4 Easy Ways to Learn a New Language in Preparation of Your Trip Abroad

One of the many ways you can enhance your travel experience is through the use of language. If you want to experience life the way that locals do, learning how to hold a conversation with someone in another country is imperative. It allows you to introduce yourself and fully interact with your surroundings. You’re not limited to what you see, do, and experience because you’re able to express yourself in a way that isn’t always possible when you speak only one language.

What You Can Do to Learn a New Language 

If learning a foreign language tops your bucket list, you’ve got resources available to assist you with your goal. Never has it been easier to learn a language, practice it with your peers, and put it into action on your trip. You can easily do all three thanks to the incredible tools and programs available for you to choose from.

Here are four incredibly easy ways to learn a new language in preparation for your trip abroad:

1. Purchase a book with interactive lessons in it.  Work through each chapter, building new skills with every lesson you master. Dedicate a certain amount of time daily to learning.

2. Download an app for your smartphone.  Put on some headphones and use them while waiting at the doctor’s office or standing in line at the post office. You’ll have plenty of opportunities where you abide by someone else’s schedule. Put those minutes and hours to good use by learning common words and phrases to speak on your trip.

3. Buy language-learning software for your computer or CDs for your vehicle.  Among the most traditional way to learn a language, you’ll find these resources widely available in bookstores and big-box retailers. Choose a learning level that feels approachable and start your first lesson right away.

4. Take a class online or in-person.  Attend a virtual classroom or visit your local community college. You’ll learn a lot in class that you can’t learn by using a book alone. There will be many opportunities to practice with your fellow classmates.

This list is just a sampling of the ways you can learn a new language. The best way to master it is by speaking to others often. The more practice you get in real-life settings, the more confident you feel initiating a conversation with someone new.

Enhance Your Trip Through the Gift of Greater Communication

Language enhances your trip abroad. When you know how to speak the local language many things happen. You’re able to appreciate your surroundings more because you can communicate your needs more clearly. You avoid ordering the wrong thing off the menu or telling the cab driver the wrong directions to take to get you back to the hotel.

You’re also able to learn the lay of the land better because people are more open to having conversations with you. You’ll learn what the locals know and be able to take advantage of all the lesser-known tips and tricks they provide you with. You’ll have a fully immersive experience initiated by you.