How to Travel when You Only Speak English

Generally, English is considered to be a universal language spoken in almost every part of the globe. But, there are some destinations with non-English speakers, which may present a bit of trouble for travelers that only speak English. The following are important travel tips to help you get by when you only speak English. 

Act Polite 

It is normal to feel annoyed and humiliated when locals cannot understand your language. But, that should not make you act rude or start yelling at people. Instead, be patient with them and try using other alternative communication tools like body language to pass your message across. If you act polite, even the locals will be patient with you and offer the necessary assistance. 

Observe and Listen More 

Sometimes, there is so much more than you can learn through observation than trying hard to communicate with people in a language they do not understand. By observing how the locals are communicating and relating to each other, you can easily pick a few tricks to overcome the language barrier. Besides, some locals may also speak English with a poor accent that you can only get when you listen carefully. 

Be Confident 

Speaking a different language from that of the locals might make you feel alone and neglected. But, it should not restrict your adventure. Instead of crawling back into your hotel, use the opportunity to immerse yourself into the culture. The language barrier should encourage you to explore the destination further. 

With language translation apps and maps, you can still find your way around and engage the locals without going through so much trouble. You could even be lucky to find some locals willing to learn English. 

Many people are often scared of visiting destinations with non-English speakers based on the language barrier. But, traveling the world when you only speak English is a great opportunity to tap into new cultures and experiences for personal fulfillment and growth.