Language Survival Guide for Americans
Tags: body language, foreign languages, global village, golden silence, language guide, learning a new language, politically correct, slang, survival guide, ugly americanBy
Before you board that plane for parts unknown, it pays to spend a few hours learning as much as you can about the local laws and customs of the countries you’ll be visiting. The world may seem like a global village, but there’s a world of difference between Kalamazoo and Kazakhstan.
If you first learn as much as you can about the country you’re going to visit the people and their customs and taboos you’ll be better able to cope with situations in which you find yourself. Bone up on the names of the leaders of the country: the president, prime minister, and royal families. Learn a bit about the local cuisine. The more you can do to distance yourself from that image of the “Ugly American” who doesn’t know anything about any country other than the U.S.A., the better.
