Nine Things to Do When No One Speaks English

independenttraveler.com

You've always gotten by with your high school French or Spanish overseas, but what if you're in a place so remote no one speaks anything but the local language and you haven't taken the time to learn more than "hello" and "thank you"?

English is a common second language in many countries, particularly those that see lots of tourists or international businesspeople. But go off the beaten track, and English speakers aren't as easy to find. In the jungles of Ecuador you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who spoke anything other than Spanish. What if you're in rural China or Russia, or even a major city in Asia like Tokyo that has very few signs in English?
Below are nine tips that can help.

1. Don't panic.

 

Logic and composure are your best friends. You might fret if it's getting late and you can't find an ATM or your hotel. Don't worry; eventually someone will help. Stay positive.

2. Write it down.

 

Before you leave for the day, ask the front desk or concierge to write down the name of your hotel in the local language, or get a business card with the hotel's details on it. That way if you get lost, anyone can point you in the right direction, and a taxi (your safest bet at night) will return you to the front door in a heartbeat.

3. Get an app.

 

If you'll be using your smartphone abroad, download a translation app. Our favorite is Google Translate, which covers approximately 70 languages. You can have a local speak into the phone or even take a picture of written text, and the app will translate it into English for you. The app will work offline if there's no 4G or Wi-Fi available. It's free for iPhone and Android.

4. Buy a phrasebook.

 

Remember that your smartphone may not work everywhere in the world -- and if your battery dies, you may need a backup plan. If you're headed to a place where power is limited and English speakers are hard to find, it's worth investing in a phrasebook. Even if you can't pronounce the words, you can show a local the page of the book with the phrase you're trying to convey. Many guidebooks also have a list of common words if you don't want to carry a separate phrasebook.

5. Go to a hotel.

 

Wherever you are, look for the nearest lodging, preferably a luxury or business hotel (which will be most accustomed to international guests). Hotels almost always have a person on staff that can speak English or will find someone for you who can. In the worst case, you can rest in the lobby and gather your thoughts.

 

6. Find a tourist office.

 

As with hotels, tourist offices are used to interacting with international visitors and will likely have multilingual people on staff.

7. Look for familiar franchises.

 

IndependentTraveler.com Editor at Large Dori Saltzman offers an unexpected tip: "Go to McDonald's or another chain that you recognize from home. Because these places attract Americans, the staff often will know a little English -- and even if they don't, some of the diners might."

8. Look for young people.

 

IndependentTraveler.com Senior Editor Sarah Schlichter recommends reaching out to younger locals: "I've found that people in their 20s tend to be more likely to remember the English they studied in school than older folks who haven't practiced their second language in a few decades."

9. Draw a picture or sign it out.

 

Hand gestures, sketches or even just pointing to a map can all get your point across if words fail. Be careful, though; seemingly innocent hand gestures in your own culture could prove offensive elsewhere in the world. We recommend reading up on taboos and hand gestures before your trip at CultureCrossing.net.

The main thing to remember is that people worldwide are generally helpful. Remember your charades and try to act out what you need. If nothing else, it will give the locals a good laugh, and when they are laughing they will be more inclined to help.

What strategies have you tried in a situation when no one spoke your language? Post your suggestions in the comments below.

Spanish at the Beach

spanish.about.com

What's your idea of the perfect vacation? For many people, it's spending days on the beach, listening to the waves pounding on the sand. And if you're a beach-lover, sooner or later you'll find yourself somewhere where Spanish is spoken. Before you head out, here is some vocabulary you can become acquainted with.

¡Buen viaje!
 
la arena — sand
la bahía — bay
el balnerario — spa, resort
el bañador — swimsuit, swimming trunks
el buceo, bucear — diving, to dive
el bungalow — bungalow
el bikini, el biquini — bikini
el bloque del sol, el bronceador — sunscreen, suntan lotion
el cayo — key (island)
el esnorquel, el esnorkel, buceo con tubo de respiración — snorkeling
la isla — island
el lago — lake
nadar — to swim
el océano — ocean
la ola — wave
la palapa — beachside building with grass roof
la piscina — swimming pool
la playa — beach
el puerto — port
la puesta de sol — sunset
la sombrilla — beach umbrella
el surf, hacer surf — surfing, to surf
el traje de baño — swimsuit
la vista al mar — sea or ocean view

Vocabulary notes

 

Hacer + sustantivo: It is fairly common in Spanish when importing words to use the construction hacer followed by a noun for the verb form. For example, Spanish has imported the word surf as the general word for "surfing." To make the verb form, use hacer surf, literally "to do surfing." Another common use of this construction can be found frequently on Web pages, where haga clic aquí is used for "click here."

Nadar: This verb is used in a number of idiomatic phrases. One of the colorful ones is nadar y guardar la ropa, literally "to swim and keep one's clothing," translated as "to have it both ways" or "to have one's cake and eat it too." Other common phrases are nadar entre dos aguas, "to sit on the fence," and nadar contra corriente, "to swim against the current."

Wave: When speaking of a wave in the ocean or other body of water, the word ola is used. But when speaking of a wave in hair or in the physics sense, the word onda is used. Thus a microwave oven is un horno de microondas. There is no specific verb for "to wave" as in waving a hand; common phrases are saludar con la mano for a simple wave of the hand or despedirse de alguién con la mano for waving goodbye.

Learning A New Language: Think Connection, Not Perfection

huffingtonpost.com 
Suzan Haskins and Dan Prescher

Posted: 10/05/2013 7:02 am

When we first moved to Latin America, back in 2001, our Spanish language skills were minimal. We had what we call "restaurant and taxi" Spanish, allowing us to get where we were going (usually a restaurant) and order our food once we got there.

But accomplishing our daily tasks was a challenge. Getting something we needed at the hardware store... talking to the teller at the bank... buying appliances at the department store... and forget about having any conversations on the telephone. When our Internet or cable TV went down, we were stuck.

So we knew we had to do something. We had to learn to speak Spanish. It's absolutely imperative if you live in a Spanish-speaking country. We took classes, we tried some computer courses... but it was tough-going. We were making progress, but only slowly.



