When you move to a new place with every intention of leaving within a year or two, it’s well within to reason to consider studying the local language. After all, two years of not having a good idea of the conversations going on around you can make the days feel too long.
However, a case can also be made for the long hours that you’ll need to invest into actually gaining familiarity with a new language. It can eat up a good chunk your time, a serious issue when you’re working with a busy schedule. Since you’ll only be there temporarily, would investing the time into learning the local vernacular actually be beneficial for you in the long run? Or will that just take time you can best spend attending to other matters?
1. Language Critical
If your job entails any form of selling or negotiation, seriously consider whether you can get by not knowing how locals converse. In almost every country in the world, negotiating is oftentimes about relationships as much as it is about numbers. How strong are the bonds you can establish without learning the local vernacular?
2. Bits And Pieces
Even when you don’t have the time to commit to full-time learning, we highly recommend getting a good software to learn language. Picking up a few phrases a day and trying them out wouldn’t hurt. Before you know it, you might be able to hold a 30-second conversation without getting very lost. Additionally, you’ll be amazed how much you can cope with just the bare basics of vocabulary knowledge.