Thoughts: Surviving in Non-English Speaking Countries

My survival guide which I guarded zealously as if it's my passport.

 

     Before I went to Taiwan, people I know were asking me how would I survive in a non-English speaking country.  It baffled me, too, to be honest.  I realized that I went to Thailand and not everybody there speaks English but I got along just fine.  So, what's the fuss in the going to Taiwan where the main language is Mandarin?  And now that I'm going to Beijing in November, people are once again wondering how could I survive without knowing how to speak and understand their language.

     
     Well, in my case, I just thoroughly researched ALL the places I wanted to see in Taiwan before actually going there.  My main concern then was directions to and from those places, so, to minimize asking the locals for directions, I used google maps to scout the area I wanted to visit.  With the street view offered by google maps, I became well-acquainted not only how to get from one place to another but also how the area looks like.  Moreover, google maps in Taiwan also provides information how to get by through public transportation.

     Of course, I was aware that I'll have to ask someone about something sometime.  So, I asked the hotel receptionist to translate useful words and phrases for me in my notebook which I could show to people in case I really needed to say something.  These range from food allergies,  money changer to asking someone to marry me.  Needless to say, the hotel receptionist was laughing so hard translating my list.  You never know when asking someone to marry you comes in handy.  Hahaha.  If I had my way, I would even ask the receptionist to translate this, "Police! I've been raped!" ala-Nodame (Nodame Cantabile anime/manga).

     In real life, the sentences which proved very useful for me are: "I'm allergic to shellfish," and "Today is my birthday."  And yes, I was not able to use, "Will you marry me?"  I didn't see Vic Zhou, Jerry Yan, Mike He, Ethan Ruan, or Joe Cheng, so I had no one to say it to. Heehee.  Perhaps, some other time.  In Beijing, maybe.

     Speaking of Beijing, this time, I will try my hardest to be able to speak even a little of the basic Mandarin phrases.  I don't know if I can do it, but I'll definitely try it.