Photo courtesy of Glynna Prentice, InternationalLiving.com

A couple years later when we were living in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, we decided to get serious. We'd heard good things about the Warren Hardy School there. So we decided to enroll in some classes.
Little did we know that we'd not only walk away with a much better grasp of Spanish, but that we'd also meet two people who would become very good friends of ours. Warren and Tuli Hardy. They'd gone to Mexico on their honeymoon in 1989, fell in love with charming San Miguel, and decided to make it their home.

Right away, Warren saw that a growing number of expats were moving to San Miguel and most were struggling with learning to speak Spanish. He had published his first Spanish textbook in 1972 so he had some experience, and in 1990, he and Tuli opened the Warren Hardy Spanish school.

Warren's teaching method is perfect for adult learners... people with, shall we say, "mature brains," like ours. Suffice to say, after taking classes with Warren, our Spanish skills improved immensely.

So today, we'd like to turn our blog over to Warren. We asked him to write this essay about why learning a new language is so fulfilling, especially if you plan to live or travel in a Spanish-speaking country.

Here goes....

Why Learning the Local Language is Important

By Warren Hardy

This past year, I turned 65. Medicare age. Yikes!


Instead of celebrating--or whining--I spent several days quietly taking
stock, reflecting on where I'm at in my life, how I've changed, what's
important. My key insight: I'm a lot happier now than I've ever been
because I've finally seen through the myth of perfection. Life isn't
perfect. Friends aren't perfect. I'm not perfect. Knowing that, I've
learned to lighten up, go with the flow and cut the world some slack. What
a relief!

I'm sharing this with you because every year, every class session, I face a
room full of anxious students, many of them serial over-achievers their
entire lives, who are grimly challenging themselves to become fluent in
Spanish... or die trying. Worse yet, I often encounter visitors who would
love to retire in Latin America, but who shelve that dream because they fear
they will never be able to "master" the language as an older adult.

What a shame. Because I'm here to tell you, anyone--at age 50, 60, 70 or 80--can
learn to "speak Spanish" in a relatively short period of time, and enjoy the
rich cultural experience of living in another country. Thousands of Warren
Hardy alumni can attest to that fact. And most of them will tell you, the
key is to lower your expectations... and relax!


Of course you need to speak some Spanish if you live in a Spanish-speaking
country. Even if you just stay home, you'll want to talk with your housekeeper,
plumber, fix-it guy or a mechanic. Unless you plan to live in an expat
cocoon, you'll at least want to be friendly and transact your business.

And you can! I've been teaching expats for over 20 years and have designed a course just for us. It's called Power Verbs and it works like this:

A Power Verb is a verb you can conjugate and then add another verb (which you don't need to conjugate!). Example: I need. If you can say "I need" and know 100 other verbs you can say, "I need... to [fill in the blank times 100]."

Using "I need," "I want," "I am going to," "I can," and "I like to" in combination with the 100 most common verbs and some assorted nouns, you can easily express most all your needs and wants.

This is called functioning and all it requires is a knowledge of basic social protocol --please, thank you, good morning, good evening, pardon me, etc. -- some rudimentary grammar and a modest vocabulary.
Once you can master these basics, you've taken a huge step. You're no longer
an outsider, a stranger. You're no longer anxious or uncomfortable in your
new home. People will respond to you in a positive way. And then, as your confidence increases, unimaginable things can happen in your life.

In my 23 years of teaching expats I've seen it happen over and over again. Our students are expats living in San Miguel full- and part-time, and visitors who come to study Spanish. Most are over 60 years of age and are learning Spanish for the same reasons you are. When we ask them why learning Spanish was important to them, here's what they say.

• FREEDOM
• CONFIDENCE
• MAKE NEW FRIENDS
• CONDUCT THE BUSINESS OF MY LIFE
• BETTER BRAIN
• LEARN CULTURE

So here's my message. You don't have to be fluent or know all the tenses. But you do need to know the social graces and how to express your needs. Once you can do this you simply have to open your heart and give it your best shot.

Think connection, not perfection.

Hispanic Roots: Expressions, sayings from Mexico

elkodaily.com

Free Press correspondent Maria Campa

Sayings and expressions are the reflection of popular wisdom, accumulated with the passing of time.

The writer and Oaxacan historian Andrés Henestrosa rightly put it, “An expression and a saying often realize situations and open before our eyes a heading, to put in our will a decision, to decide an initial step. And not of whimsical or casual mode, sayings and proverbs are the summary of human wisdom accumulated over many years of experience.”

So then, I present to you some of the more popular expressions and sayings (with their explanations and corresponding applications) of the public domain and others little or almost unknown, because it is always good to know this type of expressions to have recourse to them at any time or occasion.

• A Dios rogando y con el mazo dando.

Praying to God and hitting with the hammer. Covering all the bases. Doing everything necessary to ensure success.

• La mejor palabra es la que no se dice.

The best word is the one that is not said. Sometimes, refraining from speaking is better than anything you could say.

• La palabra es plata, el silencio oro.

The word is silver, silence is gold. Silence is more valuable than words.

• Mejor solo que mal acompañado.

Better alone than poorly accompanied. It is better to be alone than to be with the wrong person.
• No es más rico el que más tiene, sino el que menos necesita.

He who has the most is not richer, rather he who the needs the least. Someone who is satisfied with a small amount is richer than someone who is always craving more.

• No tengas como vano el consejo del anciano.

Do not consider the advice of an old person useless. Do not ignore the advice of someone who speaks from experience.

• Querer es poder.

To want to is to be able to. If you really want to do something, you will be able to do it.

• Si quieres el perro, acepta las pulgas.

If you want the dog, accept the fleas. If you wanted something, don’t complain about it once you get it.

• De tal palo, tal astilla.

From such a stick, such a splinter. The way a child behaves is a reflection of the way his or her parents behave.

Effectively, there is always a saying for whatever situation because in them, in additional to the verbal folklore of our country, they reflect experiences, misgivings or popular acuities, but always with a spirit or touch of live teaching.

