Before I went on my first trip abroad, I spent many months (a couple of years, really) pondering where I should go and what I should do.

There were so many places I could go: Thailand, Colombia, Brazil, Mexico, Italy, France, and on and on.

And, there were so many things I could do: teach English, volunteer, backpack, do a language exchange, live in a home-stay with a family. The options seemed endless.

As a result, I spent a lot of time reading travel advice on the internet, postponing my trip abroad for just the right opportunity, and making sure I weighed out the pros and cons of each choice.

As I look back, I'd say most of that time researching wasn't necessary.

I wish I had just pulled the trigger and gone abroad without overthinking it. As long as I had my backup plans in place and access to money, I would have been fine.

A lot of people today are in the same boat I was in. They wonder if they are ready to go abroad and to make the jump into the unknown of a foreign place.

I would encourage those people (whoever you are) just to take a deep breath and go.

And, to that end, here are five reasons you should go abroad before you are ready to.

1. The older you get, the less agile you are

Going abroad (especially for months) involves a certain amount of unknowns, particularly if you are traveling to less-developed countries.

You never know when you might have to hike up a flight of stairs with your luggage, for example.

You never know if you will have to walk a long distance to get from point A to point B. You never quite know if it will be hard or easy to find your specific destination.

All of these activities involve agility and ability. Unfortunately, these things tend to decline with age. It will be relatively harder to do them if you are a lot older.

I remember one time in South America I had to lift my large, completely-full suitcase over a subway entrance, then carry it down three flights of stairs, then up another three flights of stairs, then up another three flights of stairs at my hostel.

Even I, as a young man, was huffing and puffing at this. I remember saying to myself: there is no way I could do this if I were 60 years old!

When you are younger, you have the agility and adaptability to face the physical challenges of travel, especially budget travel.

This is why it is best to go abroad when you are young as opposed to postponing it until you're much older, or of retirement age. Ya ain't getting any younger!

See also: What is a Hostel? The Complete Guide

2. It is good to expand your mind as early as possible

"Travel is fatal to prejudice," wrote Mark Twain.

One happy benefit of spending time in foreign lands is that your mind opens to new ways of seeing the world, and you open yourself to new experiences.

These experiences can often be formative and can broaden your perspective on the world and your place in it.

Thus, while it is great to have these experiences at any point in time, they have a greater ability to impact your life if you have them earlier in life.

Think about it: if you have rich, formative experiences in your 20s or 30s, you will experience the benefit of that experience for the remaining decades of your life.

You will see the world with a new set of eyes from that point forward.

As the saying goes, "a mind expanded cannot be made smaller again."

If you wait until retirement age to travel, by contrast, you may feel you are late in getting these new insights and perspectives.

Also, later on in life, you might find yourself with a stronger tendency towards the routine and the comfort of the familiar.

Your perspective might not be so easily broadened, and your preferences may be narrower.

Going abroad earlier in life--even before you are ready to-- has potentially huge, mind-expanding benefits for the rest of your life.

3. Going abroad fuels creativity

Traveling abroad is a great way to get a fresh perspective on your own life, not just on the world.

If you are facing an upcoming decision, or a nagging feeling like you want to change the course of your life, travel is a great way to whip up the creative juices.

In my opinion, we as humans underestimate the effect that a specific environment has on our thoughts.

Many people believe their creativity levels would be the same regardless of where they find themselves, and that their ordinary routine should be sufficient to generate whatever creativity they need in their lives.

I've found the opposite to be true: changing your environment seems almost necessary to obtain the creativity you need.

If you change your environment, you give your brain a chance to "reset" and see things from different angles.

You realize the positives and negatives of certain choices, and perhaps you see new possibilities that you hadn't considered.

Time in a foreign land is a great way to see with new eyes, and changing your environment is a great way to refresh and re-invigorate your creative juices.

4. Learning a language takes time, and the earlier you get to it, the better

Before I started traveling in Latin America, I spent a lot of time trying to learn Spanish on my own.

