Independent Travel
Most people who have been abroad or at least come into contact with a ‘foreigner’ will agree that travelling to a foreign country is a good way to learn a language–providing of course that the language is spoken in the destination of choice. I would go one step further, putting my neck on an admittedly not very risky block, and say that it is an excellent way to learn a language. This of course comes rolled with an obligatory caveat: One – it is only as effective as you make it, and two – it is only truly effective if you go alone.
The first is fairly self-explanatory and states the starkly obvious point that if you don’t try, you won’t learn anything. The second, however, could be a touch more contentious. Bear with me for a moment though, I will try my best to explain.
Going on holiday to most people is an ideal way to relax and get away from the hum drum daily routines of work, and share some undisturbed, stress free, quality time with family or friends. I couldn’t agree more with this sentiment (well I wrote it) and look forward to my time at the beach as much as the next man. This is great for relaxation, but it won’t help you learn a language.
The problem with travelling with friends or family is familiarity (well duh I hear you cry). The vast majority of people stick to what they know when it is available, and while spending all of your vacation time with a loved one may do wonders for your relationship, it will play havoc with your language learning. Sure you will probably pick up the everyday phrases and may even get taught how to order a beer, or ask for the bill, but you are unlikely to spend a lot of time chatting to people who don’t speak much English, and this is where the best language lessons are found. It is possible to glean a few sentences from the amiable bell boy, or the gregarious motorbike rental girl, but the fact is they probably just as likely want to practice their English, and the language return will be minimal. In a group you are just not going to meet the right people.
The trick is to travel alone. Of course it has its drawbacks and can be slightly more dangerous if you approach it naively, but it is infinitely better for your language learning, and a whole lot more rewarding to boot. The key to it is a distinct lack of familiarity…anywhere. Sure this is disconcerting to begin with and if any first timer tells you he is not nervous he is a big fat liar (I certainly was…nervous that is). This lack of familiarity gives you the freedom to meet new people, strike up new friendships, and spend hours on end conversing with people with whom you have no mutual understanding whatsoever. This is a lot more fun than it sounds I promise, and is a total immersion of both language and culture that you will never find anywhere else–not in a language course, not on the internet, and not even on holiday with your family. Sure you may need to brush up on the grammar when you get home, but this fumbling about with cobbled together sentences to make your self understood will give you a foundation of the language, a confidence, and a love for the language and culture of the country, that will never leave you.
If you feel that backpacking or travelling around the world all on your tod sounds a little too ‘new age’ for your liking, there are plenty of companies these days, like Cactus Languages, that will arrange a holiday and everything that goes with it for you, making the whole ‘holiday alone’ thing a little less daunting. They also include daily language lessons, which are a great way to get the grammar straight while you are there instead of waiting until you get home. The same point still applies though: If you spend the money, the time, and the effort to book a language learning holiday in a foreign country, don’t team up with the first English speaking guy that you bump into. Sure it’s tempting, and a hell of a lot easier. You may even strike up a valuable friendship. But you will most certainly miss out on those valuable and unforgettable language learning experiences.
After all, isn’t that why you are there?