“Language is the clothing of the thoughts.” (Samuel Johnson)

10 Apps for International Travel

mashable.com

• 

  1. Converse

  Have a conversation with speakers of other languages with Converse, a $4.99 iPad app. Converse translates between English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and Dutch.

• 

  2. Wikitude

  Award-winning augmented reality app Wikitude helps you explore as you travel. Take pictures of new sights and scenes — when you have an Internet connection, Wikitude will inform you about your surroundings.

• 

  3. WhatsApp

  Text any smartphone user with WhatsApp, the app that lets you send texts, photos, videos and audio files with your contacts. WhatsApp is also great for group texting among different smartphones, so we bet you'll keep using it after you return home.

• 

  4. AllSubway

  This $0.99 iOS app is a pocket guide to the world's subway maps. Featuring more than 160 maps, you'll find guides to public transit systems in Europe, North America, South America, Africa, Asia and Australia.

• 

  5. Photosynth

  Available for Windows Phone and iPhone, this incredible panorama creation app lets you shoot geo-located, interactive images. You can share your Photosynth with other users when you have an Internet connection.

• 

  6. Skype WiFi

  Hate when random paid networks pop up as you're trying to connect to airport Wi-Fi? Skype Wi-Fi lets you use your Skype credit to connect in airports, hotels, coffee shops, and thousands of other locations across the world.

• 

  7. Google Goggles

  This free AR app for Android will help you identify everything from paintings in museums to ingredients in food. Just make sure you can find an Internet connection, and Google Googles will take care of the rest.

• 

  8. TripIt

  This one-shop-stop travel app organizes everything from your business schedule to your hotel reservation to your flight confirmation numbers. If you're looking for a serious organization tool, this $3.99 app is for you.

• 

  9. Wi-Fi Finder

  Preparing for the big, bad, cell service-free world outside your hotel? Load a map of nearby Wi-Fi locations with this free iOS app.

• 

  10. XE Currency

  Don't get ripped off changing currency — use this app to find the best local rates. If you often overspend while you're abroad because you find conversions confusing, this iOS app will help you keep your budget.

Tips for Women Travelers to Mexico

 

 

about.com

 By Suzanne Barbezat,

 

 

Although men and women have equal rights by law in Mexico, and more and more women work outside the home and hold public office, traditional ideas still dominate in many areas. This should not deter you from traveling to Mexico on your own. You can have a great time and learn a lot, just remember that your safety is your top priority and consider these tips to avoid harassment and stay safe.

Dress like the locals

Mexicans tend to dress conservatively, and if you would like to avoid unwanted attention, it's a good idea to do likewise. In coastal areas, shorts and tank tops are acceptable, but inland, women usually wear pants or skirts.

Arrive during the day

If at all possible, get a flight or bus that allows you to arrive at any new destination with enough daylight hours left in the day for you to find your hotel and get oriented.

Look like you know where you're going (even if you don't)

Don't stand on the street looking at your map or guidebook. Ask for directions at your hotel or in a store or restaurant. Write down the directions, or draw a small map on a piece of paper that you can consult without other people noticing.

Ignore catcalls

If men call out to you on the street, the best thing you can do is to just keep walking, don't respond and avoid making eye contact. Any response from you, even a negative one, will be seen as an invitation to continue the interaction.

Put your safety before your budget

Choose a hotel in an area that feels safe to you, even if it costs more. Your security and comfort are worth it, and you will enjoy your trip a great deal more.

Curb your alcohol intake

If you're traveling on your own, you need to keep your wits about you. Drink only in the company of people you trust. Remember that at higher altitudes you may feel the effects of alcohol more rapidly.

Beware of "gabacheros"

This is a term used for a Mexican man who makes a career out of pursuing foreign women. He may want sex or the things a foreign woman can afford: dinner in nice restaurants, a trip to the beach or even to her country. If you enjoy the company and don't mind footing the bill, go ahead, just don't be fooled about his intentions.

Learn a few phrases

If you don't speak Spanish, at least learn a few phrases that you can use if you are being harassed. The phrase "Estoy esperando a mi esposo," (I'm waiting for my husband) works surprisingly well to get rid of unwanted suitors.

Also, know how to ask for help: "Ayudeme, por favor." Say this directly to someone nearby if you're being harassed and need help. Many Mexicans will avoid getting involved in a situation unless they are asked directly.

Practice general precautions against theft

Don't wear expensive jewelry and keep any valuables in your hotel's safe or carry them on your body, under your clothes. Keep your money in a few different places. Wear comfortable shoes so you can run if necessary.

Trust your instincts

If a person or situation feels uncomfortable, get away fast. Don't worry about being rude. Your safety is so much more important than being nice.

 

 

Survival Spanish

mexico.com


No one expects you to be fluent in Spanish, but it shows a great respect for the people and the country if you at least try to make basic conversation. You'll be surprised how pleased people will be when you can say "Muchas gracias" and "Buenas tardes." Don't worry: no one will make fun of your accent. Speaking bad Spanish is better than speaking no Spanish at all.

Mexicans are very polite and friendly, so we suggest you do the same and address people formally, using "señor" "señora" or "señorita" when you can.
¡Suerte! (That's Spanish for good luck!)

As opposed to English, the Spanish language has a formal and an informal way of addressing a person. You have probably heard the tú form, which is informal: "¿Cómo estás?" (How are you?) The formal version would be to leave the final "s" off the verb. "¿Cómo está?" If this is more than you need to know, see below for a table of common phrases. If you can, it's best to use the formal way of addressing people you meet.

