Travelling–the great journey into the unknown.  Dun dun duunnn…  They tell you the world is vast, and you sort of understand that when you begin to travel.  But nothing quite seems to prepare you for that first step off the runway and into a whole new world.  Luckily, at least in the countries I have visited, that new world has seemed just familiar enough (they had normal American toilets and a Dunkin Donuts. . . always a plus) that I wasn’t completely dumped into culture shock.

However, I was recently asked by my supervisor to draw up some tips for fellow  students visiting countries where the language is a barrier.  I got to thinking about it, and I decided to focus on what I learned on my most recent visit to Korea.   By miracle alone, I had the luck to be roomed with a local girl for the first two weeks, or I have no idea what I would have done.  Travelling in a new country without the benefit of language proficiency is difficult, but there are a few things that can make your life so much easier.

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Tags: deceptivelyblonde, foreign language, Korea, students, Study Abroad, transportation, Travel, visiting