Published July 24, 2012 in The New York Times
by Stephanie Rosenbloom
ONE of the pleasures of travel is being able to speak the language of the place you’re visiting — or at least say “hello” and “where’s the bathroom?” Whether your trip is in two weeks or two months, there’s no excuse for not broadening your vocabulary. But how? With so many methods — CDs, videos, apps, podcasts — picking one can feel more overwhelming than learning a language. The systems below have been used by tourists, college students and F.B.I. agents. Some cost hundreds of dollars. Others are free. In trying to find the best, Web sites that were difficult to navigate or had distracting advertisements were ruled out, as were in-person classes because their cost and availability varies greatly. Whatever your budget or destination, there is a program to help you feel less like a tourist.