English	Spanish	English	Spanish
One	uno	Monday	lunes
Two	dos	Tuesday	martes
Three	tres	Wednesday	miércoles
Four	cuatro	Thursday	jueves
Five	cinco	Friday	viernes
Six	seis	Saturday	sábado
Seven	siete	Sunday	domingo
Eight	ocho	January	enero
Nine	nueve	February	febrero
Ten	diez	March	marzo
One hundred	cien	April	abril
Two hundred	doscientos	May	mayo
One thousand	mil	June	junio
In the morning	En la mañana	July	julio
In the afternoon	En la tarde	August	agosto
In the evening	En la noche	September	septiembre
Now	Ahorita	October	octubre
Earlier	Más temprano	November	noviembre
Later	Más tarde	December	diciembre
Before	Antes	In Spring	En la primavera
Soon	Pronto	In Summer	En el verano
A little while	Un ratito	In the Fall	En el otoño
		In the Winter	En el invierno

English	Spanish
Please	Por favor
Thank you	Gracias
You are welcome	De nada
What time is it?	¿Qué hora es?
Where are the restrooms?	¿Dónde están los baños?
Where is the airport?	¿Dónde está el aeropuerto?
Where’s a bank?	¿Dónde hay un banco?
I need to make a phone call	Necesito un teléfono
How are you?	¿Cómo está?
Hello	Hola
I am American	Soy noreteamericano
Good afternoon	Buenas tardes
Good morning	Buenos días
Good evening	Buenas noches
Excuse me	Disculpe
I	Yo
You	Usted
He	Él
She	Ella
They	Ellos
We	Nosotros
Mr.	Señor
Mrs.	Señora
Miss	Señorita

English	Spanish
Stop!	¡Pare!
Help me!	¡Auxilio!
Fire!	¡Fuego!
Listen!	¡Escuche!
Look!	¡Mire!
It’s an emergency!	¡Es una emergencia!
Police!	¡Policía!
U.S. Embassy	Embajada de Estados Unidos
U.S. Consulate	Consulado de Estados Unidos
I need a doctor	Necesito un doctor
To the nearest hospital	Al hospital más cercano

English	Spanish
I am here as a tourist	Vengo de turista
I need a cab to hotel X	Necesito un taxi para ir al hotel X
What time does the next shuttle leave?	¿A qué hora sale el próximo servicio de transporte?
Where is luggage claim?	¿Dónde está el reclamo de equipaje?
Where is the exit?	¿Donde está la salida?
What’s the local time?	¿Cuál es la hora local?
Where can I rent a car?	¿Dónde puedo rentar un coche?
Do you have any rooms available?	¿Tiene habitaciones disponibles?
How much is a single room?	¿Cuánto cuesta una habitación sencilla?
How much is a double room?	¿Cuánto cuesta una habitación doble?
I’d like to make an international phone call	Quisiera hacer una llamada internacional
Can you get me a taxi, please?	¿Me puede conseguir un taxi, por favor?
Can you clean my room later, please?	¿Puede limpiar mi habitación más tarde, por favor?
	The short version: ¡Más tarde, por favor!

English	Spanish
Can I have bottled water, please?	¿Me puede dar agua embotellada, por favor?
Not too spicy, please	No muy picante, por favor
What time do you open?	¿A qué hora abre?
What time do you close?	¿A qué hora cierra?
One beer, please!	¡Una cerveza, por favor!
A glass of wine, please	Un vaso de vino, por favor
Seafood	Mariscos
Beef	Carne
Chicken	Pollo
Vegetarian	Vegetariano
How much do I owe you?	¿Cuánto le debo?
I don’t have change	No tengo cambio
Can you make change?	¿Tiene cambio?

English	Spanish
How much is it?	¿Cuánto cuesta?
Can I get it cheaper?	¿Me lo puede dejar más barato?
No, that’s too much	No, es demasiado
I will give you half	Le doy la mitad
It’s very expensive	Es muy caro

English	Spanish
How much is the admission?	¿Cuánto cuesta la entrada?
Is it open today?	¿Está abierto hoy?
Which are the historic sites?	¿Cuáles son los sitios históricos?
Can I climb the pyramid?	¿Me puedo subir a la pirámide?
I want a guide	Quiero un guía
Let’s go swim	Vamos a nadar
Where are the beach towels?	¿Donde están las toallas para la playa?
Beach	Playa
Ocean	Mar
Water	Agua
To swim	Nadar
Swimsuit	Traje de baño

English	Spanish
You are beautiful	Eres muy bella (guapo if you are talking to a guy)
Can I have your phone number?	¿Me das tu teléfono?
Call me!	¡Llámame por teléfono!
I will call you!	¡Yo te llamo!
What do you want to drink?	¿Qué quieres tomar?

English	Spanish
I have a hangover	Estoy crudo/cruda (if you are a girl)
I need sleep	Tengo que dormir
I have a sunburn	Estoy quemado/quemada
My stomach hurts	Me duele el estómago

Tips for traveling solo

Monday, April 29, 2013 4:31 AM CDT


Is there such a thing as a typical traveler? Not anymore. Travelers run the gamut in age, interests, preferences, likes and dislikes. For couples, families and solo travelers alike, travel preferences have never been so diverse. Nor has the world of travel been so accessible and appealing. And, if you’re thinking about traversing the world as a solo traveler, there’s never been a better time to go.

“In addition to seeing and experiencing different cultures, foods and traditions, when you explore the world, you also discover new things about yourself,” says Scott Nisbet, president and CEO of the Globus family of brands. “And that fact couldn't be more true when traveling on your own.”

Traveling alone can be nerve-racking at first, but it can be equally exhilarating. Solo travel is about setting your own terms and pleasing no one but yourself. It doesn’t just push you beyond your comfort zone, it gives you carte blanche to indulge your interests and passions and get to know yourself in new and exciting ways.

Perhaps that’s why more solo travelers than ever before are venturing off on their own. In fact, according to Cosmos - an international tour company - 11 percent of Americans travel solo each year, including 9 million women.

“Discovering the world can become a much deeper experience when traveling alone. Especially if your trip is well-planned,” Nisbet says. “One of the best ways for solo travelers to see the world is going on an escorted tour with a company like Cosmos.”

An escorted tour ensures all the logistics and details are taken care of for travelers so they can experience the “best” parts of a destination while letting someone else be in charge.

And when you’re traveling solo, an escorted tour ensures you’re never really alone. Expert guides are there with you, securing the right accommodations for the best price and transportation from place to place. They’re also there to help you prioritize your schedule, seeing the must-see sites first while also leaving you plenty of time to wander and discover each destination on your own. Even better? An escorted tour allows solo travelers the chance to keep the door open to meet a few like-minded travelers and friends on a journey of discovery.

