How to Become Fluent in the Language of Your Host Country
There are so many reasons to study abroad. Maybe you want to explore a place you have always dreamed of visiting, or maybe you want to travel somewhere completely new to you. Whatever the reason behind your decision, chances are that once you arrive, you’ll be eager to get into the groove of things. Of course, there are dozens of ways to culturally assimilate yourself, and some are going to be easier than others. Sure, you could up your wardrobe game to match that of the locals, but why stop there? In reality, one of the best ways to assimilate yourself into a culture is as simple as opening your mouth and speaking the same language as everyone around you. Now, here’s the problem: everyone around you is no longer speaking English. So, what can you do to acclimate yourself? Whether you’re new to the language of your host country or you’ve been taking lessons since high school, there are many ways you can gradually become proficient in the foreign language surrounding you, and one step closer to living like a local!
- Pick up a pocket dictionary- and use it!
Before you hop on the plane (or at any international airport along the way), pick up a pocket dictionary with English translations in the language of your host country. Make use of the long plane rides and lengthy layovers by picking out and committing to memory the most basic words and phrases for getting around. You’d be surprised how far simple sentences can go! Before you arrive at your destination, make sure you’re familiar with introductory phrases (hello, goodbye, how are you, my name is…). This may sound simple, but it’s the first way to open the door to so many other exchanges! If you’re already familiar with these phrases, move on to transportation and how to ask for directions. Once you’ve got these key phrases under your belt, you’ll be ready to move on to something a little more complex.
- Appreciate your fellow English speakers
Whatever program you enroll in, chances are you’ll be around some fellow English-speaking students. It’s always refreshing to have someone to speak with in your native tongue when surrounded by a language that isn’t your own, but there’s a flip side to that, too. For the most part, all of the English speaking students will be in the same position as you are: a foreigner dropped into a sea of strangers speaking an even stranger language! Half the fun of being abroad is that everyone is trying to learn and absorb as much as they can. For this reason, your English speaking friends are the perfect subjects with which to practice your budding language skills! With fellow English speakers, you don’t have to be embarrassed or feel pressured to use the correct tense or pronouns. Practicing with friends is a great way to get through those awkward accent kinks, or hash out some more complex phrases to enhance your skills when it comes to speaking to locals.
- Take your lessons into the real world
Once you’ve had the chance to study up on your colloquial phrases with students and peers, take the next step by bringing your newfound proficiency into the world around you! Start small- maybe you enter the local grocery store and greet the workers in their native tongue. Feeling confident? Make your purchases in a different language as well! Often, numbers can be some of the trickiest components of communicating in a foreign language, and checking out at a boutique or supermarket is a great way to practice and improve on your proficiency. Restaurants and cafes are also great spots to test out small, informal conversations with native speakers as well.
When trying to assimilate into a new culture, something as fundamental as communicating can become a rather daunting task. So, break this language opportunity down into these three, most basic components, and watch your vocabulary expand with your experiences!
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Anything you think we missed? What advice would you give for language learning while abroad? We’d love to hear about your experiences! Leave us a comment below!
[accordion_tab title=”Collegiate Correspondent: Lizzy Spock” default]
Lizzy Spock is a current senior at the Pennsylvania State University double majoring in art history and journalism. In the spring of 2015, she spent the best four months of her life studying in Aix-en-Provence, France. She has always had a passion for traveling and examining cultures outside of her own, so the opportunity to live with a family in a foreign country made it easy to experience first-hand the way the locals really live. Not only was she able to make herself at home in a new environment, but also spend her free time traveling around Europe- to over nine different countries! Through this experience, she learned about life, culture, and how our perspectives change as we move throughout the world. She holds these rich experiences with her as she continues to explore the world, and is so excited to share everything she’s learned![/accordion_tab]