I would study nearly an hour a day and think that I was making significant progress.

The truth is, I wasn't making nearly as much progress as I thought I was, and I was using the excuse of "needing to learn more Spanish" as a way of delaying going abroad.

Learning a foreign language as an adult is not an impossible task, and it can be done at any age.

But, you'll acquire a language faster by fully immersing yourself in the foreign culture whose language you want to learn.

All of the aspects of learning the new language would be intensified as you use it in daily life.

And your learning curve will be much steeper if you find yourself in situations where you need to use the language.

Plus, once you have acquired a foreign language, it stays with you much like riding a bike. Thus, the earlier you learn, the better.

So, if it is ever a life goal of yours to learn a foreign language to fluency, don't wait-- go to your target country and learn there. It works out to be a much more efficient way to learn.

See also: Learn Spanish Fast - Six Strategies for Success in Latin America

5. You learn self-reliance

One of the biggest reasons to go abroad before you are ready is that you will learn how to overcome things you didn't plan for.

No matter how well you plan before your first trip abroad, there will be things you failed to prepare for, and things that you over-planned for.

In these situations, you will learn how to create solutions for a wide range of problems-- from doing laundry in a sink to not getting scammed by money changers, to finding a secure place to keep your passport.

You will learn that there is always some course of action that will make your life easier, and it might take a little ingenuity or help from someone to get it done.

This is an incredibly important skill to have in your life, and the earlier you learn it, the better.

As you navigate through the rest of your life, you will be able to draw upon those situations in a foreign land where, even though things may not have been comfortable, you were able to find a way through.

You met the challenges and overcame them without losing your head.

Conclusion

All told, there are substantial reasons not to postpone your trip abroad. You don't gain a lot by delaying, and you stand to gain much by just going.

So, let's suppose that after you've read this article, I've convinced you.

You realize that there are HUGE benefits to going abroad before you are ready to...

So what's next?

The next step is simple: get a departure date and buy the ticket.

You ain't getting any younger!

Overtourism is a new concept for many people; therefore, learning how to prevent overtourism is too. Tourists come from all corners of the world, yet, not every place has tourists.

In 2018, international tourist arrivals (the number of people traveling) reached 1.4 billion.

The World Tourism Organization predicted we wouldn't reach that number for a few more years.

Compare this number to 1995, when there were only 525 million tourists worldwide, and you can see where we're headed.

More affordable flights and travel combined with increases in personal wealth have made it possible for more and more people to travel for fun. It's a trend that's both wonderful and potentially harmful and threatening, too.

The term "overtourism," believed to have developed in 2015, is used to explain crowded tourist destinations and their negative impact on the surrounding communities and cultures.

Overtourism is an idea that encompasses all the negative impacts of tourism.

It explains the conflict between foreign visitors and locals, which has reached a boiling point in some places.

Overtourism can also explain the impact of the industry on struggling natural environments. This is seen, for example, in Thailand, or, more specifically, Maya Beach.

Very few people knew about Maya Beach on Koh Phi Phi in southern Thailand until the Hollywood blockbuster "The Beach" starring Leonardo Decaprio made Maya Bay the most popular destination in all of Southeast Asia.

Since it was released in 2000, tourism on Maya Beach has exploded.

It is reported that, at one point, more than 5,000 visitors were frolicking on the beach each day, delivered by more than 200 boats. In turn, the beach suffered a significant environmental loss.

Over 80 percent of the coral around Maya Bay has already been damaged, and government officials in Thailand hope closing the beach to visitors indefinitely will bring it back to life.

As travelers, it is our job to leave a community exactly how it was when we arrived.

Zero-impact travel is what we should all strive for unique places to remain available to future travelers.

Thailand is far from the only place affected. The Inca ruins of Machu Picchu in Peru and the sinking city of Venice in Italy are two more threatened sites.

