3 Ways You Miss Out While Traveling When You Don’t Speak The Language

Language and travel go hand-in-hand. When you embark on an international trip, your goal usually isn’t to have a horrible time (at least, we hope not!). You want to make the most of your travels, to experience as much as you possibly can. Learning the language spoken in the country you’re visiting will significantly enhance your trip, giving you the chance to take in more of the culture and connect with more of the people than you would if you stuck to your native language. Sure, you might still have a great time without learning the language, but you could have an even more enriching experience if you learn it. Here are 3 ways you miss out when you don’t speak the language.

1. Forever Alone

One of the greatest parts of traveling is meeting incredible people from around the world, getting to know them, and hearing their stories. But not all of these awesome people speak English. Think of all the friendships you’ll never forge, the connections you’ll never make. What if your soulmate is in that country, but you never have a conversation with them because you don’t speak their language? That would be extremely unfortunate. Will you be #ForeverAlone? Probably not. But you might throw some great future relationships right out the window.

2. Stuck On The Beaten Path

If it’s your first time visiting a country, it can be nice to check out the major tourist attractions. But after a couple days, you want to get out of the overcrowded tourist district. You want to explore the area’s hidden gems, the most beautiful or most fun places that only the locals know about. Whether it’s a secret underwater cave, the most authentic and delicious restaurant, or a particular block where the nightlife is beyond your wildest dreams, being able to speak with the locals in their native language is the way to gain these insights. Otherwise, you’ll spend your entire trip in the foreign equivalent of Times Square.

3. Yachtless And Sad

If you watched the video above, you know what this one’s about. If you didn’t, go watch it now! It’s pretty funny when it happens to someone else, but you won’t be laughing if it happens to you…