A human connection - whether it’s brief and in passing, or deeper and more lasting, is a wonderful side product of travelling in another country. Those connections help us learn so much more than a guidebook or top ten list can ever tell us, and are often the most memorable parts of a trip. Sometimes a language barrier prevents this connection and so in Episode 277 we talk about the ways knowing a local language, whether just a few words or fluently, can make a huge difference to the quality of your experience.

As well as fabulous anecdotes shared by members Anuj, Justin and Carolanna, members of the Thoughtful Travellers community, I also speak with three guests. Eliza Raymond summarises perfectly how a common language is so connecting, and then James Patterson gives a great example of learning some words of local language during his stays on Orkney. Finally, Kayra Martinez, who’s spent a lot of time studying many languages, discusses the value of language learning not just amongst travellers but amongst refugees as well, in the context of a northern Greece refugee camp where she’s spent a lot of time working. Throughout the episode I also make mention of some of the academic research on the topic, carried out by Portuguese researchers.

Links:

• Eliza Raymond - Good Travel - https://www.good-travel.org/ 
• James Patterson - https://www.jrpatterson.ca
• Kayra Martinez - http://lovewithoutborders4refugees.com/
• Research from Ines Carvalho
• Carvalho, I. (2021). "You can see both sides of the coin" -  how the pursuit of language skills influences the travel experience. Tourism Recreation Research, ahead-of-print(ahead-of-print), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1080/02508281.2021.1894044
• Carvalho, I., & Sheppard, V. (2022). Memorable experiences in language travel. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 22(2), 149-163. https://doi.org/10.1177/14673584211013866 
• Join our Facebook group for Thoughtful Travellers - https://www.facebook.com/groups/thoughtfultravellers
• Join our LinkedIn group for Thoughtful Travellers - https://notaballerina.com/linkedin
• Show notes: https://notaballerina.com/277

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