Whether you’re traveling on a tour or on your own, here are solo traveler-friendly tips from Cosmos:

1. Start smart. Before you decide where to go, consider perusing guidebooks and conducting online research to get a feel for the people, culture, sites and excursions you’re bound to experience. There are even guidebooks geared toward single travelers.

2. Choose a solo-friendly destination. In general, Europe is the top destination for solo travelers. English-speaking countries such as Ireland, Britain, New Zealand and Australia are great choices.

3. Think about safety first. You might be worried about standing out as a solo traveler, but the reality is that you can blend in more easily than a group when you’re on your own. You can also avoid being identified as a tourist. You should, however, always remain alert while carrying an ID and keeping valuables away from prying eyes.

4. Look for single-supplement deals. What is a single supplement? While most hotels charge a room rate, travel package providers (tour operators, cruise lines, etc.) charge per person, and a single supplement is a common charge for travelers requesting solo accommodations (it is the amount typically charged for two travelers per room).

There are two ways to avoid this charge: 1) Ask for a single room. Sometimes a small inventory of single rooms is available, but they book fast. 2) Look for a special offer. Some travel providers offer limited-time deals, waiving the single supplement, or “room share” programs.

5. Enjoy the ride. You get to make your trip all about you. Take advantage of that fact and do as the locals do. Talk to strangers and eat well.

 

Joys of travelling

SANTOSH KC

thehimalayintimes.com

The world is our oyster. Travel and tickle that oyster and we will come back with pearls of wisdom lining our well-worn walking boots. Travelling provides a great opportunity to learn about life. Everything we see and do and every person we meet provides an opportunity to gain a new effective perspective that can help us live a better life.

Travelling is existential! When we travel, everything around us is new and interesting. We forget about the inside of our own head, because we are more focused on the external world. Travelling helps us to find who we are when we travel, we discover parts of our identity we never knew we had. these may be strengths or weaknesses, likes and dislikes or talents that we have never needed to use before. My interest in travelling started when I was in my high school. I still remember the days when we (my class mates) bunked our classes and visited a few places in East Nepal.

Recently, I had an opportunity to see many places around SAARC region. I never had

the feeling of such freshness inside me after visiting those countries. Those 45 days could be counted the most memorable days ever. One of the most rewarding and enriching experiences a person can have is to see how life is lived in cities and countries outside their own country. Not only does it help man know more about other people, but it helps connect him with the past and quite possibly build a bridge towards the future.

Mark Twain once wrote: “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow mind- ness”. Travelling teaches us tolerance, see the challenges people face and we will become more understanding. My travelling adventures have barely begun, but they have already made my life richer and fuller. Everyone can benefit from the horizon-broadening experience how life is lived in other areas. With planning and proper information, world travel can be done on a very reasonable budget. Travelling is an adventure waiting to come alive. It allows us to indulge in curiosity, partaking in new wonders and new facets of life perhaps we never knew existed. A single holiday trip can give us the freedom and flexibility that daily life does not allow. It matters little really where we go on holidays, it is all in what we make of it.

Education comes in many packages. It can come online and offline. It can be experienced by young and old alike. Learning can take place in a classroom, in a boardroom or even in a cruise. Life experiences offer the student one of the best packages of education available on the planet. And, of those life experiences, travel offers the biggest bang for the buck.

Top Ten Travel Tips You’ve Never Heard

Posted on August 15, 2010 by barbara

travellingbooky.com

1. Make sure your suitcase is within your lifting capabilities. There is nothing worse than heaving and grunting under excess weight, the suitcase’s not the owner’s. My problem is that I am such an expert at rolling and bagging all of my clothes that I can fit in twice as much as I should. The items might fit but it makes for a suitcase I cannot lift from the airport baggage carousel, cannot lift onto the bus or lift onto any surface for unpacking. My husband dropped it on his foot trying to hoist it out of the trunk of the car and had trouble walking for days.

2. Never read “What to Pack” lists. They inevitably suggest an item or two that you never would have thought to bring. Now I absolutely need a bandana, inflatable hangers and a universal sink stopper! (See www.OneBag.com) I have never removed an item from my list after reading these helpful aids.

3. Do not accept the little gift packs some airlines give you. It’s free, I know, but takes up unplanned space. Who needs flimsy earplugs and extra eye masks? Be tough. Just say no.

4. Bring a book you don’t mind leaving behind. Never bring a library book. Not only will you have to take good care of it but you will have to lug it back home. A cheap paperback you can leave behind is your best bet. You can even join www.bookcrossing.comand perhaps see who picks it up.

5. This tip is mostly for men but can apply to women. Do not bring all of your shirts (tops) in the same shade. Blue is nice but no one will notice that one has micro stripes in red or that the other has tiny checks in grey. It all looks the same in a picture. Vary the colour scheme. And, please remind me to read this pointer to my husband on the next trip.

 6. Never try to crack a joke with either a border guard or a French waiter. Both are humourless and can make your life miserable.

 7. Never promise any one back home a specific souvenir. I looked all over South-western France for the perfect scarf for my mother. I could not find one the right colour, size, price or fabric.  I came back with a bracelet.

 8. Never have raw oysters on an empty stomach and a half-hour before going for a boat ride on choppy waters.

9. If you have a rental car that is manual, please try out every manoeuvre before heading down the highway. At our first pit stop, we couldn’t figure out how to go in reverse, i.e. get out of the parking spot. Thanks to a kind Spanish tourist, and my smattering of Spanish, we managed to learn how to go backwards in France.

10. Finally, here is the last and the most important tip: put your house keys in a safe and reachable place. Do not throw them recklessly at the bottom of the largest suitcase and then forget about them. The worse place to think about how to enter your house is when you are in a taxi, five minutes away. Leaning into the trunk of the taxi, searching through suitcases while your husband holds the umbrella over your backside, is not the best way to end a vacation. Fighting about who has, or had, the keys is not pleasant either. The only one who gets a good story and laugh out of this experience is the taxi driver. Oh yes, it’s also very expensive to drive across the city to go to that someone’s house who has a set of your keys.