Below, we have highlighted different ways you can become more conscious of overtourism. We challenge you to do your part to help the bigger cause.

How You Can Help

1. Pay attention to local signs

It is simple. If the sign says, "stay off the grass," don't step on the grass.

If the sign says, "do not feed the wild animals," don't do it.

If the sign says "no photography inside the cathedral," don't try to sneak a quick photo when no one is looking.

These signs are made for a reason, and usually, it is to protect yourself, the environment, and the culture.

2. Travel in the off-season

Traveling in the fall or winter months will not only mean fewer queues to deal with, but you will also be going at a time when prices are lower.

Dave, for example, re-visited Italy last fall. He said the prominent landmarks like the Florence Duomo and Ponte Vecchio bridge were still busy but not nearly as crowded as they would've been in summer.

Another reason to travel in the should or off-season is that locals will be more willing to strike up a conversation as they haven't been wrestling with hordes of tourists all season.

In some destinations, such as Switzerland, a sheet of snow over the landscape brings out the real magic and makes photographs even better. Who wants to spend a vacation in lines, anyway?

This is where you may need to do a little research, as the months that constitute off-season travel vary depending on where you want to go.

Related: Travel Switzerland on a Budget

3. Reconsider hostels/hotels

Did you know over 40 percent of vacation apartments in Barcelona are operated illegally?

That is because greedy landlords have realized tourists are willing to pay much more than residents.

Searching for the cheapest accommodation possible, tourists have begun to stop looking in the direction of hotels, which isn't necessarily a good thing.

Sure, spending locally is always good (see #6). However, it makes housing a nightmare for locals, driving rent prices through the roof and creating more friction between tourists and locals.

Barcelona is not the lone exception to this issue. Combat this growing problem by reconsidering going back to the hostels or hotels.

4. Be socially responsible

Leaving a place as it was when you arrived is your responsibility, but have you ever considered doing more than the minimum?

What about leaving the beach with less plastic than you brought?

Instead of blaming others, go the extra mile, and help compensate for others' neglect.

If every traveler picked up just one piece of litter a day, it would go a long way.

Whenever I go on a hike, I always bring a trash bag for loose trash on the trail, and, in most places, I can fill it up before my walk is finished.

5. Look past the first page of Google

The truth about travel blogging is that it exists on the internet, and some people lie online.

Have you ever considered why every small town or village you have read about is "quaint," "paradisiacal," or "unexplored?"

How every tropical destination is excellent for snorkeling, and its beaches are "pristine" and "secluded?"

These are easy, safe, and unmeasurable ways to write about places we have never been.

I am a part of the problem in travel blogging as I've used these unjustifiable descriptions to convince readers they must go to the most visited destinations in a city.

Admittedly, I have written articles that clients ask me to write about attractions I have never visited.

They have asked me to write about the top ten attractions on TripAdvisor, for example. In turn, this leads to the promotion of the same few attractions in the city.

[Editor's note: Go Backpacking only publishes stories based on an author's first-hand experience in a destination.]

The world is big. Be open to exploring it independently on a whim and based on the recommendations of blogs.

6. Spend your money locally

Backpackers have historically been good about this, if for no other reason than it's often cheaper to eat locally than at international chains.

Instead of eating at McDonald's, try the local street food across the way. Sure, easy!

However, tour companies have gotten sneakier at disguising themselves as homegrown companies when, in fact, they have roots worldwide.

One of my favorite things is the free city walking tours offered in most major cities worldwide.

Though a few popular companies, like Sandeman, operate in most cities, they are unique in that all proceeds go to the local guides themselves.

Not only that, but they can save you a pretty penny for your wallet, too.

Most local guides know secrets you can't find on the internet and will take you to places you wouldn't have known about had it not been for taking the walking tour.

7. Be aware of cultural sensitivities

Do your research about the culture before you leave for your destination. This seems like a dying process among all travelers.

