Getting out of your comfort zone - the best exercise ever!

One of the most rewarding aspects of international travel is getting to know the people. When getting to know the local people also means learning and speaking their language the experience is even more profound. For so many Americans, English is our only language. Unfortunately, other languages were not taught to most of us in school. I was lucky enough to take 2 years of Spanish in high school. That was a long time ago! So now, I brush up on my language skills before heading to a Spanish speaking country. It truly makes a difference in connecting with local people, understanding their culture and trying to converse in their native language. I may not have perfect grammar and don't have a large vocabulary, but challenging my brain to think in two languages is great exercise!