Getting out there to travel, includes going places where I don't speak the language. I have done it, Germany, Austria, Italy, Greece, Spain😉, Iceland, Netherlands, and Belgium. Now in a lot of places, especially in major cities and around tourist areas, a lot of people speak at least some English, but not always. I have used Google Translate, for my first trip to France in 1991, my parents bought me a digital text to text translator (I speak very basic French, mostly restaurant French.) But for the most part, I find that a smile, I polite hello in the local language, and pointing gets me by. The few times that has failed, has led to some memorable travel tales, I was taken for a ride by a taxi driver in Amsterdam, saw streets I would never have seen if he was not taking advantage of me (he turned a $5 taxi ride into a $20 taxi ride.) In a small religious art shop in Athens I resorted to my limited French, only to get a response of "oh my English is better than your French" - I made a nice purchase from her, she was so kind.
Today's YouTube, Norm is from western Canada, and has lived in Japan for over a decade. He is a brilliant content producer, this and music production are how he makes a living. He is also learning to fly. I really enjoy his work, I hope you do also, as he spends a day out in Tokyo without speaking Japanese.
We managed ok in Japan. In Tokyo, many spoke English. Country areas were a bit of a struggle but there was usually someone to be found who could understand enough English.
ReplyDeleteJapan is on my short list of places to go.
DeleteI always learn the basics of a language before I travel so I can at least show respect. It’s surprising how often my basics have come in handy.
ReplyDeleteIf I could remember them, I am mashing French, Italian and Spanish together, what a mess
DeleteWhen we went to Japan, we deliberately went with a tour group because of the language difference. In Europe, you can get by if you don't speak the language because most romance or germanic languages on signs/streets etc can sort of be deciphered, but in Japan with its completely different symbol system, that's impossible. We had a wonderful time in Japan. Friends of ours went on their own to Japan (without a tour group), had a much less fabulous time, and saw much less than we did because of the difficulty of getting around and knowing what was what.
ReplyDeleteMight be an option for a tour,
DeleteI enjoyed watching that video very much. I have never been to Japan but I do know several people who have and they have not had any problems getting around.
ReplyDeleteI think the major cities are easier, time will tell
DeleteI believe in Europe it's easier to get by without knowing the language, or knowing little of the language. But Japan seems like it'd be hard.
ReplyDeleteI wish I spoke a foreign language.
ReplyDeleteCoffee is on and stay safe
three times I have traveled to places where I spoke little or none of the language, and I am always surprised at how easy it is.
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