Language and Communication

Learning a language and communicating with people in your host country can be a daunting experience.  Since I went from an English speaking country to another English speaking country on exchange I luckily didn’t have to learn a new language.  I didn't think twice about this aspect of an exchange so I was not prepared for the fact that I had gone to a part of New York which was highly populated with families from Ecuador, Argentina, Colombia, Guatemala, Puerto Rico and they all spoke Spanish! I was also submerged into an area which used a lot of slang which can be difficult to understand and quite confronting when you’re not used to it. I found that in these instances the best way to adjust was to embrace it.

For those of you who find yourself in a new country and trying to learn the language, you may like to try setting goals for yourself. Plan to learn at least one word a day and increase the amount as time goes on so that you can really start to grasp the language. Do not stress about punctuation. You may also like to buy a dictionary that will allow you to convert the language and take it with you wherever you go. Take some time out in the evenings before you go to bed to study the language. This could be a great opportunity to sit down with your host parents and practise words and phrases. Try to aviod speaking your own language if you can.

Being in a new country and not knowing the language can be pretty unsafe at times. Try to stay with a friend at all times and don’t go exploring until you feel you can at least say the basic six in your host language: yes, no, please, thank you, sorry, and I do not understand. Try old school style and have all important numbers written down on a piece of paper. Keep them in your pocket and also in your phone contacts. This also includes the numbers of the local emergency services. Make a note of where your own countries embassy is in your new country and keep all of your important documents safe. Familiarise yourself with bus and train schedules. Be conscious of what is around you, who is looking at you and think twice before going somewhere by yourself.

The most important part of language and communication is having fun with it. Don’t take it too seriously. Have a laugh when you ask your host dad ‘where the trees are in the kitchen’. A universal way of communicating is through body language. A smile on your face can speak a thousand words.

J