Try miming diarrhoea in a Chinese hospital...

I've traveled a lot. Ever since I was 3 months, we have traveled every summer and I've come to realise something: English isn't always helpful. My mother tongue is French, but I've been in an American school since pre-school. So you would think that speaking two languages fluently might be helpful when travelling, but oh no.

Miming- It's easy to mime a pig in a Japanese market, but try miming diarrhoea in a Chinese hospital. The number of times this technique has helped me, it's pretty incredible. Just yesterday I was looking for kettle, when I walked into a shop where they spoke no English (or French). So I ended up taking a cup on the shelf, pointing to water and going "bloop bloop bloop". And he understood it. My advice: don't be ashamed of miming, and try using noises. You'll look silly, but at least you'll get your message across.

Don't speak louder: it's no use. If they don't speak English, then don't raise your voice, they still won't get it. It's the same thing for deaf people: it doesn't you'll speak louder that they will hear any better. Try speaking slower, there might be a word they recognise, and use motions, or even drawings.

Try learning a few local words or at least the numbers until 10. It comes in handy when you have to pay or a table at a restaurant. And it also shows that you are making an effort. Nothing annoys me more than have (for example), a French couple walk into a restaurant and make absolutely no effort to either understand or speak the language. Plus you might notice that it amuses others when you try to speak their language.

Don't get angry or upset: it's the worst thing you can do. Then the other person gets upset, and you are going no where. There's an even better chance you'll get worst customer service. Just stay calm, try drawing, or even asking for help from people passing by. Or else try miming, that always works.

Get a translator- I don't mean a person, but one of those electronic translators you can buy on amazon or some other shop. Don't get an application for the Iphone or Android, as you usually need internet to use them. I prefer the electronic translator to those dialogue books because they can actually talk, and you can write in a sentence and it will translate it correctly. 

That's all the advice I have for now. There's surely more, but I can't think of any right now. 

XXX