Traveling to a destination where you’re completely unfamiliar with the language and culture can be exciting, but it can also be a bit scary. My clients ask me all the time “Will I be able to talk to people there? Will I be able to get around?”. I completely understand. I have been to some places that I was not sure how I would communicate, other than some pantomiming. I have been to South Korea twice and can say all of two things – “thank you” and “uniform”, though I did learn “hello” while there. (My brother used to take a Korean form of karate and so I learned l “uniform”. It didn’t come in super handy).
Short of ordering a different Rosetta Stone program before every trip you take, there are bound to be some places that you just struggle a bit with the language and cultural barrier. Here are a few suggestions to help ease that gap a little bit.
1. Learn how to say hello/good day/something like this in the language, as well as thank you. If you can at least start off your request or communication with a nice greeting and end it with gratitude, I find people are more inclined to try to help.
2. Explore with a local guide. Even if it’s just a half day private tour, it’s nice to have someone local show you around – they know the “inside” details that a general tour company probably does not. I work with “on site” tour operators and always suggest them to my clients as a good way to at least get a feel for a new city, or for a day trip/excursion. It also helps you meet other locals, who may be helpful throughout your stay.
3. Reach out on social media. I love knowing people on social media from all over the world, and then meeting them when I’m in their neck of the woods. Plus, they’ve gotten to know you (and vice versa) so probably have great suggestions for places that you’d like to eat, drink, have coffee, etc. As always, use common sense on who and when to meet up.
4. Learn some basic customs beforehand about your destinations. Whether it’s taking off your shoes when you enter a home, a particular greeting, finishing (or not) the food on your plate as a sign of the quality of the meal, these help the residents to see that you’re trying to respect their traditions. The worst way to get off on the wrong foot is to do something offensive, and often it’s something that is completely benign in our culture. Your travel professional and social media contacts can be a great resource for this.
5. If it’s customary, bring a gift or donation. I mention it a lot, but it’s a great example. When we went to Zimbabwe, our guides told us we could tip them in old shoes and clothes. If I’d known, I would have packed an extra bag with some gently worn clothes and shoes. I know others who have traveled with clothes or items to donate and they say it’s always wonderfully appreciated. It helps show your compassion and thoughtfulness for the residents and it’s just a good deed. If you have a host, it may be customary to bring a gift – though probably not old shoes! Do some research on what might be appropriate.
6. Even if you know the language or it’s an English speaking country, there are bound to be different idioms and expressions. If something strikes you as odd, or even offensive, try to figure out the meaning before getting all upset, and have a sense of humor about misunderstandings. My favorite one to date is when I went to England for the first time – I was 16, and traveling with my Catholic school, which makes it even better – and when we mentioned that we had to be up early to the hotel staff who promptly said, “oh certainly, what time would you like us to knock you up?”. The phrase came from physically knocking on someone’s door to wake them up, which makes sense, but it would mean something completely different here in the States! We had a good laugh once our confusion wore off!
7. Give the food a go on your home turf first. In virtually any culture, sitting down to your meal and looking disgusted is a faux pas. If you try it at home, you’ll at least a.) maybe recognize something and b.) get an idea of the flavors and food items commonly used so you can more easily choose something you might enjoy. Note: if you have a special food requirement/allergy, try to learn how to convey this in the local culture. Ask a native who’s English speaking if possible, and make sure that your meaning of the term is the same as theirs. For instance, as a full vegetarian, I don’t eat fish. To many, vegetarian just means no beef. I learn how to say the words for everything I don’t eat when possible.
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