Language.

It maybe true that you can survive while traveling with only English. But knowing some of their language can help ease up your traveling even better.

Why it matters? 

Because it opens up human connection. It’s always a good way to start a conversation to someone we do not know, in their country, using their first language. It shows respect.

There was one time where we got lost trying to find our hostel at night (and we just arrived!). We only have a piece of paper with the hostel address, we asked a guy and with only using “Excuse me.” and “Where is this..?” using their language, the guy help to bring us to our hostel (which happen to be not very far away..gosh).

Myself coming from a country where main language is not English, I can understand the excitement to meet people from other country greeting in my first language.

Will it enhance your traveling experience?

Personally, I believe it will.

Even though our travel experience is just a size of  a small fish in a big pond, those little experience we had does show how knowing their mother tongue can make the travel experience even more fun.

Those simple phrase (that you took hours to pronounce it correctly….been there done that) will put a smile on people’s faces when you tried to speak their native language. And who do not like it when people smile at you (just not the Joker smile…that’s going to be a bit scary). It shows how they appreciate it.

With small effort to learn simple phrases of their first language, you might probably get more experience from your travel.

Traveling is not only to value and experience the beauty of nature, but also to value the human and their culture, where language is part of the cultural identity.

Cheers.