Top Tips to Tackle Language Barriers When Travelling Abroad

femalefirst.co.uk
FemaleFirst @FemaleFirst_UK

19 April 2013

Are you planning a holiday abroad this year but don’t speak the local language? You’re not alone.

Most people don’t really think about the potential implications of a language barrier when they pack their suitcases for warmer shores.

Whether you’re heading off with your girlfriends or the family to countries closer to the UK borders, or adventuring into completely unknown territory, it’s worth bearing in mind that despite common misconceptions that most people overseas speak English - 82 per cent of the world’s population don’t!  So, the chances of encountering a language barrier whilst travelling overseas are reasonably high. 

Being able to communicate in another language could prove pretty useful should you get lost and need directions or want to get a more ‘cultural flavour’ of your destination by visiting more rural, local restaurants where the menu is not written in English, for example. Of course in an emergency situation, an immediate conversation in the given language could become vital.

Despite the idea that it would probably be quite cool to be able to chat to locals in their language while on holiday (just think of all the potential summer romances and new friends you might make - not to mention all of the tips and local advice on the best places to go) the great British public are notoriously laid back when it comes to learning foreign languages. 

Avoid being confused by local language and prepare before you travel

We always think we can get by on a wing and a prayer and fingers crossed we’ll pick up a few local words and phrases along the way - somehow we’ll muddle along. Sound familiar? 

This of course is the case for most of us and providing we don’t find ourselves in any tricky situations, the good old phrase book can help us order a glass of wine, find out where the nearest beach is and decipher the odd word or two. 

On the other hand, if you find yourself needing to have a vital conversation with someone who doesn’t speak English, it’s a different story entirely. At that point, there is little a phrase book can do to help you to communicate.

The language barrier could become an issue should you want to negotiate a good hotel rate, or ask a local for directions having wandered into unknown territory for example; of course, in an emergency situation it becomes that much more of an issue for different reasons. 

Common scenarios where you or your friends/family might come up against a language barrier are: visiting a more rural local restaurant or location, attending a local festival/event, car trouble/breakdown/car hire, visiting a pharmacy or falling ill, having an accident and becoming injured - then finding yourself in need of medical attention from a foreign hospital (particularly true of families with young children who can easily be affected by the change in climate/water).

You might get bitten by a poisonous insect, lose your passport, fall victim to an attack or theft and need to communicate with a police officer or other authorities; perhaps you might misunderstand/offend a local culture or unwittingly break the law? 

Reading signs will help abroad

All of these are plausible scenarios when on holiday in another country and should any of these happen to you, being able to communicate in the local language could suddenly become rather important.

To avoid finding yourself confused in China, bewildered in Belgium, panicked in Poland, or tongue-tied in Tibet, here are a few tips from personal telephone interpreting service, i-interpret4u to help those keen on overseas travel to become more aware of the issues associated with language barriers abroad.

The dos and don’ts:

1. Avoid the ‘Basil Fawlty’ approach: don’t shout loudly at locals in a slow-paced voice - it may come across as insulting, after all, they aren’t deaf, they just don’t understand the language.

2. Waving your arms won’t help: if you find yourself in a situation where you’re unable to communicate, don’t panic and wave your arms in a frenzy to be understood (this won’t help the situation and you’re more likely to confuse locals or warn them away).

Instead, try to find someone who speaks a little English, if you can’t, try drawing pictures to communicate or use a telephone interpreting service to get your conversation interpreted if possible.

3. Watch out for the false friend: accidently using a word in English that has a completely different meaning in another language but sounds similar is known as a ‘false friend’.

This is a common mistake made by many people when they attempt to communicate in other languages - but if you happen to use the wrong word it could leave you a bit red-faced or indeed knee-deep in ‘hot water’ depending on the context.

These scenarios also tend to happen by coincidence, so there is no strategic way of identifying them. Indeed, the consequences of a misunderstood conversation will also differ greatly from country to country and from person to person. 

But one thing is for sure, you might get more than you bargained for if you find yourself in Norway ordering a coffee in a mugg as this means mouldy or mildew, or if you ask for a full cup, because that means drunk.

4. Pretending you understand is pointless: did you know that a recent survey polling 1300 Brits found that one third of us nod and pretend we understand locals abroad even when we don’t.  If you don’t understand, it’s pointless pretending you do because you won’t help yourself and also you’ll never know what you might have just agreed to!

5. Don’t use slang, jargon and abbreviations ‘Raining like cats and dogs’: it might make perfect sense to us English-speaking folk, but analyse the phrase a bit more and it’s completely bizarre (since cats and dogs don’t usually fall from the sky like rain) - so you can probably imagine how idioms like this could leave locals who don’t speak English in a state of confusion. 

The situation is the same for us because many countries have their own idioms (that even the more fluent language speaker may struggle to comprehend). 

So if someone in Russia says they’re ‘not hanging noodles in your ears’ (meaning not kidding), or someone from Germany says ‘to live like a maggot in bacon’ (live in luxury) or if you’re Spanish you might say ‘give it to someone with cheese (which means to deceive - of course), you could find yourself in a bit of a quandary!

6. Do your research: it sounds obvious, but always do a bit of ground research before visiting a new country. Check out local customs, laws and cultural differences. That way you can be prepared and avoid situations that might lead to a problem where a language barrier might stand in your way.

Remember the more prepared you are for any eventuality before you leave the UK, the easier it will be to cope with a difficult situation should one present itself abroad.

7. Don’t assume everyone speaks English: probably the most important tip of all. Never assume that someone will be able to speak English. Why would they?

In many tourist areas across European cities, English may well be more commonly spoken, but you’ve only to venture 10 minutes out of a tourist destination to more local residential areas, pharmacies and hospitals to find a very different environment.

