Where I Encountered Language Barriers
If you’ve ever been to a country where you don’t speak the language, you know how frustrating a language barrier can be. The two first countries I lived in (besides my home country) were English-speaking. I’m not a native English speaker but I believe my skills are good enough to express myself in it (and apparently to write a blog lol).
In the summer of 2022, I lived for the first time in a country where I did not speak the language and at the end of 2022, I even moved permanently to a country where I did not speak a word of the language. Both times I knew I probably couldn’t just rely on my English, but I still wasn’t really prepared for how annoying the language barrier would be.
The Language Barrier Problems
If I had to describe Language Barrier in one word, it would be frustrating! For everyone involved. There were a few times when I had an interaction and just felt miserable afterwards and started to question my choices. In moments like these, I just wanted to go home. But the good thing is – these feelings go as quickly as they come.
Language barriers can appear in many different situations and is a type of miscommunication. Often the people involved don’t speak each others language or have different level of understanding, hence, they have issues to communicate clearly. Most likely both parties will end up being very frustrated because they are both unable to reach their goal through the conversation.
Examples of Language Barrier
I experienced different levels of language barrier. I had moments where there was no common language between the other person and me, so we were not at all able to communicate with words but had to use our hands and feet to find a solution. Other situations we both spoke English but there was still a miscommunication. Either one of us did not understand English well enough or there was a cultural component that influenced the communication. Here are some of these stories:
Getting a Sim Card
My first time being confronted with a huge language barrier was when I arrived in South Korea. I knew that English would not really get me far. And although I wrote down some Korean phrases that could be helpful, I definitely should’ve prepared better.
I usually try to get a local sim card or to get mobile travel data with my telecom provider when I’m abroad. Having access to the internet can often help you out immensely. My language school in Seoul gave me some information about where to get a cheap sim card so I decided to not buy one at the airport. They even provided a few sentences in Korean to show to a local vendor. But if you have time, go get a sim card at the airport. It often is cheaper and you have a bigger possibility that the seller will speak English.
Anyway, on my second day in Seoul, I decided I wanted to buy the sim card I got recommended. This turned out to be more difficult than expected. I walked around, on the hunt for a sim card that apparently was only sold in veeery specific convenience stores. Since I did not speak the language it was awfully difficult to describe what exactly I was looking for. Even with the little Korean description I received from my school, I couldn’t find the sim card.
Every interaction was confusing and frustrating for both parties and after going into around 5 different stores I decided to give up for the day. Luckily two days later with help from the front desk at my school, I was able to find the sim card.
Pay a Phone Bill
I had similar situation when I tried to pay for my first phone bill in Portugal. Getting a phone number and a data plan was not a big issue, as the sales person spoke English. After a month I received my first bill (which was only 0.98 Euro?!). For some reason I couldn’t pay it online so I had to walk to a store. I ended up at a different store than the first place I went to but I was certain I would be able to tell them what I needed – boy was I wrong.
After waiting for a while I was called to a counter just to be told “no english”. I did not want to wait any longer, as the store was quite busy. So I showed the employee the bill on my phone while making some type of hand gesture indicating I wanted to pay (I don’t think the gesture did anything but in these moments it doesn’t hurt to try). Luckily we managed to communicate somehow and I was able to pay my bill. As the conversation went by quite quickly and my request was rather simple I did not really feel frustrated or annoyed, but if the situation had gone on longer I know that I would’ve felt very bad about it.
Getting a PCR Test in Korea
Another situation occurred when I landed in Korea. This was even before I was trying to get a sim card. I travelled to South Korea in the Summer of 2022. In that time it was still mandatory to get a PCR test after landing. The rule was that this test had to be done in the first 2 days of arrival. There was the option to get a test done at the airport. However, I assumed that I would be able to find a test centre close to where I was living, as it was common in other countries to have test centres in cities (big mistake and also a little naive). But I was being picked up by a driver and did not want to make him wait for too long.
When I arrived at my accommodation in the city, I tried to find a place to get the PCR test done. But it was incredible challenging to even find any information. A big part in this dilemma was of course the language barrier but I also think that the test centers were not really in place at that point, at least not for foreigners.
At some point I even tried to call different phone numbers to get some information but they also did not really speak any English. (Little tip: skype can be really great to call phone numbers abroad). I had no idea what would happen if I did not get a PCR test done. The whole experience was so frustrating and I felt really helpless. I did not know who to ask and felt really stuck because I did not speak the language. After having a short freakout, I decided to take a Taxi back to the Airport the next day (which was really expensive) and got my test done there.
Getting a Parcel Picked Up
As mentioned in the beginning, South Korea was the first time I lived in a country where I did not speak the language. This obviously led to a few moments where the language barrier was an issue. One situation occurred shortly before I left Seoul.
As I continued travelling after my stay in Seoul, I wanted to send some stuff back to Switzerland. For that I paid a company to send one suitcase from Seoul to Switzerland. When I booked I was not aware that they logistics company (DHL) will call me the morning of the scheduled pickup to confirm the pickup of my suitcase.
The issue: the sim card I had only allowed me to use data. I was neither able to make/receive phone calls nor send/receive text messages. Once I realized that they would not pick up my suitcase without this phone call, I tried to contact them otherwise. Luckily I was able to call them through skype. But then I was faced with the language barrier. The shipment of the suitcase was quite expensive and I was supposed to leave Seoul in around 3 days, so it was important that it would work out. Although I tried to make them understand what my issues was and they told me it was fine, I came home the same evening with my suitcase still waiting to be picked up. I had to try the same thing the next day, luckily it worked out that time, but I really didn’t need the additional stress.
Opening a Bank Account
One of the most recent situations happened when I tried to open a bank account in Portugal. This was a longer process as I had to wait for some documents and I for sure was already frustrated with the process.
Once I finally received everything I needed I went to the bank just to have to wait for a long time. It took me a while to also understand how the queueing system worked. It’s crazy how things that are so easy to understand in your home country suddenly become a challenge when you don’t speak the language or don’t know the culture well enough. Usually I observe people but because many queued digitally on their phones it was impossible to understand how they got their ticket. Luckily, I asked this lovely lady for help and she explained how I could get a ticket.
The staff at the bank seemed tired and stressed (I was not the only person that day trying to open an account). I can imagine that they have to answer the same questions over and over, but I found the whole conversation incredibly frustrating. I understood what the bank clerk told me but there was some miscommunication when I asked a question to clarify something and he just answered in a very annoyed way, telling me he just gave me the information. I left the bank with a new account but a very low mood. It made me want to just curl up in my bed.
Have you ever experienced a language barrier?
Angela
Angela, the mastermind behind theslowtravelista, is a passionate traveler who embraces slow travel's essence. With a knack for immersing herself in diverse cultures, she treasures connections formed across the globe. Beyond her adventures, Angela's vibrant personality shines through her love for spontaneous hair changes, hitchhiking escapades, and culinary delights. Join her for travel insights, laughter, and unforgettable adventures.
