Are you planning a trip to the East? If so, you’ll want to learn an Asianic language like Chinese, Japanese, or Thai.
Why?
Because doing so will drastically improve your travel experience. And in this article, I’ll explain why.
Below are three reasons to learn another language.
1. Knowing Local Phrases Makes Everything Easier
(Huge Crowds Are Stressful Enough, You Don’t Want To Get Lost In Them)
A lot of countries “speak” English as a second language. But, it’s impossible to understand.
Locals learn English in school, but the majority of them never use it in daily life. It’s kind of like how American students study French or German, but forgot most of the words and phrases once they graduate.
I got lost in Japan once and couldn’t communicate with anyone I encountered.
It was incredibly stressful and something I hope you never experience. Fortunately, there’s a lesson in all this:
Always know enough of the local language to ask directions and find your way around.
If you’re traveling to any country, make sure you can do this.
It’ll make your one hundred times easier.
2. Understanding An Asianic Language Pays For Itself
A white guy who grew up in China, speaking fluent Mandarin, once said that everything is more expensive if you can’t speak the local language.
A $5 taxi ride will cost you $15, or a $30 pair of shoes will go for $200.
After living in Asia for several years, I’ve seen similar events first-hand. In Thailand, for example, English menus have completely different prices. And Vietnamese markets will gouge you if you can’t understand basic haggling.
Even knowing a few phrases is often enough to save you some serious cash.
Because of this, I recommend investing some time and effort into learning an Asianic love before going abroad.
It’ll help you with dating, shopping, and finding cheap apartments.
3. Asia Is A Huge Emerging Market
(The Train Station Malls In Asia Are Nicer Than Most Western Shopping Centers)
There’s a lot of money to be made if you’re capable of speaking two languages. And I’m not talking about becoming an English teacher or interpreter.
Countries like China, Vietnam, and Thailand have a rapidly growing middle-class.
And there are tons of ways to capitalize off this. Case in point, there’s some teenage British girl who runs a Chinese-to-English baby naming website. And she makes $16,000 a month off it.
Living in Asia, you see tons of weird or unique opportunities for making money or networking with successful people.
And knowing a bit of the local language really helps out in these situations.
So not only does speaking an Asianic language save money with shopping or getting around, but it also opens up whole new business opportunities and income streams.
Best Tools And Resources
(Duolingo)
When it comes to learning a new language, there are tons of programs and websites to choose from. And, truthfully, most of them are pretty lackluster.
Because of this, I’ll recommend three high-quality options which I personally use and enjoy:
1. Duolingo – This is a free app with tons of language courses to choose from. It helps build your vocabulary and teaches you basic phrases. Great for beginners.
2. Pimsleur – I own the Chinese and Vietnamese audio programs. Both are great! Especially since you can listen to them while you’re driving.
3. Lonely Planet Southeast Asia Phrasebook – Excellent for improving your written communication skills. Personally, this has helped me a lot with texting. Also, it’s convenient for carrying around whenever you arrive in a new country.
Anyway, those are my three language learning suggestions. If you use them, and commit to practicing every day, you’re going to see some incredible results.