With affordable travel and increased tourism worldwide, it feels like you can travel to a destination and never cross paths with a country's culture. How tragic.

Immersing yourself in culture and participating in traditions and lifestyles from across the world is what makes travel such a valuable experience. Let's get back to our roots.

Among cultural sensitivities to be aware of, religion is of utmost importance.

To air on the safe side, the less skin you show, the less like a tourist you will appear, and the less likely you are to offend anyone.

Be conservative in public, cautious about voice level and language, and try to blend in as much as possible. After all, that is a common goal for travelers, isn't it, still?

8. Do your research

Before Leo made Maya Beach a phenomenon, Koh Phi Phi was just one of the 1,400 Thai islands.

Think about it -- despite what people may tell you, there are still gems out there that the internet hasn't discovered: islands that haven't lost their culture, beaches that don't have vendors walking the shoreline, and streets without tour buses.

However, if you keep following the "Top 10 Destinations in ____" lists, you will not find those places.

If you read it on the internet, so did thousands of others. Try doing some research and exploration on your own.

[Editor's note: Yes, we've also published our share of "Top X" lists on Go Backpacking. While we don't believe there's anything inherently wrong with a list format, we'll keep the problem of overtourism in mind as we draft the content of such articles in the future.]

Let's tackle overtourism together before it's too late

No matter which country -- in which community -- we are traveling, we have a responsibility (which everyone is now aware of) to be conscious travelers.

That means taking control of our actions, thinking before we act, and making decisions to better the place we are visiting.

If everyone does their part to be a more responsible traveler, we can fix this issue ourselves -- without closing beaches indefinitely or irritating locals to the point of conflict.

Let's get a grip so we can prevent overtourism before it gets further out of hand.

Traveling Europe by train with a Eurail pass is one of the most popular ways to get around during your backpacking trip.

I took the Eurail (Interrail) train around Europe during my first backpacking trip in 2015.

I traveled for an entire month using Europe's sophisticated international train system.

I paid one combined price for an Interrail pass and saw eight countries and dozens of European cities.

The only reason I was able to purchase an Interrail pass (which is cheaper than a Eurail Pass) at the time was that I was a legal resident of a European country.

If you're not a resident or citizen of Europe, you must purchase the Eurail pass.

During the experience, I learned a lot about how to approach European travel with Eurail passes.

Here is what you need to know before you jump in and buy a Eurail pass.

What is a Eurail Pass?

A Eurail pass is a single train ticket allowing you to hop on and off trains across most of Europe at your leisure. It is your ticket to flexibility.

Don't worry about missing your train as, with a train pass, you are free to hop on the next one that comes along.

A Eurail pass allows you to take a ride on most routes throughout the continent.

Although a few train companies require reservations beforehand, most will allow you to show up to the train station and board without a reservation.

It is the freedom to go anywhere at any time.

How does it work?

There are several types of Eurail passes, each valid for varying lengths depending on the duration of your trip.

Each also offers a different number of rides included.

Types of Passes

First, you must decide what kind of Europe backpacking trip you will be taking.

The Global Pass option allows the pass holder to travel freely between 31 European countries.

The One Country Pass only allows you to travel within one country.

Each of these passes has additional options to cater further to your trip.

Validity of Passes

Eurail does an excellent job of providing the customer with a wide selection of pass validity lengths so every traveler can find the pass which fits their itinerary.

Pro Tip: For the greatest selection of European rail passes, shop at raileurope.com. Be sure and check their Deals page for a chance to save $$$. 

Why travel with a Eurail Pass?

A Eurail pass makes everything a little more comfortable while backpacking in Europe.

You don't have to worry about checking in or printing tickets.

You don't have to worry about itineraries as it allows you to choose as you go. You don't even have to know where you are going while you are on the train.

You can get on, ride through the night, and get off the train at sunrise wherever you end up. It's all up to you!

Besides that, it is nice paying for the pass in advance and not stressing over transportation costs as you go.

