Tips for communicating with international guests

[Lizzie]

Hey everyone,

As a host you get many opportunities to meet guests from all over the world. Interacting with international guests can be a lot of fun, however, it can sometimes be tricky when you don’t speak the same  language. One easy way to better accommodate the guest may be to learn a few conversational phrases in the guests’ language. I know we have spoken some time ago about this here in the Community Center, but I think it's one of those things that can crop up for all hosts and worth again. 🙂 

Here are some other approaches: 

• Use body language 
• Simplify your communication: choose simple words, point, and use gestures
• Draw pictures to help you communicate about ideas, objects, and locations
• Use translation apps to help you compose notes, emails, or instructions

Have you used any of these tips before? Do you have any other creative ideas to help communicating with guests who don’t speak the same language as you?

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Thank you,

Lizzie

[Melanie300]

I use Google home or Google assistant...

Hey Google, how do i say Have a nice stay in Japanese? The guest hears the translation, smiles and replies back.

I also like to use Google Home to learn how to correctly pronounce guests names. This is the best way to get it right. 

It was once explained to me that if someone tries to teach you new words with an accent,  it makes it 10 times harder to learn the words. But because Google tells you how to say the words without an accent, in your native language, it works everytime! 

[Dr-Allen-C0]

In 2019, we hosted 4 'International Travelers'; 2 of the parties were from Ireland and Germany. To make them feel more at home, we decided to prepare a traditional English Breakfast and a traditional German breakfast.

After a short cruise through YouTube, we purchased a few extra food items, to make them feel right at home.

Honestly, they were somewhat overwhelmed that we would go out of our way to prepare a breakfast from their home countries.... that'll get you a few more gracious comments.

Allen & Betty Jones... Pine Run Estates, Ocala, FL

[Helen350]

@Dr-Allen-C0 When I went to Colorado & California (before Airbnb) I wanted 'Breakfast in America'. - Pancakes !- I'd have been so upset if someone had served me an English breakfast! (BTW, an 'English breakfast' in Ireland is called an 'Irish breakfast on menus! - Woe betide........! They both look much the same.)

[Margret5]

Hallo from Norway! 
I've been a superhost for 3 years and have welcomed guests from many countries who speak many different languages.  Our apartment has some quirks and of course the electrical equipment has instructions in Norwegian.  After 6 months I decided to spend time on translating our booklet of information and instructions for using the equipment, installing mobile phone apps to pay for public transport and so on. I translated not just into English, but the eleven other languages we find most useful - Chinese, Russian, Polish, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, German, Dutch, Swedish and Korean.  I have used Google and I translate and then re-translate back into English to check for any nonsense.  Then I ask guests to kindly point any mistakes they notice.  So a couple of years after first doing the work, I have a useful folder relevant for each group of guests.  And I have received many mentions about how helpful it is to have instructions and information that is easily understood!
Of course I also show each group of guests round the apartment on arrival and I point and explain to the best of my language ability, but guests definitely like their folders, even those who tell me they understand English.  I have noticed too, that although I am always available to help with difficulties, our guests usually find they can read all the help they need - well, apart from one lovely group who had clearly never used a dishwasher before and loaded it with the glasses, cups etc right side up so they were filled with dirty water when I opened the door after their departure.  But I don't think I'll add a note about that - rather just leave a glass in the machine turned upside down...

[Helen427]

Way to go @Margret5 !!

What an amazing lady you are.

I used to and still do keep an exercise book from my English Language school student day Guests that they write in as that helps break down language barriers.

Hey @Lizzie I hear a calling here for @Margret5 to help assist a Norwegian Translation Community in CC, and to pop in to the other sections...and of course ...

@Margret5I look forward to your participation and contributions in our CC Festivals that take pace from time to time

Central To All Home & Location

Remuera, Auckland, NZ

She is a real credit to our community.

[Helen350]

@Margret5 Wow! Translating into TWELVE languages! What a lot of work!

[Nichola5]

And that is why she is a Superhost! I will for sure start that project!

[Yulianna0]

I wonder how many guests are using language filter? It could be so convenient for people to find the place where they do not have language barriers. 
As for me, for the time being I did not have problems in communication with my guests using English or Spanish (and Russian, for sure:). 

