W

hat If I Don’t Speak The Language?

Travel Advice from Active Riding Trips

Making a bucket list seems easy enough, but what if you really, really want to go somewhere that you know they speak a language different from what you are accustomed to? Will you be able to find your way around? Find a meal? Feel safe?

There are roughly 6,500 different spoken languages in our world and, while English is one of the three most spoken (behind Chinese and Spanish), only about a third of countries choose English as an official language.

Then consider a 2017 study by Hostelworld where 10% of adults said language barriers prevented them from travelling abroad.

“We are often asked about the language barrier. But, in fact, all of our trips have multi-lingual guides who love bringing a region to life, so you never have to worry,” Adams says about encountering clients who may feel intimidated by whether or not they need to speak the language of the country they are visiting.

The first thing she does to assure an aspiring adventure seeker is to tell them, “You can step out and trust us on this. We handle it all for you. You’ll never look back once your bucket list dreams start becoming truly real.”

But if you want to look down to check a translation app, that’s okay. Adams says, “We are big fans of Google Translate, though any of them seem to work great.

“Of all the trips we offer, three that are really unique (with regards to languages, though not difficult in translation) is the Quecha of Peru (which has its own dialect), the Swahili on safari rides, and the melodic Arabic of the people in Jordan.

“It’s not just the variation in languages. It’s the sincerity of every person, and their graciousness and willingness to really show you the customs and characteristic essentials that ‘make’ an area. Because, for a week, you will live with the hosts, in their homes and in their culture, and you become a family. And once you have a family in one place, it resonates in your heart wherever you are, so you want to do it again and again.

“Taking an equestrian vacation is addictive – be ready!” she says. Because everyone, everywhere, speaks one language when it comes to loving horses and riding.

Ready to saddle up for your bucket list? Discover 70+ getaways you can book now at www.activeridingtrips.com.