Things you need to know before purchasing

There are only a few simple questions you need to have answers to before purchasing your ticket.

They aren't restrictive questions. They only give you an idea of what kind of pass you will require.

Know before you go:

• How long will you be traveling in Europe?
• Will you visit multiple countries?
• Will you be traveling in the same region or across the continent?
• Will you be traveling to many off-the-beaten-path destinations?

Answering those four questions will help you tremendously in deciding which pass, if any, is right for you.

See also: Eurail Cost Comparison - How Much Money Can You Save

Is a Eurail Pass right for you?

First, it is essential to note that those under 27-years-old or over 60 will receive discounts on their Eurail Pass, which greatly benefits those who fit that description.

To determine if the pass is right for you, you need to weigh the pros and cons.

What I feel are cons about the Eurail pass may be pros to others.

For example, its routes. I found the routes cater to those seeking to visit the big, well-known cities such as Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Prague, and Rome.

I struggled to align my schedule and routes while visiting friends in small towns across Europe.

However, that could be an advantage to those traveling from capital city to capital city as there are many trains and departure times for that type of itinerary.

It is true. A Eurail pass isn't the right choice for every trip, and, although the pass sounds convenient, there are some trips you would be better off traveling by bus or plane.

Would I do Eurail again?

This is a tricky question. If I were new to traveling still, I would. This is not to say the Eurail pass is only for first-timers.

It is to say a Eurail pass doesn't fit the type of travel I do anymore.

I know many travelers (even Europeans) who love to travel on the train. Hell, I love to travel via train.

The only thing that holds me back from purchasing another Eurail pass is the time restraints on you.

However, if you have a definite start and end date, this could be the perfect way to organize your trip.

See also: Planning Your First Backpacking Trip

How to buy a Eurail pass

Purchasing a Eurail pass is as easy as a click of a button.

You can purchase your pass up to 11 months in advance. Just make sure you leave enough time to receive it via traditional mail.

Note: If you are unsure which days you will be arriving/ departing Europe, that is OK. One of the greatest conveniences of the pass is it allows you to activate the pass at the train station upon arrival.

Do not activate it when you get it in the mail. As soon as you activate it, your time on your pass begins ticking.

Maximize your given time by activating the pass at the first train station you arrive at.

A journey on the ever-popular Eurail train in Europe is a once-in-a-lifetime experience (well, it can be twice or thrice, if you fancy).

• Let's go over the essential things one more time
• Know what type of trip (how many countries) you are going on
• Know how many days you have to travel
• Google distances between destinations to make sure a train is the right mode of transportation to choose
• Order your rail pass far enough in advance to allow time for delivery by mail to your home address

Ready to check out what rail passes are available? Head over to Rail Europe and start your search.

If you have any questions regarding travel by train in Europe or purchasing the right Eurail passes for you, share them in the comments section below. 

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Photo credit: All photos by Dave Lee

So, you are planning to go to Latin America. And you're wondering how much Spanish you need to know, how long it will take to learn it, and whether will it be worth it.

I will tell you up front that if you make long-term fluency your goal, it will be worth it.

Learning a foreign language to fluency is a great achievement and will broaden your perspectives.

There is an old saying, "He who learns a new language acquires a new soul."

It is remarkable how a different side of you can open up when you learn a new language.

Learning a language to fluency, by the way, is not a quick thing--despite what some programs advertise!

I once heard a radio advertisement saying "You can be speaking Spanish in 10 minutes!"

What that meant was that a specific question like what time is it (que hora es?) was taught to the learner, and if the learner could say it, he was, therefore "speaking Spanish." 

There are better and worse ways to learn Spanish, but understand that you have to put in some time to get it down.

Without further ado, if you are planning to travel to Latin America sometime soon, here are six ways to learn Spanish fast.

