How to get yourself back?

@dandan07 (1906)
China
January 27, 2013 5:49am CST
I have planned to travel to Korean or Thailand this summer. My mother will travel with me. As an educated lady, I have to take care of our two and try to find ways for our travel. If we can communicate with local people in English, I think there will not be any big problems. If English is not commonly used in the two countries, as I can not speak neither Korean nor Thai, I do not think I can handle the situation. Is it better to learn the local language before the travel or there are some special methods I can use to solve the problem?
5 responses
@maximax8 (31053)
• United Kingdom
27 Jan 13
My home countries people speak English and that is helpful on my travels. I would advise taking a book with the local language so you can say what you need to if the person does not speak English. You could get a traveler's phrase book for example. I know a book with pictures can also help where the local language is very difficult.
1 person likes this
@dandan07 (1906)
• China
28 Jan 13
A language book is helpful. Now my mother thinks that we can have a e-book with voice, so that we can use it to translate what we want to say to the local language. Sometimes we can know how to speak in local language, but our pronunciation is so strange that local people can not understand it. Thank you for your suggestion. Have a nice day.
@MissPiggy (1748)
• Indonesia
27 Jan 13
As someone there has suggested you to learn the basic, I would remind you to learn about the numbers and prices. I'm sure you'll go shopping and buy things and it will be easier for you to understand the shopping terms. People tend to higher the price when they see tourists, so if you show them that you understand their language, at least you can bargain. Hiring a translator or a guide would cost more than you have planned, right? So if you handle it by yourself, then you'll be fine. Good luck!
1 person likes this
@dandan07 (1906)
• China
28 Jan 13
Thank you for your suggestion. Shopping is one of the important parts in a traveling, especially to Chinese. I have hope to buy some makeups in Korean or Thailand. If I know the number and price, it can make me get more fun from the bargain and I can buy food and order dishes by myself.
@airasheila (5454)
• Philippines
27 Jan 13
good day dandan07, i do understand your point. with that of your concern, i guess, try to learn at least the basic, from there you can start greeting them at their local languages. i somehow know the feeling since i once been there.
@dandan07 (1906)
• China
27 Jan 13
I now try to learn some basic Korean. But I find I can only remember "Thank you", "good morning" and "I am sorry". It is too hard for me to speak a long sentence in a correct way. I hope I can know how to ask price and ask for direction before traveling, so that we will lost ourselves in Korean. But it really takes time. Thank you for your ideas.
@jricky1 (6800)
• China
27 Jan 13
Well my friends went to Thailand before and he told me that though they have local language but english is ok enough to communicate,bangkok is an international city after all,but you could still learn some simple and useful sentences.Good luck to you.
1 person likes this
@dandan07 (1906)
• China
27 Jan 13
Oh, thank you for your information. If I can not use Korean before the summer vocation, I will plan a visit to Thailand. The movie "Lost In Thailand" is quite famous in China now. It tells me that Thailand is a great place for traveling, I will check out the suitable route for me to enjoy myself there. Have a nice day!!!
27 Jan 13
hi,dandan07 In you case I want to a kind of method can help you,In mylot,there are many from you want to go to the country,you can go ahead and contact them.Throug the they are looking for something that can help your friend. Hope this can help you.
1 person likes this
@dandan07 (1906)
• China
27 Jan 13
Thank you very much. It is really a good idea. If I can get information and help from local people, it is really much better than thinking it by myself.