Speak Like a Local: Learning the Basics of Different Languages When Traveling

One of the easiest ways to make your travels more enjoyable (and respectful) is by learning a few basic phrases in the local language. You don’t have to be fluent—just showing the effort can open doors, make locals smile, and even help you in awkward situations. Whenever Ashely and I go to a new country for an extended amount of time that we know English is not the primary language, we do our best to try and learn a little bit of the language. Now if you’re sailing on a cruise through the Mediterranean or something, it’s not necessary to learn the basics in ALL the countries. Those are highly populated with tourists from all over the world and with English being widely spoken and understood in many of these areas, You will do just fine with simply knowing English. But, if you are planning on spending a week in Italy for example, learning a small amount of Italian will definitely help you in restaurants, stores, and on the street. If you’re visiting countries...