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[ManDudeChild]

For sometime now I've considered seeing the rest of the world, going to different countries and all that jazz. But the thing is, I only know one language fully (take a guess which one), and a smattering of worlds in a few others. With that said, how many of you have been to a wide variety of countries with non-English languages, and how much of a problem is the language barrier?

 

[Leon]

.

 

[sonatinas]

here are my experiences in the countries ive visited

china- at tourist spots english is fine, but if u want to get away from the tourist crap, u need to know chinese

hong kong- english is fine

macau- same as HK

thailand - very tourist friendly, english is fine

laos- english is fine

indonesia- english is fine

cambodia- lots of people know english, its crazy

chile- know spanish

get a lonely planet book for the countries in question
and a word of advice, unless your are over 65, dont ever get in a tour group, especially in china

 

[Chrono]

English is fine for the best places of the middle east: egypt (PYRAMIDS!), lebanon, dubai, and turkey. I'm not sure about the last one, though. I'm just guessing because tourism is big there. And for Asia, places like Hong Kong and Taiwan (or tailand..O__o ) should be OK for english speakers. Any place with a lot of tourists or is a metropolitan place (like Hong Kong) naturally is so just go to those kind of countries and don't end up in Kashmir or something.

 

[mjq jazz bar]

I'm going to Paris and I don't know a word of French.

I wanted to go to Spain. Oh well.

 

[HAOHMARU]

Places I've been too

Japan: No need to know the language...I would know some basic stuff to be polite though. I've been all over the country and usually if you need help somebody will know just enough English to guide you. Almost every sign is Kanji and Romanji so you will be able to read it. Get a JAP/ENG dictionary though...it will help.

Singapore: No problems...English is primary language there I think.
Hong Kong: No problems there...
China: Tourist spots, not a problem. As was stated before, if you venture out further you will need to know some Chineese...it will help.
Korea: Need to know language or you are screwed.
Australia: Need to know the language and you will get screwed...pretty easily. i.e., no problems.

Also, as was stated before...get a lonely planet or some other guide book. I used one in Japan anytime I wanted to do something...