May 9, 2026, 5:23 am | Read time: 7 minutes
TRAVELBOOK author Robin Hartmann has always been passionate about languages and has learned four foreign languages over his lifetime. These have often opened doors and hearts for him during his travels to about 70 countries. Here, he shares some of the most interesting experiences his language skills have enabled him to have on the road.
The sun beats down mercilessly from the sky, and I stand in the middle of a village in perhaps the most unlikely place in the world, the Omo Valley in southern Ethiopia. The only thing shining brighter than the fireball are the eyes of the children around me. I just introduced myself in the dialect of their region and asked how they are doing. Astonished disbelief, shy giggles, and countless little hands reach for mine, pulling me into another unforgettable adventure that my passion for languages has unlocked. A passion that has driven me to learn throughout my life and has repeatedly brought me moments of joy on my travels.
Allegedly, I was already speaking very well at ten months old. A gift that early on revealed another talent to me—learning languages. The driving force for me was that I have always hated not being able to communicate. How can I, as a traveler, explore a country if I don’t understand at least a little of its language? Another gift, according to my girlfriend, is that this curiosity for communication makes me forget my sense of shame. I always try to communicate, even if it means using gestures, rather than not engaging at all.
Deeper Experiences
Languages are the key to the world and to many small worlds in particular. They can also be the key to people’s hearts. Perhaps you have experienced the seemingly absurd situation where you manage to stammer out just one word in the local language while abroad, and suddenly all the faces around you light up like light bulbs. It’s as if the hosts see it as a great gift that the tourist has made the effort to learn their language. Approaching the situation with the intention of bringing a small language gift to each destination will lead to much deeper experiences than the average tourist has.
No matter where I go, I always learn at least the words for “Hello,” “My name is,” and especially “Thank you” in advance. Many times, languages have given me experiences on my travels that others might never have. In Panama, a family invited me first to a picnic and then to stay with them for several days. In Morocco, I was offered mint tea on the street. In Greece, a fisherman took me out to sea to load his daily catch. In Bali, my girlfriend and I received multiple free room upgrades. Often, I was also offered significantly lower prices at markets because of my efforts.
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A Second Family
If you’re curious: Besides my native language, German, I am fluent in Spanish and English and speak French and Polish well. However, alongside my talent for languages, considerable effort was required to acquire these skills. Learning a language requires persistence, but also courage. I often see people who could communicate with a local idiom but don’t dare to speak freely and make mistakes. But it’s through such mistakes and constant repetition that one ultimately learns. My advice to you on the road: Learn a few basics in advance and then eagerly seize every opportunity to learn more.
“The limits of my language are the limits of my world”—as the great philosopher Wittgenstein once said. For my part, I never wanted to accept that this factor would limit me. Instead, I wanted to lovingly and respectfully push against it, opening the hearts of people in other countries. And what can I say, it usually works very well. In this way, I have not only made friends around the world but even gained a second family. I call my girlfriend’s parents “Mom” and “Dad” just like my own. Thanks to my willingness to explore the previously unfamiliar country of Poland through speaking, I was quickly welcomed into the circle of these wonderful people and am called “Synek,” which means “son.” I believe there is hardly a greater testament to the power of languages.
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Key to Doors and Hearts
I also learned about this power in a very negative way when I worked as an entertainer in French holiday villages after school. Nine years of school French, which I mostly hated, I didn’t want to give up just like that. So I decided to deepen my knowledge during a stay abroad. During the first of four such jobs, I spoke well myself but sometimes didn’t immediately understand the locals. The reactions were often exasperated looks, tired smiles, and a condescending attitude that I still remember today. Especially since I also witnessed this happening to many other colleagues, after I myself quickly improved significantly, perhaps out of defiance.
And in South and Central America, those who “only” speak English are sometimes quickly labeled as “Gringo.” A derogatory term, originally reserved for Americans, and unfortunately often associated with their arrogant worldview, even while traveling. The more I learned Spanish, the more respect I gained from the locals. Because with languages, you not only communicate. You also show that you are interested in a culture, its people, and all its vibrant facets. If you want to have experiences with all five senses on a trip, language skills can help enormously. They can be the key to the doors and hearts of people.
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From Strangers to Friends
And sometimes you are amazed at where mastering languages can actually lead. A few years ago, I took a trip through the Czech Republic and was promised a driver for my tour who would speak English. Unfortunately, the good Pawel didn’t speak a word of English, and at first, I thought something like “This is going to be interesting.” But then I tried a few words of Polish with him, which somehow sounded similar to me as a layman. And lo and behold, it worked, and I even understood his response in Czech, at least in context. We then had a great time together for four days and became friends who had practically invented their own language.
I later tried the same thing on a trip to Bosnia, and again, I was able to make myself understood with my Polish. In 2018, I also worked as the leader of a German tour group on the Cape Verde Islands. There, they speak Portuguese. But even with just a few words of it and my Spanish skills, I got around well and could somehow communicate. I have often experienced that because of this, I am not simply perceived as a tourist, a walking bundle of currency, but as a traveler. As someone interested, who wants not only to visit a country but also to understand it. Languages are the key to this endeavor. Those who make use of them and dare to use them can conquer the whole world.