What Will Your First Foreign Conversation Consist Of? (Part II)

A Food Demand

One of the chaps I was with in Ecuador had gone to Chile first and said that he gone all three days barely eating as he didn’t know how to ask for anything. If this is true (and I doubt it) then he certainly made up for it with some prodigious eating in the following months. It makes sense to learn a few food ordering phrases before you go, as this is something you will need pretty soon after you arrive. I have always been a staunch supporter of the ‘point at the menu’ school of thought but some people might think this is rude. If they are going to take Russian courses London residents should consider what they want to munch on when they first stand in The Red Square.

Talking About the Weather

One thing you will learn if you travel abroad and speak to the locals is that everyone enjoys talking about the weather. Even if you go somewhere with incredibly predictable weather they will love telling you how utterly predictable it is. This is actually a great conversation topic as it is quite easy to learn some of the basics. When taking Italian lessons Birmingham students should pick up as many words for weather conditions as they can.