or just some quick tips on key phrases, there are plenty of options available. Many language schools offer online courses tailored specifically for travelers, including interactive lessons and audio components that can help you practice pronunciation. Alternatively, there are lots of resources available for free online – from podcasts to YouTube videos – that can teach you basic conversational phrases.

Apps like Duolingo, Babbel, and Memrise are also great tools for learning languages before you go. Not only do they provide easy-to-follow lessons with audio support for pronunciation practice, but they also track your progress and give rewards when milestones are achieved! Keeping up a streak gives more incentive to continue learning as well! Think of the flexing opportunities! It’s always about flexing!

To really prepare yourself for success abroad, it’s important to find a resource that fits your needs and get started right away. Duolingo, Babbel, and Memrise are just a few recommendations. They are all different when it comes to learning a foreign language. Each undoubtedly comes with its pros and cons and it’s important to take into consideration your specific language learning style before choosing one to use. With any of these resources at hand – plus a little bit of dedication – there’s no reason why you can’t reach fluency before setting off on your next adventure!

Choosing a Target Language to Learn

Choosing a specific foreign language to learn can be an intimidating task. With so many languages out there, it can be difficult to know where to start. But if you approach the process with a plan and the right mindset, you’ll find that learning a new language is not only fun and rewarding but also achievable.

The first step in selecting your target language is determining why you want to learn it. Are you hoping to communicate with native speakers in their own language? Or do you simply want to experience another culture? How long will you be visiting a country where that language is common? How often will you be using it? Are you guided by passion or practicality? Knowing your goals upfront will help narrow down your choices.

It’s also important to consider what resources are available for learning the language. Major languages like French, Spanish, and German have numerous textbooks, audio courses, online classes, and apps – all of which make the learning process much easier! On the other hand, some more obscure languages may have limited resources available, making them less accessible for learners.

Finally, try to pick a language that resonates with you personally. When choosing between two similar languages (like Spanish and Portuguese), go with whichever one feels more exciting or interesting to you – this will make it easier for you to stay motivated during the learning process! Often these decisions come down to one’s affinity towards particular cultures or personal connections with people who speak that language. In other words, often the decision is somewhat inherent. And, if you’re like me, any excuse to not do things on your own is a good one!

At the end of the day, choosing a target language is all about finding something that fits both your needs and interests – once you’ve done that, everything else will fall into place. Now, let’s take a closer look at the official languages of your destination country – what will you discover?

Official Languages of Your Destination Country

When researching your destination’s language, start by checking out which languages are considered “official”. This can often be found on government websites or online travel guides. Once you have a list of official languages, research each one and decide which makes the most sense for your journey.

Information on the number of speakers and where and the context around official languages in a country are relevant topics to research. These things should be easy to come by via the internet. Take all of that into account when approaching official languages.

This is when choosing a language becomes more complicated too. Several countries in places with colonial histories like Africa will feature a plethora of native languages with higher numbers of speakers than what is to most people a more familiar official language. Does this mean you forego the official language to learn the most spoken one? That depends on you, your interest, and the time you can invest. Is it better in the long run to learn the bigger language spoken by fewer speakers in the country you’re visiting but more worldwide? Or do you narrow your focus on the country at hand and learn the specific language most spoken there?

Keep in mind, additionally, that not all countries have clear definitions regarding official or national languages. However, for many, the information is very easy to find using the internet. If you’re in a nation though, chances are you will encounter local dialects and regional variations in the foreign language. Prepare yourself because this is a whole other beast you’ll have to contend with!

Local Dialects and Regional Variations

When researching the official language of your destination country, don’t forget to look into any local dialects or regional variations. This can help you sound like a native when speaking with locals, as well as prepare you for any slang words or phrases that you may encounter during your travels.

For example, Spanish is spoken in many countries around the world but there are also some unique words and expressions used in certain regions that may surprise you. In Mexico for instance, it’s common to hear people say “¿Qué onda?”, which translates literally to “What wave?” but is used as an informal way of asking how someone is doing.

It’s important to note that different dialects can also vary in terms of their pronunciation; learning a few key phrases in a local dialect will help ensure that locals understand what you’re saying! Additionally, studying a few regional variations makes for interesting conversations with locals.

The bottom line is that if you want to get the most out of your travel experience while abroad, learning the local dialects and regional variations is essential. So take some time to research before your trip! It will pay off in more ways than one! There’s a lot of content on this on social media and youtube, especially for bigger languages like Spanish, Arabic, or German. Make it into a game to learn about all the unintelligible accents from a nation. Goof around in different tongues forever!

What you gain from learning a new language while Traveling

Learning a language while traveling has some huge benefits. For starters, you’ll be able to communicate with native speakers in their native tongue, which means you won’t have to rely on English for your conversations. In addition, learning the local language is an immersive experience that will allow you to understand more about the culture of the people around you.

Plus, when it comes time for your trip home, you’ll be able to take pride in having learned at least some basic phrases or words in a foreign language. You’ll also find that having knowledge of another language can open up opportunities such as teaching English abroad or pursuing graduate studies overseas.

Fortunately, there are many options out there for immersion programs, studying abroad, volunteering, translating, and so on. Learning a language while abroad is one of the best methods to turn what was a temporary vacation into the nurturing of a lifelong skill. See it as an investment into your future!

Obstacles to Language Learning Abroad

Learning a foreign language while traveling can be a great way to immerse yourself in the culture and communicate with locals, but it can also be quite challenging. For starters, if you don’t have any prior experience with the language it can take some time to get used to the new sounds and pronunciation. Furthermore, even if you do have some knowledge of the language, learning by immersion can be difficult because of the sheer amount of information that needs to be processed.

Additionally, many countries have multiple languages spoken by different groups of people. This means that even once you’ve learned the official language of your destination country, you may still encounter other dialects or languages which could pose a language barrier.

Finally, as an English speaker, it can sometimes feel like you’re at a disadvantage when trying to learn other languages since English is so widely spoken around the world. This means that there are fewer opportunities for practice with native speakers who need help with their own English skills. Often you’ll find that, as so many people know some English, they answer you in English. This occurs even if you attempt to speak in their local language.

Despite these challenges though, learning a foreign language while traveling will literally change your life! And who doesn’t like their life changed? So start learning today. And, you know what else changes lives? This Blog! So check out some more content we got going on!