How to Learn Spanish Fast

1. Learn The Phonetics and Pronunciation of Letters FIRST

Spanish is a phonetic language, whose alphabet is mostly the same as English. This means that many of the sounds you know from English carry over to Spanish.

Some of the sounds do not carry over to Spanish, however, but pronunciation in Spanish turns out to be very easy for one simple reason: each letter has a distinct sound, and that sound very rarely changes. 

So if you see the letter "i," it will always have the sound as in the English word "ski." 

This is why native Spanish speakers will sometimes read the word "wifi" as "weefee." It is because the pronunciation of the letter 'i' stays the same regardless of the word.

English is different, by the way. Consider how different English renders the sound of "i" when in the word "ski" versus in the word "bit" versus in the word "kite."

English is not a phonetic language.

In Spanish, by contrast, the pronunciation of the letters stays the same (with very few exceptions).

Thus, it is essential to learn the phonetics (sounds) of Spanish so that when people speak to you, you can know what words they are talking about.

If you learn this correctly, you should be able to spell Spanish words very quickly.

Another example of this is the rolled "r." 

In Spanish, you only hear the rolled "r" when the "r" starts the word, as in "rojo" or if there are two consecutive r's in the word, as in "carro."

Here is an excellent tutorial on learning to roll your "r:"

Take the video above and go through it for the next three days, and you should have it down (maybe even sooner). 

The good news is that once you have the pronunciation of the letters down, you will always have them down!

Like riding a bike, it is a permanent skill that will stay with you.

See Also: How to Approach Language Learning as a Traveler

2. Avoid Picture-Clicking Programs

Many well-known language programs such as Rosetta Stone offer an endless path of clicking on pictures with the proper vocabulary word.

So, a picture of a little girl is shown and the word "niña." You then have to click on the right image the next time the word "niña" is shown or vice versa.

This is one big time-sink.

The action of clicking pictures is not anything you would do in ordinary life.

It is not what you will be doing when you travel to Latin America.

When you travel, you will need to be speaking, reading, and listening to the language, and occasionally writing.

You must learn to make the sounds (see #1) of the language, and learn to recognize them.

Clicking pictures is an incredibly SLOW way to learn a language because it is a phenomenon of selection and not one of production. 

When you are confined to selective clicking, you are engaging in limited ways of learning.

Your biggest mental muscles, those of creative production, are left dormant while you go on clicking and clicking. 

The main reason why these programs exist is that they are scalable to millions of consumers, and not because they encourage you to become fluent in the language.

This is because you are not engaging yourself in the difficult process of expressing your thoughts and of putting together what you want to say. 

Just think about it: which is easier to do, click on a picture of a man or woman, or have a relationship with him or her?

But which is the activity that you probably want to do?

Clicking pictures is selection, not production, and it can eat up your time. Avoid it.

3. Hook Spanish On To One Of Your Interests

An easy way to get more interested in the process of learning any language is to hook it on to something you already do or are already interested in.

Say you enjoy MMA fighting. There are many websites you can find about MMA in Spanish, and there are broadcasts covering MMA fights in Spanish.

You could watch them (Youtube is a source) with the subtitles on, all the while imitating the pronunciation that you hear.

Or say you enjoy soap operas. If you do, you just hit the jackpot with Latin America! Soap operas are all the rage there. The Spanish word for them is telenovelas.

You can find entertaining soap operas from the countries you are interested in.

They are already likely on a cable channel (if you have cable TV) or streaming services such as Netflix or Amazon Prime Video.

But again, if you do an internet search for "top soap operas in Argentina" or "telenovelas Argentina," you could find episodes and clips to watch.

Again, watch the episodes with subtitles so you can match the words that are spoken with the pronunciation.

See if you can imitate words.

Not that I am a telenovela aficionado, but I remember watching the Mexican series La Rosa de Guadalupe when I would go to the gym.

(I later learned Mexican and Colombian Spanish are some of the clearer accents to learn from.)

