This is a guest post from Tom at ActiveBackpacker.com
Heading overseas and making the decision that YES, you ARE going to learn that foreign language you’ve always been meaning to can be a wonderful adventure and experience. It doesn’t matter where you’re heading, or what language you will be learning – talking to the locals and making local friends using their own language is always a great way to go.
Don’t be disillusioned, it’s going to take a lot of work on your part to make this happen. It’s not going to be ‘easy’. There shall be no trips to the pub resulting in a sudden enlightenment of language fluency – sorry! It’s actually going to mean lots of hard work and study for you – but the benefits and advantages are more than worth it.
A good way to get going is with a highly intensive language course – they will often run for a couple of weeks and it can be a 9 – 5 affair – constant hammering of your brain with new language skills! If there is one thing to say here, these types of courses ARE effective. They’re not always that cheap – so for those on a budget it can be a little tough.
When choosing an intensive language course – have a think about WHERE you’re going to be doing it. It’s just a fact that some of the larger and better known cities will result in you hanging out with other language students speaking English – that’s just the way it goes. Of course you will make loads of new friends and have a blast socially – but as for learning the language, maybe consider heading to a smaller city where you can really knuckle down and get those brain juices flowing.
There are so many benefits and advantages to speaking another language that listing them would take a small novel. Whenever I travel, I always find myself irrationally jealous of people who can speak 4 or 5 languages – “They must just have a GIFT for learning, that’s all” I tell myself, as some sort of justification as to why I don’t know at least ten other languages. But you know what? Gift or no gifts, hard work and persistence is always going to trump anything else, so put that head down and start studying and you will see results in no time.
I’m a fan of immersion when learning another language – to me, immersion means literally getting up and moving to that country that speaks the language you want to know. Learning a language at home or at school just isn’t the same – and you’re going to have way more fun doing it this way, I can guarantee it!
So French or German or Spanish or Dutch – keep that grey matter alive and do yourself a favor, learn another language!
If you’re after tips for Europe, backpacking tips and more, check out Tom’s website: http://www.activebackpacker.com