Six Tips for Dining Abroad

independenttraveler.com

How to overcome language barriers and cultural quirks when dining in a foreign country

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about finding the best restaurants while traveling, which can be one of the most challenging yet satisfying travel conundrums. Once you've found your way into a great restaurant, it would seem like purchasing and eating food would be the most straightforward and simple human task imaginable. But between foreign-language menus and unfamiliar cultural quirks, the experience often proves just the opposite. That's because the more ingrained and routine a behavior (such as eating), the more susceptible it becomes to cultural and geographical nuances and idiosyncrasies.

Once you step inside a restaurant, it can be a world unto itself, with customs and routines that almost seem like trick questions designed to trip you up. In one Italian restaurant, patrons and staff are quiet and reserved; in another they are boisterous and outgoing. In one sushi restaurant near me, barely a word is spoken; at the sushi place across the street, the owner tells jokes and puts plastic sushi on kids' plates. (Guess which one has better food.) When you run into this kind of disparity on the road, it can feel like you're trapped in a funhouse of cultural mazes and bent mirrors -- which may or may not be fun, depending on how easily you find your way out.

Here are my tips for navigating through the twists and turns of local restaurant customs.

1. Take Stock of Your Surroundings

In some restaurants, just figuring out where to go and what to do to get your order placed can be the hardest part. If you need proof, let's review how a couple of well-known U.S. chains take orders, which won't even force us to account for language and cultural issues.

At a Subway, you get in line, then tell one person what kind of bread, meat and cheese you want; tell another person what kind of toppings you want; then tell still another person what kind of drink you want. They'll probably point to a rack located back where the line started, and send you over there to pick out your potato chips. Then you come back to the register to pay before you can finally eat. That's three or four stations just to get a sandwich!

At a Wawa, on the other hand, although it appears very similar to the Subway setup, you never really have to speak to anyone at all -- you input your order on a touch screen, and a slip of paper with your order number on it comes out, which you take over to the register to pay. Then you take your paid receipt back to the sandwich counter, and wait for your number to be yelled out and your sandwich put on top of the counter.


So we have two very different and rather complex ordering systems, and those are at high-volume chain restaurants, where you'd think it would be easy to get a sandwich. It is confusing enough if you speak the language -- imagine trying to make your way through these processes if you were from a foreign country and your English was a little shaky.

So when you find yourself stymied overseas, whether at a chain or a sit-down restaurant, my suggestion is to pause and take a good look around at how things work upon entering the restaurant. Watch the other patrons to see whether they find themselves a table, wait to be seated or head straight to the counter. If you stop to get your bearings just a bit, you are less likely to stumble your way to a nightmare meal.

2. Get By Without an English-Language Menu


Unless you are very nearly fluent in a foreign language, you are going to have trouble with a menu. While I can get by comfortably in one foreign language and fake it in at least one other, I still find myself stopped in my tracks when faced with a heap of unfamiliar nouns and adjectives. For example, "baked" vs. "grilled" vs. "fried" -- do you know the difference in your best foreign language? You might know the word for "corn," but do you know "asparagus"? And what about countless species of fish, for which names can vary by location, not only by type of fish?

In Eating Abroad: The Cultural Resonance of Food, I recounted the story of accidentally ordering "a pot of filth in its own sauce"; especially when traveling beyond the tourist trail, the risk of ordering something you really don't want is considerable and ever-present.

In this sort of situation, a phrase book can help; the Internet is even better. If you have a smartphone, you can access one of the many mobile translation sites and apps, including Google's easy-to-use Translate service. (Of course, in some cases, nothing will help: read about Deborah Fallows' attempt to get takeout, which may have had the waiter thinking she was asking for a hug.)

My suggestion: simply ask. I have found that most restaurants have a "specialty" of sorts, even if it is just pizza -- and they are happy to let you know. They want you to have a good meal, so they won't steer you wrong. Dig out your phrase book to be able to say "What is best?" or "What do you recommend?" There is no guarantee you won't be served their world-famous pot of filth -- but mine was pretty tasty all told, and certainly something to remember.


3. Get By Without Any Menu

Of course it's rare that a restaurant has no menu at all, but it can happen. For example, a daily menu scrawled on a cloudy slate in colored chalk in Euskara comes darn close. In these situations, you really are at the mercy of your restaurant hosts; hopefully they want you to have a great meal, and perhaps you should just surrender and let the waitstaff bring you what they will -- simply taking your chances can sometimes be the whole point of travel, after all.

4. Stick to What's Familiar

When in doubt, you may want to stay in familiar gastronomic waters. If you don't know the names of every fish in French, you might want to limit your options and go with what you do know -- learn the word for flounder, and stick with it.


5. Use Simple Language

At the same time that you are confounded by local menus and language, the folks who are trying to help you most likely feel the same way. Cut them and yourself a break by using simple, straightforward language. For example, I traveled to Central America on a surf trip with a guy who spoke very little Spanish, but insisted on calling every menu entry a "dish" -- so he would ask in English, "What was that dish Ed had yesterday?" Meanwhile, the waiters were scratching their heads, wondering why the guy wanted a dish -- did he want food on it too? Keep it simple and you have a better chance of being understood.


6. Relax

Particularly in popular tourist destinations, restaurant workers are very much accustomed to meeting folks from out of town. They also know almost immediately that you are not a local. I grew up near Atlantic City, NJ, and even as kids we could spot tourists and foreigners before they spoke a word. We didn't spend a whole lot of time or energy worrying about it; it was routine in the extreme.


So relax. You're not the first person to stumble into a restaurant and mangle the pronunciation of every entree, and you won't be the last. Of course you will run into impatient or just plain surly restaurant staff -- which just means that it's no different than at home. Let it ride and try to enjoy the funhouse; there is always an exit door eventually, even if it is the plane ride home.

How to Travel in Mexico

5/01/2013 02:23:00 PM

zagat.com

Chichen Itza. Photo by Jose Granados.

By Christine Delsol

You won’t find a friendlier, culturally richer or more beautiful place to visit than Mexico. Here are 10 tips make your visit easier and more rewarding.



