When You Travel, Bring Your English And Your Assertiveness

Hello from South-East Asia!

Yesterday morning, I said goodbye to hot and dry Kuwait; yesterday evening, I said hello to hot and humid Thailand.

I’m here for a conference.

I arrived a few days early and I’ll stay a few days, or weeks, after.

It’s such a long journey, why rush home?

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS

I used to say, “You only need three things to travel the world: a passport, a credit card and English.”

I’d like to add a fourth item to the list.

It’s not absolutely necessary.

But it’s nice to have…

I’m talking about…

ASSERTIVENESS

Are you assertive?

Even in my early 30s, I hadn’t yet learned to be assertive.

Being a teacher taught me this skill.

And it’s very nice to have when you travel.

Example…

A few days ago, on my way to Kuwait, I sat next to a man who decided he was going to watch Tik Tok videos for four hours – without headphones!

I told him to knock it off (translation: stop it).

He said, “No English.”

So I told the stewardess about my situation and as a result, I got a new seat in a new row all to myself!

Then last night, as my taxi pulled into my Bangkok hotel at 1 am, I asked the driver “How much?”

“600 baht!” he said.

“What does the meter say?”

“No meter,” he said.

“What’s that?” I said, pointing to a black box covered with a black cloth.

“No meter,” he said.

“Yes meter,” I said.

Eventually, he raised the black cloth.

The meter said “251 baht.”

The lesson: It pays to be assertive.