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As we cap off our month of travel, no trip to exotic far flung destinations would be complete without the embarrassing, ridiculous, confounding experience of trying to communicate in a language you don’t speak! Vacation is supposed to be an adventure, right? Never more so than trying to ask, “Where can I get a taxi?” only to find out what you really said was, “When do I become toxic?” So this week, we’re offering some language and culture tips for travel abroad along with cool stuff the country is known for and how you can bring that vibe home.

Phrase Books Suck… (Just Sayin’)!

Back in the day, I used to buy those little phrase books, but found little success stopping someone on the street and then making them stand there waiting while I flipped to the page that had the phrase I was about to butcher.

Not to mention, you could never find the phrase you were actually looking for! Seriously, I have no idea who actually wrote those things! But “I’d like a pound of green beans” is NOT something I have ever said while traveling! Having Google translator helps “minimally” now, but there are better ways to practice foreign language skills and Duolingo is one of them! You can learn online or on your phone, and it’s totally FREE! There are 28 languages (and counting) offered with audio by native speakers along with tests and all the good stuff you’ll need. For now, let’s get this party started with a super fun Marley language lesson! I’m going to say a phrase people would actually need. And by “people” I mean ME! And then… we’ll just go from there! (Are these phrases accurate? I have NO IDEA!)

Destination: France

“I’d like to get drunk before I visit the Eiffel Tower!”

“Je voudrais me saouler avant de visiter la tour Eiffel!”

Okay, now that we’ve established I’d like a drink, I’m in luck because the French are exceptional winemakers (duh!) and they produce a multitude of other 40-proof liqueurs that I enjoy, including Lillet, which is generally enjoyed as an aperitif. (Know what an ‘aperitif’ is? That’s the drink before the wine! Because it’s not enough to just have wine, you need more alcohol before that!) See, this is why I like France!

How do you bring this home to add French flavor to your life? That’s easy. Most liquor stores and craft cocktail bars in the U.S. have Lillet, which comes in Blanc, Rosé, and Rouge! Bonus! This is a super refreshing libation for the hot summer months. Speaking of which, if you’re having a soiree anytime soon, you’ll definitely want to have our Super Secret Party Tips Guide!

Destination: Morocco

“Nobody likes blue more than you!”

“la ‘ahad yuhibu allawn al’azraq ‘akthar manak!”

(Does the Arabic language use exclamation points? I have no idea!) But what I do know is that Moroccans love the color blue! Maybe it’s because of the gorgeous cerulean waters of Tangier. Or the crescent beach of Agadir. Whatever the reason, you’ll find most of the fishing boats in the harbor painted blue, lovely terraces of blue-washed houses in Chefchaouen (which we talked about a few weeks ago in our 2018 Travel Trends blog!), and gorgeous hand-painted tiles, pretty much everywhere, featuring the color blue!

Wanna bring this look home? You can ship Moroccan tiles home from the markets in Marrakesh. There are also companies like Moroccan Mosaic and Tile House that sell authentic Moroccan tiles. Home Depot even has Moroccan-style tiles! Use them in your next kitchen remodel as a backsplash, in the garden as decor, as trivets or coasters, or use them to do a mosaic on your patio.

Destination: Spain

“How many olives will it take to soak up all the Rioja I just drank?”

¿Cuántas aceitunas tomará para absorber toda la Rioja que acabo de tomar?

Spain is an exciting country known for many wonderful things. Flamenco dancing! Tapas! Olives! Bulls and cheese and wine and churches and beaches! Not in any particular order! Things to see and do are as varied as the landscape that includes snow capped mountains, deserts, beaches, vineyards, orchards, ancient castles, medieval cities, Roman ruins, renowned museums, and breathtaking coastlines.

Bringing a taste of Spain home isn’t hard to do. Spanish wines and cheeses are plentiful imports here in the U.S. and guess what? The Spanish are known for their love of parties! Do your best imitation by hosting your own Tapas Party (that will start at 10 p.m. and go into the wee hours, BTW!) and don’t forget the guitar!

