One of the things I most enjoy about traveling is talking about it. In this new weekly series, I’d like to pose some of the questions I’ve discussed with friends, family and fellow travelers over the years. I invite you to pull up your backpack, grab a handful of the local snack food and chime in with your comments and thoughts. Feel free to respond to others, but remember to play nice!
Here’s a Question for You:
In what language would you like to be fluent?
I learned a basic level of Swahili in the Peace Corps, and I always loved the structure and sound of the language. I would love to continue learning Swahili, but in all practicality, there’s not a good reason to continue studying it. If I had to choose a language that I honestly want to learn because it just makes sense, it would be Spanish. I took two years of Spanish in high school, but I’ve long since forgotten a lot of what I learned. Since then, I’ve minored in German and took that intensive crash course in Swahili. I have a Rosetta Stone Spanish program … I just have to open it and start learning!
Join the conversation!
Learning the local language is key to integrating into a new culture. It’s always a good idea to know how to greet locals with “hello” and “how are you.” You’ll probably want to know how to say “please,” “thank you” and “you’re welcome” as well. And, of course, it’s not a bad idea to know how to ask where the closest bathroom is.