[Julia2620]

I am new in airbnb. I have a guest . Was Only one until today .  He is Korean , stayed 5 days . Never leave his room . Drinking beer and wine in his room from morning to evening . Smoking in room . My house was full of smoke . I told him two time don’t smoke . But he only speak in Korean . I can’t communicate with him . So hard . We have decided to stay calm . Let him go afew days like this . It was hard . 

[Melanie300]

Why not just use the airbnb message app? The message translates in guests native language...

[Beth13]

It would be too unsettling to have someone like this in your home  I hope you called Airbnb and told them what was going on and left a very truthful review so no one else has this happen.

[Nichola5]

Julia,

create a sign board for the room. International signs include a No smoking symbol! Don’t ever compromise air quality for a guest who chooses not to understand. Google Translate phone ap has been helpful. Have also had to Be creative but many supports on the internet including voice apps.

[Helen350]

@Julia2620 Sorry you had such a bad guest.

In those circumstances, you could have drawn a picture of a cigarette & put a cross through it, saying 'No' - making appropriate hand gestures...... Or done an internet search for "No smoking" in Korean - shown him..... 

I'm sure you could buy a no smoking sign = Red circle with cigarette crossed out. Or print one from the internet. You could do what I do & only allow social drinking in your house rules. No drunkenness, no drinking to excess. It's your house, guests should behave with RESPECT.

[Helen350]

@Julia2620  - @Cathie19  got there before me! I do not have such computer skills, so had to give you her picture in words! 🙂

[Cathie19]

@Julia2620 , make google your friend.  Use it to do symbol and local translations. I use universal no smoking symbols around my space. I have attached one from South Korea for you. You can screen shot and crop the advert wording if you like. But at the very least, use a no smoking symbol in your rules and induction check in folder. 🚭 This should include all forms of smoking, including e-cigarettes.

[Julia2620]

Thank you so much @Cathie19, it is a very good idea. definitely I will print this out. 

[Helen427]

Thanks @Lizzie @Susan17 @Yadira22 @Lan1 @Cathie19 

Scrabble is always a great way to help break down barriers and explain new words with International visitors, more so perhaps longer term guests who one may spend more time with.

It's fun to make sentences out of words created.

Make fun out of the different words that sound the same, e.g sea, see, hair, hear, here, hare it usually brings a giggle ( smile and laughter)  to one's face.

@Cathie19what month are you walking the El Camino with Gary?

You will have an incredible experience from what I've heard from those who have done it.

[Helen350]

@Helen427 Your comments re different words which sound the same (homonyms) reminds me of the poem The Chaos - by Dutchman Gerard Nolst Trenite - "Dearest creature in creation, studying English pronunciation......."  ncf.idallen.com/english.html - It's a fun read!

[Susan17]

@Lizzie 

PS And the building with the green canopy behind Tonie, is Buswells Hotel on Dublin's Molesworth St, which coincidentally, was the venue for the very first official Dublin Homesharing Club meet-up on Feb 8th, 2017. Small world 😉

[Susan17]

@Lizzie 

Love the pic you chose for this topic! The guy in the photo is Dublin legend, Tonie Walsh, known locally as "the Godfather of Gay" - DJ, journalist, social and political activist, tireless LGBTQ campaigner, historian, epic storyteller, life-long clubber/party animal and all-round good egg. You couldn't have picked a better man to illustrate a post about communication with anyone - local, national or international! 😉

Tonie put on a powerful - and fabulous! - one-man show here in Dublin last winter about his life, times and social change in Ireland, called simply, "I Am Tonie Walsh". His story spanned the several decades that he has been a leading light in the Irish LGBT+ liberation movement, from the dark discriminatory, violent days of the 80's and 90s when it was still technically illegal - and a mortal sin, of course - to be gay here (same sex sexual activity wasn't decriminalised in Ireland until 1993), right through to the multi-coloured glory days of the the current decade, when in May 2015, Ireland became the first country in the world to legalise same sex marriage, by popular vote. 

The fact that Ireland transformed from being a country that held overwhelmingly conservative attitudes toward LGBT issues, to one holding overwhelmingly liberal ones - in the space of a single generation - is due, in no small part, to courageous, charismatic and proud men and women like the wonderful Tonie Walsh. A true Irish hero. 

https://www.totallydublin.ie/more/he-is-tonie-walsh/