English deprivation - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

**Elizabeth** · 10-09-2008, 03:37 PM

So...I'm writing a paper for class about what it feels like to be deprived of English when you're travelling. Like, usually I don't listen to NPR here at home, but I couldn't get enough of it when I was traveling because I was cut off from English speaking news and tv programs. So I was addicted to it. Or how when I'm at home I usually don't read magazines but if I see one in English when I'm on the road I might buy it even if it has a high markup.

Does anyone else feel this way or have a story? I'm looking for some ideas.

**Dig** · 10-09-2008, 05:23 PM

My wife and I returned from 5 weeks in Europe. When we landed in Houston we had a several hour layover. I noticed a couple of "mexican" cleaning ladies talking to each other. I walked over to them and told them that it was "so good to hear some Spanish spoken right"! I am sure those ladies thought I was a fruitcake, but I didn't care.:D

Incidently, I can only remember hearing one Spanish speaker the entire time.

My wife thought it was awesome, at the same place, to hear someone say to her "Can I help you hon?" in a thick Texan accent.

**aliz** · 10-09-2008, 09:51 PM

James and I actually found it kinda relaxing in europe to not be able to understand people... I know that sounds weird but say on busy public transport, when you can't understand anyone it's all just background noise and you can tune out, but for some reason in australia at peak time public transport is so stressful, because you're listening to someone doing business on their phone, idiotic teenagers having a stupid conversation, women scolding their kids, etc etc. I dunno I guess when you can't understand what they're saying you can just assume everyone is happy.

**simply_angelic** · 10-09-2008, 10:34 PM

After backpacking europe for about 6 weeks (in all non-english speaking countries) I ended off my trip in the UK. I remember I was really jiving for some ice cream so when I saw a sign I walked into the restaurant. I was so used to using "sign language" to tell a clerk what I wanted that I instantly started looking around for where the ice cream was so that I could point to what I wanted. I was COMPLETELY caught off guard when she said "can I help you?" lol...I had completely forgotten they spoke english in the UK haha and that I could actually ASK for what I wanted. What a concept...

Other than that I guess the only thing is when I was in Africa and the complete isolation I felt when I was left without any English speaking friends. I've never felt that way before in my life. I mean when I backpacked europe there were always fellow travelers you could relate to, but when I reached Rwanda alone...I was entirely alone. It's awful. But it definitely forces you to be very resourceful...

**expatben** · 10-10-2008, 01:02 AM

China was a lot like that. I remember trying to find an internet cafe using "sign language" pretending I was typing and just saying the word computer over and over again.
I bought a Time magazine in Germany which is something I rarely do.

**joe7f** · 10-10-2008, 05:21 PM

I was traveling this past winter and would download the Anderson Cooper 360 video podcast most days. I also had a day in Krakow when it started raining so I got really excited when the Flamingo Hostel had CNN.
I never watch CNN at home

How about the flip side? I really miss not hearing a mix of accents and languages like I did in hostels. When I traveled through Italy, Germany and Paris on the way back to Spain I was so happy to hear Spanish again along the border. It felt like I could actually function again. Never mind that I did speak English frequently when locals got tired of my Spanishized Italian and Norwegianized German.

This is kind of weird but after speaking Spanish for long periods of time, I feel like my English sounds a little bit weird like my word order get jumbled (not necessarily mirroring Spanish word order btw).

--Joey

**mushroom22** · 10-11-2008, 11:42 PM

When I come home from being out of the country, I always find myself listening in to other peoples conversation just because I can. It almost seems shocking to be able to understand what everyone around you is saying.

I also crave anything English when I've been gone for an extended time. I even got into Celebrity Gossip last time, which has never interested me before, and doesn't anymore.

**mermaidnz** · 10-12-2008, 12:33 AM

does anyone else talk weird when they get home?

i swear for a few days i talk to people in broken english and a bit slower then normal and use simple vocab. my dad laughed at me after my first solo trip to thailand years ago, ever since i really notice it.

hah and i always read newsweek and time on the plane. id NEVER buy it here tho!!

**raoulduke** · 10-12-2008, 01:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by expatben

I bought a Time magazine in Germany which is something I rarely do.

