Just trying to help you feel comfortable...
You can learn from "Ugly American" stereotypes
You would be pretty confused if someone started a conversation with you in your home state in, say, Chinese, wouldn’t you? Keep that in mind next time you start off a conversation by asking, “Do you speak English?” … in English … in a country where it’s not the main language. Try to at least learn a few essential phrases, such as “hello,” in the language of the country that you are visiting, or download Google Translate for on-the-spot emergencies.
It’s human nature to speak more loudly when you feel like you’re not being understood. Unfortunately, if you don’t share a common language with the person you’re talking to, no amount of volume increase will help the other person make sense of what you’re saying. If you’re having trouble learning basic phrases in a foreign language, or you tend to panic and forget what you’ve learned when trying it out on an actual person, try carrying around one of these cool little picture translators, which lets you point at what you need—no smartphone or internet connection required.
Another ugly American stereotype is the tendency of some travelers to bash the local culture, even if it’s framed as “it’s so weird that you _____” or “well, in America, we do it this way.” A good lesson from this is to research local cultures and customs before a trip, so that you’ll have some background on why certain things are done. This way, you’ll be more likely to say, “That’s so interesting. I remember reading that things are done that way due to___” instead of jumping straight to criticism.
Enjoy your time in paradise!!
Replies