By now, you know that one of our favorite parts of traveling is relishing the delicious local food. Not only do we get to discover new dishes and flavors that we would have never have experienced before, but we also get to explore food that we know with a unique local twist! Learning a language also a pivotal part of travel and this is another one of our favorite parts of travel. So what happens when you put them together? You get an Eatwith experience!
Although learning a language takes time and determination, it can be really fun and who better to teach you than the locals themselves? At Eatwith, we have hosts all over the world who are waiting to do just that over a delicious home cooked meal.
If you’re in need of more convincing, here are our reasons!
Why eating with locals is one of the best ways to learn a language
You are in a relaxed environment
The most important part of learning a language is practicing and getting involved in as many conversations as possible. Saying this though, is easier said than done. Many people may not have the confidence to rattle off an order in a restaurant or feel like their listening skills are not quite up to scratch, so the best way to learn is while eating with locals.
Why? Firstly, there is no pressure when you’re dining with friends. There’s no fear of getting things wrong, you can build up your confidence and naturally you’ll be in a much more active state to learn than if you were in a classroom. Secondly, you know you are sharing the table with other food lovers that just love food and that makes for great topic conversation!
If you are looking for some really special food combinations,, join our incredible chef Rudi for modern Mediterranean dishes in Barcelona for food that will blow your mind!
It’s a fun way to learn…
Everyone knows that you learn best when you’re having fun and a Eatwith experience is just that! When you’re eating with locals, it doesn’t even feel like you’re learning. It’s an exhilarating mix of conversation where you can get involved as much as you want to, whether that’s grilling the locals with questions or getting hands on and helping them cook! Can you say you’ve ever had this much fun in a restaurant?
What’s great about learning a language this way, is that it’s YOU that creates your ideal learning environment.
…and you’ll learn so much more!
Whilst restaurants and cafés are ideal places to practice your new tongue, your conversation is often limited to the typical “I would like,” “can I have” and conversational pleasantries. The real learning comes from the locals themselves!
Have you ever learned a language from textbooks and found that people talk differently when you travel around the country? I think we all have! This is because languages are often taught very formally when in reality conversation is unstructured and people speak in colloquial terms. When eating with locals, the conversation will flow naturally, giving you the chance to explore a diverse range of topics that will really help build your conversational skills and listening skills without you even knowing it!
Food is a universal language
Everybody eats, so naturally food is something that we can universally understand. Whether that’s working out a menu from knowing a similar language or pointing to a dish at a neighboring table that we know we will like, we can to some degree communicate via food. This obviously makes it an ideal starting point for learning a language!
While eating with locals, think of their amazing dishes like flashcards: they are visual and therefore easy to remember. After all, we all learn by association so this environment is perfect! Plus you then get to taste these amazing local dishes, so it’s a win-win situation!
Learning a language while eating with locals adds to the cultural experience
With travel becoming so much easier, a true cultural experience isn’t as easy to come by anymore. We’ve all seen the restaurants with ‘tourist menus’ and know that the best places to eat are where the locals are eating! So if we already know this, it’s obvious that the most authentic experience you can have is with a local.
Eatwith makes this possible, with thousands of hosts welcoming guests into their homes to eat and learn and laugh. Eating with locals is a special opportunity to learn more than a language, you will be introduced to the family, treated as a friend and will come away with a deeper understanding of the culture as a whole.
For a home vibe away from home, join Patrícia in Lisbon for a traditional dinner with a Portuguese family!
So what do you think? Do you think you’d learn a language better over dinner with your friends? We do! Whether you think you will or not, one thing we can all agree on is that eating with locals will be an authentic dining experience that you’ll never forget! Our hosts are waiting for you to book an experience today for your most delicious and educational vacation yet.
