When You Travel, Do You Try to Talk to the Locals?

Hong Kong
September 30, 2007 2:52am CST
When you travel to some new places, do you always grab the chance of talking to the local people there? Or would you be too shy to do so? I am not shy at all *laughs*! If I get a chance to, I would try to talk to as many local people as I could to understand the place more and to understand their life more. I think it's fun and so far I think I have been quite lucky to meet quite nice and helpful people during all my trips! What about you?
6 people like this
22 responses
@Lifeless (2635)
• India
5 Oct 07
Yeah.. I do talk to the locals whenevr I am vacationing or for work purposes.. I just like to talk to every1 who is besides me, I am a very lively kind of person, I can't keep quiet for quite a long time.. I always like to be in the crowd, to be interactive to almost every1...So, its almost usual that whoever I meet wherever I go, I try talking to each of them...
2 people like this
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
30 Sep 07
We are rather enthusiastic about places we like, so sometimes the locals try to talk to us, instead. Once on a trip, we saw a pretty garden-like outdoor shopping center. It was upscale, so we stopped to look a bit. I was reading the directions on a sign and this guy came up and asked if we needed help. I said no, I was just admiring the sign, which was true. He asked how we liked the shopping center and we said it was the most beautiful one we'd ever seen. It turned out this guy owned the shopping center and quite a few of the stores in it as well. He invited us to his restaurant where he insisted on giving us a bit to eat, then he took us next door to his bookstore. Chatting about the different books, we discovered that we had quite a bit in common, and he ended up giving us a very nice book, too. I think he spent about an hour just showing us around and talking. We had a great time and learned a lot. It never hurts to chat up the locals.
1 person likes this
• Hong Kong
30 Sep 07
That's really an interesting experience! Indeed that would make the trip more memorable and interesting!
@lilaclady (28207)
• Australia
30 Sep 07
Oh yes I think if you travel and do not connect with the locals then you might as well read a book about the place and save a lot of money, it seems strange to me that people would travel overseas and head for the places that their own countrymen frequent, Aussies do this a lot... I love meeting with different cultures.
• Hong Kong
30 Sep 07
Yes I think it's strange when people only stay in the hotels.
@lkbooi (16070)
• Malaysia
1 Oct 07
Whenever I travel to any eign countries or other domestic places I would like to communicate with the local residents there. I learn a lot when chatting with the local inhabitants when hanging around in the shopping malls and market, taking food in the restaurant etc. Sometimes I did take photos together with them. If I couldn’t communicate in their languages I then use the body language.
1 person likes this
@dpk262006 (58678)
• Delhi, India
1 Oct 07
Yes, when I travel I try to converse with local people. It gives me an insight into their culture and living style and I get to know new things about them. Sometimes, due to langauge barrier, it becomes difficult to communicte with local people.
@adudu909 (10)
• China
1 Oct 07
Of course. Talk to the locals is an opportunity to improve my english speaking skills,and I can know more about the local curlture,it is a good way to have a curltural exchange.
@hemalover (829)
• Egypt
30 Sep 07
if i travel to any place i will talk to them becouse i might want some help from them or want to know something..i think if i goes for toursts i think they will help me
1 person likes this
@urbandekay (18278)
30 Sep 07
Not only that but in a number of places I have visited I have stayed with local families and tried to experience how they live all the best urban
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40192)
• Canada
30 Sep 07
I would like to talk to the locals, if my husband was not in such a hurry to avoid doing that. He wants to get on the road and travel from one place to another. The only locals we talked to was the gas station attendants when we had to pay for the gas inside, the waitress who took our order, the desk clerk at the motel rooms, and my husband did talk to a lady who told us the Food Court at the Columbus Mall was not open until ten am. Oh there were some cute puppies, but we could not have an intelligent conversation with them. I do not think that counts, except for a motel owner who had family in Manitoba, and told us about them. I think he wanted us to stay there, you know, either buy or rent a house nearby. It was a nice area and I hope my husband decides to move down there, but I doubt it, he loves flat prairies and very cold winters way to much. (sob,)
@cefaz_21 (2596)
• Philippines
1 Oct 07
Oh yes, I am. I befriend them and it's very unlikely that I go home without talking to someone else from that place. It's a nice way to get to know more about the palce,thier cultures and about the people rather than reading them all from the info sheets ir books. :)
• United States
1 Oct 07
i love trying to learn new languages my favorite is spanish i have lots of hispanic friends and we talk sometimes i massacre the language but they are understanding and try to teach me i dont travel much but if i did it would be interesting to discover new things and learn different cultures. try to picture my life like theirs and see how i would manage
@gmakesmoney (2923)
• United States
30 Sep 07
I do try and talk to locals when I travel, it makes the trip more interesting and often times it's the best way to learn where all the hidden favorites are. Like bakeries and cafes or shops that are usually not widely published.
@maybebaby (1230)
• Canada
30 Sep 07
I like to talk to the local people too. It's the best way to get a real insight into the country. They usually tend to be very happy to talk and very helpful also. It's even better if you can speak the language a bit.
@tujibing (40)
• China
30 Sep 07
Yes. I think travel is not only sightseeing, is feeling and know. Talk to locals is a good way to feel and know the place and people. I would be shy sometimes, but I always do that.
1 person likes this
@ESKARENA1 (18261)
30 Sep 07
I think one of the greatest parts of any trip is getting to know the people and the country of the people we visit. The only way to do this is to learn the language and use it by talking to native speakers. It certainly adds to any trip if you are prepared to do this blessed be
1 person likes this
@stella1989 (2274)
• India
30 Sep 07
I love to chit chat with local people of new place..I have ever visited..!! Like this you come to know the real face of that place. Their real culture and true self heart!! Yes But will never get too much invlovled with any of the locals there..as at the end of the day they are strangers only!! Although it makes you journey and visit ot that place much more easier and happy...!! :)
@franziska (410)
• Italy
30 Sep 07
I always try to talk to local people when possible. Fortunately I know five languages (italian, spanish, english,french and as little bit of arabic) and this helps to have relationships.
@laurika (4532)
• United States
6 Oct 07
Hi my friend, yeah I think I would be probably shy on first day.I would talk to them later, if I would stay longer.Maybe third, 4th day I would come and ask them about what is interesting to do there, where i would be.i am sure they can give us the best recomendation about food, or where to buy some stuff or find some places, what only locals know about.It is really good to talk to them, I just wish not to be so shy.
@angemac23 (2003)
• Canada
30 Sep 07
I definitely try to talk to locals when I travel. It's the best way to get to know a place and what they best things to do are.
1 person likes this
• Italy
30 Sep 07
I ALWAYS do it! It's probably one of the funniest parts of every travel. I love to interact with foreign people, especially with old people. They usually have time and will to talk to you, and they know a lot about everything is worth knowing! I think young people are instead often busy with their matters and not always disposed to talk.
1 person likes this