New country, new language! Imagine the scenario: you just landed in a new country whose language you do not speak AT ALL! And on top of that you do not really know anyone here. Apps and language classes are the way forward, of course, but where to start? What to do first?
Years ago, I was in the exact same situation and this is what I did. It really helped me so you can try too:
1. Walk around the city and write down the words you see: road signs, bus or taxi station signs, shop’s windows, advertising panels. While you write them down, make sure to also write your guessing of what it means. Once you get home, you can confirm with a dictionary or translation app.
2. Do some online shopping (in the local language, of course)! It should be easy to guess some clothing items or furniture items and is also fun.
3. Find some local expat groups; Facebook really does a good job here. Most likely you will find people that are or were in your situation not too long ago. They might have study groups for beginners or at least some tips to help you start practicing the new language.
4. Find a language exchange app or group. While studying by yourself does the trick, speaking to someone in a new language usually proves to be a difficult task at the beginning. You can find someone from a language exchange group that needs to practice your language. You will quickly realize that the person has the same struggles with pronunciation as you do. The language exchange can help you both come out of your shells.
Have you been in a similar situation? What tricks have helped you start your new language learning journey? Share them with us on our Facebook page!
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