Destination: India

“Thank you for showing the world the ‘downward dog’ pose.”

“duniya ko dikhaane ke lie dhanyavaad ‘adokha mukhavan’ mudra.”

In case you missed it, I traveled to India a few months ago with my son Stanley (a.k.a. The Stanimal). Yes, we rode camels. And saw palaces. And took tuk-tuks. It was an extraordinary journey and eye-opening window into another culture. Truly the trip of a lifetime! Check out some of my photos!

The two best ways, I think, to bring India home is to 1) do yoga, it’s seriously good for you, and 2) get yourself a fabulously bright patterned sari or tunic and churidar pants. They’re colorful and comfy and wonderfully exotic!

Destination: Italy

“So many gelato shops, so little time.”

“Così tante gelaterie, così poco tempo.”

Whether you’re in the heart of Rome, skiing the Alps (yes, Italy has them too!), lying on the beach in the Mediterranean, or visiting quaint fishing villages in Sicily, you are never more than a stone’s throw from a gelaterie! I don’t know if it’s the fun flavors, or the smooth lighter texture of gelato, but I wish our ice cream was more like their ice cream!

Ummm, so this is another no-brainer on bringing Italy into your home. Just make pasta for dinner! Or, buy an espresso maker! Or get a Vespa! (I would love one!)

Destination: Thailand

“One night in Bangkok and the world’s your oyster.”

“Kh??n h?n??ng n? krungtheph‡ læa lok k?hxng h?xy n?ngrm k?hxng khu??” (Okay, as you can see, some of these characters just don’t even translate, but you get the idea!)

Yep, no clue how to pronounce that! But I can’t think of Thailand without thinking of that 80s song. (Well, that’s not entirely true. I also think of Pad Thai when I think of Thailand! It must be lunch time!) I’ve never been to Thailand but I’m super excited to go. Yes, there are amazing beaches, but they also have floating markets on the river! Imagine buying your groceries on the water in a boat! There are also elephants. Bonus, anywhere in the world! If you’ve traveled there, drop me a note on my Facebook page – I want to hear about it!

Okay, so… you probably won’t be able to keep an elephant in your backyard, but if you DO want to adopt a new manageably sized “exotic” pet like a turtle or bird, I recommend Best Friends Animal Society! In lieu of an elephant, there are other ways to bring Thailand home. It’s apparently (no surprise) super hot there. Which means you’ll definitely want to bring sunglasses (Karen Walker Cat-Eyes from Neiman-Marcus anyone??) when you travel and probably a hat. But since they do a lot of woven straw hats in Thailand, you might want to hold out and get an authentic Thai straw hat to bring home with you! Perfect for gardening and sunning by the pool!

Destination: Brazil

“Climbing to the top of Mount Corcovado to see the statue takes some serious cardio!”

“Subir ao topo do Monte Corcovado para ver a estátua leva algum cardio grave!”

The Cristo Redentor or Christ the Redeemer statue on top of Rio de Janeiro’s Mount Corcovado is the work of some serious engineering! It takes about an hour and a half to walk up the mountain, or you can take a funicular (if you’re feeling lazy!). Rio is known for its Carnival. So am I! Dancing and drinking in the streets, people! Right up my alley!

How do you bring Brazil into your home? Two words: Bossa Nova baby! (okay, that was three, but you know what I mean!) Not sure what kind of music Bossa Nova is? I bet you do! Remember The Girl From Ipanema, that song from the 60’s by Astrud and João Gilberto? That tune has been played at more cocktail parties than anyone in the world can count! AND… it somehow became the terminal hold song every time you called the cable company and were waiting endlessly on the line for someone to pick up!

That’s it for language and culture! As we plan for July, we’ll be sharing party tips for entertaining kids and family! Until then, check out our Super Secret Party Tips Guide – it’s FREE!