Learn the language

I was getting on a bus to get to class the other day, and I heard a guy who was getting off the bus say “Come va?” (“How’s it going?”) to a friend getting onto it. They were obviously Italian students studying abroad in the U.S. However, I noticed that they never spoke a word of Italian after the salutation, they spoke English instead. They must be studying English at the university, because I noticed their accents and the way they were dressed (which I’ll talk about soon!). They easily could have spoken in their native language, but chose not to so that they can really learn ours. The best thing for you to do when visiting any other country is to try to speak the native language, regardless of how little experience you have with it. If you’re traveling with a group, speak as little English as possible and you’ll be bilingual before you know it!

If you don't feel like carrying a book around, try listening to a CD! It will help with your accent and it's less obvious. I found a really great instant conversation CD on Amazon.com for a very fair price, so consider learning the basics before your trip, or on your way there!