Before moving to Turkey, I felt confident in my ability to quickly learn Turkish. After all, my bilingualism plus select Rosetta Stone lessons would be enough to get me by, right? Nope. Here are some surprising inconveniences of not speaking the local language of where you plan to move:
Applying for Visas
If only it was as simple as "fill out this form, pay, and pick up on X date". The application may be written in Turkish with specifications that Google Translate won't help you understand.
Grocery Shopping
Is this spinach or basil? Good luck identifying produce without English name tags plus discriminating against odd items that aren't usually offered in America.
Taxis
Unless you're heading to a popular location (e.g. Anka Mall), you'll likely get dropped off near your intended location rather that specifically at the location. It's an adventure!
Receipts
What did I buy? Was the item priced as advertised? Was tax already factored in the listed price?
Housing Contracts
This only applies if you're moving abroad, but you will never need to know the local language- written and spoken- than ever before. Only knowing the spoken language is useless if you can't read a contract.
Ordering Food
I hope you don't have allergies or are a picky eater! Not all places have English menus nor pictures accompanying food descriptions. What you thought was regular sushi could be live octopus. Mmm!
Utility Bills
Paying our first month's utility bills was a nightmare. Are the internet and landline bundled or should I expect another bill? Why did the brick and mortar location turn me away? Fingers crossed you find an English-speaking representative.
These were just a few unexpected reasons to learn your new country's local language prior to moving. Consider the fact that major cities generally house more English speakers than rural areas when choosing a destination as it'll impact your convenience of daily outings. While you'll learn quickest through immersion, don't enter a country empty-mouthed.
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