When visiting a foreign country in which the locals speak a different language than the tongue you are fluent in, it’s wise to carry a travel phrase book for that particular land. A travel phrase book features important words and sentences in the language(s) of that particular land. I witnessed the following incident during my first trip to Europe in the late 1990’s, in which a travel phrase book wasn’t part of the equation:
It was an early start to my first full day in Paris, France. I was having breakfast at my hotel. An English-speaking couple was dining next to my table, when the woman summoned the server over to her table. For the next minute, she attempted to communicate to the male waiter that she wanted some orange juice, but it was soon obvious that the waiter didn’t have any idea what she was talking about, especially since these diners couldn’t speak French. They also didn’t possess a travel phrase book in French. The lady traveler conversed with a really distinctive accent that I was also having trouble understanding because the last syllables of the words she spoke were pronounced silently.
As a result of this French “dis-connection”, irritation was building up in the woman’s voice with each ensuing attempt for that elusive glass of liquid Vitamin C.
“Orange juice! Orange juice! I want orange juice!” The woman (who was big-chested…keep this tidbit in mind) was repeatedly pointing to her orange sweater as she barked the words out.
The waiter seemed to finally understand the woman’s gestures, so he darted off to get her menu request. It appeared that my tip of getting this valuable tool wasn’t necessary (after all) in this instance.
But less than a minute later, the French server arrived back with a large pitcher of milk!
The woman’s companion quipped, “He must’ve thought you were pointing to your large chest for milk!”
I couldn’t hold it in, and began to laugh really hard to the point of crying. The couple began laughing, too. Finally, the woman’s companion went to a nearby table that contained a half-empty glass of orange juice and picked up the glass to show the server what she had wanted all along. Too bad this couple didn’t have my travel book recommendation with French phrases handy!
While this is a funny story about what happens when travelers don’t carry a handy travel phrase book with them, think of what can happen if you are lost, or if have a medical emergency, and have no way of communicating with the locals.
The ten or so dollar investment in this kind of product can be the difference between a great trip and one that could have disastrous consequences. Just knowing the key phrase or main word will get you on the right track to communicating with the locals, and they will be willing to help those travelers who attempt to talk their talk!
As visitors to foreign lands, it’s our responsibility to be orientated in the languages of the locals, not the other way around. Don’t ever assume that everybody you will come into contact with on a trip to a foreign land will understand your native language. Get the appropriate travel phrase book! My favorite such reference points for European excursions are authored by Rick Steves. Other publishers include Berlitz and Penguin.
