What is the Best Way for a Language Student Abroad to Get Around? (Part II)

A Taxi

If you travel abroad to study or to immerse yourself in your second language they you are sure to hop in a taxi at some point. This is also a great way of getting in some practise and unlike on the Underground you will be expected to talk as well as listen. Taxi drivers all over the world seem to love talking to foreigners and while it can be an expensive way of getting around it will give you the chance to practise some new words. In some countries you might be able to travel in a shared taxi, which is a terrific way of taking part in a more advanced type of conversation with several people. If you have studied with Listen & Learn before travelling then you will be well prepared for this sort of conversation. Otherwise it can be tough to keep up with more than one person talking to you at the same time.

The Bus

I have always found bus journeys to be a poorer way of getting around when abroad than the other two mentioned here. For a start, the noise usually makes it difficult to overhear other people’s conversations without appearing to be a tiny bit rude.  It is usually a cheap and cheerful way to travel but I have found that the bumpiness and noise means that it can lead to words being mistaken when you are trying desperately hard to listen. Also, people all over the world seem to regard complete strangers who approach them on the bus as slightly weird for some reason. Click here if you want to find out how to start conversations in other languages on the bus of another type of transport.