The theatrics always made me smile, and eventually, I could jokingly summarize most episodes with "Mamá, quien es mi padre!?" ("Mom, who is my father?")

If you are into cars, buy car magazines in Spanish. If you enjoyed the Harry Potter movies, watch them dubbed in Spanish. If you enjoy golf, tune-in to the Spanish broadcasts of the PGA tour. You get the idea.

Once you hook Spanish on to an interest of yours, learning becomes much more relaxed.

Related: To learn more about building new habits off of existing ones, read Atomic Habits by James Clear.

4. Use the Slow-Speed Feature Of YouTube

As mentioned above, YouTube is a significant resource for finding materials to learn Spanish, including TV shows and other video clips.

One thing that is inescapable about Spanish, however, is that the native speakers seem to speak so darn fast.

If they were to speak twice as slowly, perhaps we could all understand them better. However, there's just no getting around this.

Except with the YouTube slow-playback feature.

You probably already knew this, but if you click on the gear icon on any YouTube video, you can select playback speed.

Most of the choices are faster (1.25x, 1.5x, 1.75x, 2x, etc.), but you could also select slower (.5x, .75x).

This is a great feature to try and catch each word a native speaker is saying.

One way to use this feature effectively is to find a short clip of one to two minutes that you want to hone in on. Then, play the clip over and over on a slow speed until you can write down and repeat back every word that is said.

Then return it to normal speed and see if you can follow everything.

This will make your Spanish very good, very fast.

See Also: Tips for Choosing a Language School Abroad

5. Utilize Your Transit and In-Between Time

Whatever your current life set-up is, there are usually some hours in your day that you could tack on some Spanish learning.

Whether it is a commute to work, a trip in a subway car, or a time in an airport, you could plug in your headphones and learn.

I've found that the Pimsleur Spanish program is an excellent introductory level course that is listen-and-response based.

It teaches you a lot of basic survival phrases and proper pronunciation and can be learned wherever you have access to audio.

Each lesson is about 30 minutes long. It is rather expensive to purchase, but rumor has it you can find it online for free. 

You'd be surprised at how much time you can invest in learning Spanish if you use this "in-between" time.

The idea is not to make learning Spanish one big chore that you have to add on to your day, but rather something you can fit into the otherwise burned time.

Many people use cardio machines for exercise. You can do the entire Pimsleur program while on a treadmill, for example.

6. Keep Your Target Country In Mind

If you already know where you are planning to go, then you can appropriately direct your efforts to learn Spanish.

Do an internet search (I prefer DuckDuckGo search engine) for country-specific phrases.

Search "Argentinian survival phrases," for example. This will give you a good introduction as to how to ask for directions, talk about your day, order food, and other everyday activities.

At the very least, you want to make sure you learn phrases like "I would like...," "I have to...," "I need...," "Please," "Thank you," "Excuse me," etc.

I suggest writing these down in a notebook, or writing them on the notes app on your phone, and looking at them every day.

Then, do another internet search for the top food and drinks in the country.

Learn how to order a steak, and how you would like it cooked. Learn what drink to order, and how to ask what they have on tap. It will prepare you for the real thing once you arrive.

See if you can visit a restaurant nearby that has food typical of the country you intend to go (an Argentinian steakhouse, a Mexican taco place, etc.), and perhaps some staff will be from that country.

You can strike up a conversation about your plans and tell them how you are interested in visiting.

They will be happy that you are visiting their country, and you can practice your Spanish in a real-world situation.

Make it a point to practice Spanish with real people, and have real conversations, as soon as you can.

Cultivate relationships with native speakers and socialize with them in Spanish as much as possible.

If you're not quite to that level, you may want to consult italki for one-on-one Skype lessons.

Conclusion

If you follow these six recommendations, you will be way ahead of the game.

You will learn Spanish faster than you thought possible, and it will be more enjoyable that you would have thought.

Your trip to Latin America will also be a lot more rewarding!

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Photo Credit: All photos by Dave Lee