I bought a Time magazine in Budapest. I think it was the cheapest thing they had in English.

**expatben** · 07-23-2010, 08:41 AM

bump
Something else I find is, TV shows I would normally never watch become interesting when I am deprived from English for too long I have heard others say this as well.

**travelpunk** · 07-23-2010, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by expatben

bump
Something else I find is, TV shows I would normally never watch become interesting when I am deprived from English for too long I have heard others say this as well.

I completely here that. After moving to the outskirts of Madrid last year with horrible transportation and a focus on being a full time internet mogul, I had the tv on in the background while I pounding the keyboard.

Since there were no Irish pubs or expat meetups and meeting only 1 American for 5 minutes at a grocery store, I got my english language fix from one tv channel that played American tv shows in english. Tv shows that I never watched in the states, but got addicted to here.

I watch a couple of seasons of Buffy the vampire slayer...to it's bitter end.
Friday Night Lights (awesome find)
The Gilmore Girls (to the finale)
Heros (sporadic broadcasts)
Hercules series (always babes running around in skimpy warrior outfits

)
Smallville (awesome)
Men in Trees (anne heche)
The OC (good show)

So yeah, being english deprived got me caught up on some old tv shows!

**aliz** · 08-04-2010, 04:58 PM

haha, I love that you watched gilmore girls tony. favourite show ever.
when I was in germany I became addicted to those terrible MTV "reality" shows like 'Date My Mom' and 'Parental Control' because they were the only shows that were subtitled instead of dubbed in german, so I could still hear the english. now whenever I go to my parents house I still turn to mtv and find myself 5 hours later wondering how such terrible shows can keep me glued to the couch for so long...

**travelpunk** · 08-04-2010, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aliz

haha, I love that you watched gilmore girls tony. favourite show ever.
when I was in germany I became addicted to those terrible MTV "reality" shows like 'Date My Mom' and 'Parental Control' because they were the only shows that were subtitled instead of dubbed in german, so I could still hear the english. now whenever I go to my parents house I still turn to mtv and find myself 5 hours later wondering how such terrible shows can keep me glued to the couch for so long...

Dude. We didn't have tivo or a dvr or so whenever I was out doing something, I HAD to get home to watch the next episode of the Gilmore Girls

. I mean seriously, she runs off to Paris on a whim with her ex and gets married?! Poor Luke!....Oh man, I need a life

.

I hear ya on reality shows. I was hooked on the Apprentice, Cheaters, and Blind Date! Funny ass shit

!

**juliagulia** · 08-04-2010, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by travelpunk

I mean seriously, she runs off to Paris on a whim with her ex and gets married?! Poor Luke!

WHAT?!?!!?!?!?!?!

**travelpunk** · 08-04-2010, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by juliagulia

WHAT?!?!!?!?!?!?!

Uhhhhhh.......nothing

.

**aliz** · 08-04-2010, 11:49 PM

julia! how behind are you?!

I know I was so mad too.
I think there should be a support group for reluctant gilmore girls fans, my dad, brother and boyfriend will all be members.

**expatben** · 08-05-2010, 09:58 AM

I wish to make it known that never once have I watched Gilmore Girls and found it remotly entertaining. I know nothing of the adventures of Loreli, Rory Luke Danes and the lives of those in Stars Hollow like Sookie and Taylor. I never thought to myself that while Logan was cool I thought she should have been with Dean and that Jesse was just a looser and had no idea what she saw in them. I had no idea that Rory was hoping to go to Harvard but chose Yale instead and that Loreli ran off to Paris wth Christopher.
That is all
OK so...maybe I saw it...once

**juliagulia** · 08-05-2010, 08:24 PM

I still can NOT believe she went with Christopher. See?? This is why I stopped watching once Rory stole that god damn boat.

**IDDQD** · 08-05-2010, 08:48 PM

Hi, all!

Even though I teach English, which the majority of English speaking expats do in Asia, many of us are deprived of daily conversation with a high level of vocabulary. Words that were so easy do use before just keep fading away unless I keep reading. Funny that the longer I teach English, the worse my English gets haha