1. Before You Go: Visas and Inoculations

No vaccinations are required to enter Mexico, but the U.S. Centers for Disease Control recommends a Hepatitis A or immune globulin (IG) vaccine, and typhoid vaccinations for travelers going to private homes in small cities or rural areas. Rabies vaccinations might be also be suggested for adventure travelers likely to encounter bats, wildlife and other mammals. U.S. citizens (and those from Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, among others) need only a passport and a tourist permit, officially called an FMM, to enter Mexico. You'll have to surrender the permit when leaving, so don’t lose it. The law requiring minor children traveling without one or both parents to have notarized authorization from the absent parent(s) was temporarily lifted this year, but expect it to be reinstated in some form when the suspension expires next January.

2. Safety: Look Beyond the Headlines

Though widespread publicity about the drug-related violence that has rocked Mexico in recent years has made some travelers wary, most of the country remains safe for travel. It’s important to read the U.S. State Department’s most recent travel warning before deciding where to go. Even in the northern states that experience the greatest violence, most incidents are well removed from areas of interest to travelers. In most places, pick-pocketing and petty theft, which tend to increase during the winter high season, are the most serious crimes you have to worry about. The No. 1 cause of death for U.S. travelers in Mexico is traffic accidents, followed by falls from balconies and drowning; most of the latter two involve alcohol.

3. Getting around Mexico

Mexico’s comprehensive, inexpensive and sometimes quite luxurious bus network is usually your best bet for travel within Mexico. In most towns, you can easily get around on foot and with the occasional taxi. Hiring a taxi by the hour or day usually costs less than a rental car. Roads have improved significantly in recent years, but when deciding whether to rent a car, be aware that the insurance, which must be bought in Mexico, will usually double the daily rate. Domestic low-cost airlines, such as Interjet, Volaris and Viva Aerobus, are worth considering to cover large distances.

 

Dining in Cozumel. Photo by Miguel Nuñez.

4. What to Eat

Mexico, which gave the world chocolate, corn, chilies, tomatoes and other staples we couldn’t live without (at least in Texas and California!), has one of the most diverse cuisines in the world, and one of the best. It’s the only country besides France whose cuisine has been named to UNESCO’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Long distances and two formidable mountain ranges produced distinct regional cuisines. Don’t miss Oaxaca’s mole negro, Puebla’s chiles en nogada, the Yucatan’s cochinita pibil, cabrito al pastor throughout the north … the list is almost endless. Even tacos and burritos take on distinctive flavors and amendments depending on where you are.

5. What to Drink

 Fresh-squeezed fruit juice is one of Mexico’s greatest pleasures. A dizzying array of aguas frescas made from strawberries, grapefruit, mango or whatever is in season, mixed with water and sweetener, is available all over the country. Tequila, Mexico’s best-known export, has evolved into sophisticated sip-and-swirl spirit. Take advantage of the opportunity to sample the many fine brands that don’t make it across the border. Mescal, tequila’s less-refined cousin, is also coming into its own. And though northern Baja California is Mexico’s best-known wine-producing region, you might encounter vintages from Queretaro, Zacatecas and the Parras Valley, home of the oldest winery in the Americas. Compared to products of cooler climates, Mexico's wines tend to be spicy, full-bodied and ripe.

6. Staying Healthy

Traveler’s diarrhea is less of a problem than it used to be. Nearly all restaurants that serve middle-class Mexicans use filtered water, disinfect their vegetables, and buy ice made from purified water. Street food is less consistent; look for clean, busy places and stick with cooked foods and unpeeled fruit if you have a sensitive stomach, and carry bottled water. Sunburn and heat stroke are also common ailments. Wear a hat, use sunscreen, drink plenty of water and stay away from caffeinated drinks to avoid dehydration. At higher elevations, give yourself time to acclimate before undertaking hikes or other exertions. For more serious problems, healthcare in most tourist destinations meet U.S. standards.

 

Photo by Martha Lucia Roque Becerra.

7. What to Wear

Consider local custom as well as climate when packing for Mexico. Mexicans are relatively tolerant of the way tourists dress, but what passes muster in Cancun could be a faux pas in Mexico City, where shorts and skimpy tops are rarely seen. Beachwear is common in resort areas, but dress conservatively when visiting religious and historical sites. Regardless of what you might see locals wearing, modest dress is also best for small towns and places off the tourist track.

8. Money Matters

Although some resort areas can be pricey, Mexico is generally kind to the wallet. The current exchange rate is just over 12 pesos to the dollar. (The peso symbol is the same as the dollar symbol, so don't panic when a little guesthouse wants to charge you $1,000 a night.) Since Mexico restricted deposits and exchanges of U.S. dollars in 2010 as part of a plan to thwart money launderers, fewer merchants accept dollars, even in major tourist areas. You’ll need a supply of pesos; you can exchange up to 1,500 dollars a month. Small change is maddeningly scarce, so keep some on hand, especially for small stores and markets. Even with the bank fees, you’ll get the best exchange rate by using credit cards (for purchases) and debit cards (for getting pesos from ATMs).

9. Mind Your Manners

Mexicans place a high value social niceties, not all of which are intuitive. In restaurants, it is considered rude to lay the tab on a customer who has not asked for the check, so you may have to intercept a passing waiter with a loud "Pssst!" or pantomime a scribbling motion to a waiter across the room. Arriving at the appointed time for a party in someone’s home is just short of rudeness - 30 minutes to two hours late is more common - but be no more than 30 minutes late for dinner, and be punctual for business appointments and public performances. A “buenos dias” is de rigueur even for strangers passing by, and when meeting a group, greet each individual separately, no matter how long it takes.

 

Photo by Martha Lucia Roque Becerra.

10. The Art of Conversation

 Don’t be shy about trying out your rudimentary Spanish. Any attempt, no matter how awkward, will quickly break through any reserve you might encounter. Except with family and close friends, Mexicans use “usted,” the formal "you," rather than “tu,” the informal version common in Europe. Visitors should know who Mexico's president is and have some inkling about the country's history and current issues. And though Mexicans may rail about corrupt government officials, high taxes and low pay, they won’t appreciate criticisms from you.