The Benefits Of Learning A Language Before You Travel
English speakers are often able to overcome criticisms from others and claim that they can travel well enough in their native language when visiting foreign countries.
Is it possible to get by without much?
It is a great idea to learn a language before you travel to another country. You will face a lot of questions, signs, choices, and challenges as an English-speaking traveler in foreign countries. It’s a sign that your trip won’t reach its full potential if you can’t understand anything. This is a huge benefit to learning a language. A majority of foreigners can help a tourist in need. It can be done with a series or grunting grunts, or more cheerfully and helpfully. An invisible divide is created when you approach them in English and not their native language.
Nelson Mandela Perhaps the best way to describe this divide is when he said:
You should show that you care about the culture in which you live. The culture will reciprocate. This is the greatest benefit of learning a language prior to travelling.
Learn a new language with Babel!
A passport for learning native languages is 1000 times more exciting and liberating that the one you got stamped at the airport. New opportunities are possible when you have a basic knowledge of a foreign language. Sometimes, this can occur even before the trip begins. You can communicate in the language of the local community and get in touch with the right person at right time. If you are able to speak Spanish well and plan on traveling to Spain, it is worth considering staying with a host family. This is often more rewarding than staying in touristy accommodation. This saves you money on hotel fees and puts you in the center of this culture.
Learning a foreign language has many cultural benefits
Travelers who are not native-speaking tend to be hesitant about asking questions or getting involved in general situations. The non-savvy traveler may choose to eat at the nearest McDonald’s rather than finding out if the street food is delicious. The English-speaking traveler who doesn’t speak the language of the country will only be able to experience a small fraction of its true culture. Even fluent multilinguals will continue to learn new nuances, phrases and colloquialisms every day. Think about how many times you have read a newspaper in your native language and been asked to translate a word. This is the best way for speeding up language learning. The difference between the two is that a bilingual living abroad is not just ‘getting by’. They can explore and swim in foreign cultures, picking up new wisdom, instead of frantically treading water trying to stay alive. Learning a language abroad is a great way to immerse yourself in the culture and not just visit.