FIVE MAGIC WORDS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL
Does traveling to far away countries where they speak a different language have you nervous? Does fear of not knowing the local lingo keep you from vacationing where they speak in tongues? Afraid to get off the guided bus tour? Your mouth just doesn’t make those kind of sounds?
Most countries today are very eager to have tourist dollars. In most modern northern European countries, English is taught in schools. In Germany most people younger than their mid 40’s speak at least some English. Usually anyone in a business suit will have familiarity. And if you ask if they speak English, they will usually sheepishly shrug and say “a little bit”. But their English is probably better than your average 5th grader. Though it’s curious that policemen, bus drivers and shopkeepers, who would have the most contact with tourists seem to have more difficulty. In France and Italy it is a less common, but any tourist centered business will often have someone who can communicate. Sometimes the proprietor of the mom and pop business will call over their only too eager son or daughter. Eastern Europe is coming along. English language tourist workers are very common in Prague. Bulgaria is very eager and trying hard to find English speaking tourist industry workers. Restaurants? Italian food is not a problem. It’s actually a bit curious some restaurants in Italy offer English versions of their menus, when the rest of the world only too eager to be oh so Italian. However, trying to read a menu in Germany and the Baltic can be a mind blanking experience, though the more tourism savvy, sometimes helpfully put pictures on the menu or in the window you can point to. But if the local menu is too daunting you can find always McDonalds almost anywhere. In Germany, you can live off Pizza Hut if you want. But try to wean yourself. Be brave. Order something unpronounceable, expecting an exotic foreign dish and it’ll probably turn out to be mashed potatoes.
You can always communicate in the international travel language of hand waving and pointing, but don’t shout, speaking louder can make you heard, but not necessarily understood any better. However, if you’ve had the experience of having some otherwise kindly person just give you that odd look of unfamiliarity and simply turn to walk away from your desperate inquiry on which way to the train station, you discover a world of difference once discovering the key to travel in foreign language countries. Learn the five magic words of travel! Get a language book and work on the phrases of course, but at the least learn with reasonably close approximation of correct pronunciation at least five word phrases - Please, Thank You, Excuse Me, Where is? and How Much? (This last one will take you very far indeed.)
Being able to express these simple terms in the language where you’re visiting will, if not communicating full ideas, will get you a smile and willingness to help from most locals. The hand waving and charades can continue from there, but these will get you though 90 percent of the encounters you may have. Though they may be less useful in getting you out of a foreign jail cell. But for that, maybe you’d better contact the consulate. © Bargain Travel Europe
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