There are many American expats in the world who have very limited language skills and get along just fine in their local communities. They generally live in expat-dominated neighborhoods and socialize primarily with other expats who speak English. This is very easy to do if you live in an international resort area where English is spoken almost everywhere. Other expats invest the time and money required to learn the local language so they can fully integrate their lives into the rhythm of day-to-day living.
The ability to communicate with local friends, shopkeepers, government, utility companies, colleagues, employees and others around you makes the difference between just residing in your new community and truly living in it. If you are planning to get a job or start a business, learning the local language is essential.
If you are heading for one of the nearly 70 countries or territories that speak English as the primary or secondary language, learning the local language is not much of an issue. But, based on where we know American expats are currently living or planning to move, acquiring some level of local language skills is very important. You can find out which languages are spoken in each country or territory at One World Nations Online (OWNO).
There are many options to help you learn the local language, from group courses to simply immersing yourself and learning through osmosis. Omniglot is an excellent source for an overview of the major methods in use today for learning a new language.
Self-learning is a very popular approach, particularly using increasingly sophisticated computer software. A wide variety of software programs are available from companies like Rosetta Stone, Rocket Languages, Fluenz Software and others. If you are interested in self-learning, software program reviewers like Language Software Reviews and Give Me A Review provide frequently updated reviews to help you with your decision.
Another approach used frequently by expats is enrolling in a group study program offered by a local language school. You can find the best by visiting local expat chat rooms and forums to ask for recommendations and checking with the American embassy or nearest consulate. Real estate firms in your new city are also good bets for recommendations.
When I lived in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, many local friends and acquaintances recommended Melchor’s Spanish Language School. Melchor Cortes has taught Spanish to expats using materials from the famous Warren Hardy Spanish School in San Miguel de Allende for over 18 years. Each course is three weeks long, three days per week and three hours per day. The school offers four levels of instruction and a follow-up conversation course for those who have completed all levels. Melchor’s instructional materials include a textbook augmented by CDs or cassettes and game cards. Tuition for each level is US$250 with an additional US$99 for Level 1 materials. The follow-up conversation class is US$200.