How to speak confidently to strangers while traveling?
The question seems trivial but we all know this is an essential feat for us to experience a full-fledged travel experience.
Knowing a stranger while traveling is not impossible. You can meet one or two or if you are lucky, a group of travelers. The point is it, talking to a stranger while traveling is not far from impossible.
Meeting a stranger along the way benefits you more than anything else. These strangers might become a tour guide, a friend, or a lover. Either of these possibilities is a good thing for you and for your well-being.
However, not all of us are blessed of good social skill and speaking confidently to a stranger appears to be the hardest challenge we will ever encounter.
Online blogs or vlogs offer so many tips and tricks, some are irrelevant, on how to speak confidently while traveling. It so many that it makes you dizzy and confused thus it results in lack of interest to learn these hacks in life.
So, this blog contains the gist but sure deal when it comes to tips on how to speak confidently while traveling. These are easy to learn and apply in our daily lives.
Get ready for 14 tips on how to speak confidently while traveling. Let’s begin!
It’s okay to be nervous
Being nervous is normal.Being nervous is okay because we all know being in a foreign place is nerve-wracking with a fun side. You will be hesitant to talk to people or make friends with them. Just know when to lose it and you will be all good.
Be prepared
In life, it pays to be prepared because it will help you avoid any unwanted circumstances. Hence, if you are traveling, be prepared on how to speak to people. You can ask from friends who have been able to travel a lot, read online tips and trivia, or watch videos on what are different checklists to be able to speak confidently while traveling.
Practice makes perfect
Now you are prepared, you can start with the simulation. There are many ways on how to practice how to speak confidently. You can ask help from your friends, sister, partner or whomever you want to practice with. You can also talk in front of the mirror or video record yourself, this way you can assess yourself about your strong points and weak points in talking.
Know your purpose
Before approaching any stranger, settle your purpose first. There are many purposes as to why you want to talk to a stranger. It could be you to ask for directions, made friends, or build special bonds.
Ready to initialize contact
Humans are social butterflies because they flit around and meet others. Do not expect that a stranger or strangers will approach you, it will always be the other way around. So, don’t stand there and ready for your initial approach.
Smile First
Smile is a pleasant gesture.You have already made a contact smile first. This will send a signal to the stranger that you mean no harm to them and you can start on your way on how to speak confidently in front of a stranger.
Start with your purpose
We mentioned earlier on our blog that we should know our purpose as to why we will be talking to a stranger now is the time to put into action. If you are asking for directions, you can start the conversation with. “Hi, Can I ask you on how to find this place?” or “Good morning/afternoon/evening, where can you find the Statue of Liberty?” In this case, the stranger will eventually you are just asking for a direction.
Moreover, when you throw a question like “Hi, I am Dan. What is your name?”, it sends a different signal to the stranger. This kind of question may have a different interpretation to someone nevertheless you can expect an answer from people just be mindful with their tone and their body language.
Encourage someone to open up
A conversation is a two-way street and effective communication results in sharing of knowledge or ideas. So be observant with the person you are talking to. If she or he is not sharing bits of information about himself maybe she is uncomfortable with you. Well, you can encourage him or her to talk. Ask questions that require long answers for a reason that he or she can talk more and can loosen up.
Share info about yourself as well
Never allow the other party to do all the talking. Henceforth, you can share more information about yourself like your hobbies, interests, and passion. These things are easier to share because it is not confidential and not a no-brainer. Thus, it will make you look more confident because you know exactly what you really talking about.
Be friendly, don’t be too aggressive
Shaking hands is good is a sign of being friendly/Don’t push your way to someone so much. Regardless of your intention, being aggressive is not a good sign when talking to a stranger. If they don’t want to talk to you, let them walk away. Be laid back and go with the flow‒it will make you seem friendly, which means you’ll have better conversations, and be more likely to have other people approach you.
Attitude matters
If you are true to yourself or to someone, no matter how confident you are, they will eventually notice it. Just let your genuine attitude shines because a true person who is interested to know you will never be drawn to you no matter what.
Know how to end your conversation
Be observant know when to stop talking to a stranger. This is a subtle but ideal trait if you want to learn how to speak confidently while traveling. Ending a conversation should be smooth and respectful in order to avoid misconduct or misinterpretation. If you think that the conversation is a flop, you can excuse yourself gently. But if your conversation is a success, you can leave your email, cellphone number, or social media username.