I am planning our first trip together to Italy and France and I am concerned that I will not be able to communicate with the people. I will find that a scarey experience? I don't have time to take classes and I am afraid we will be overwhelmed. Any comments?

I don't find it scary or overwhelming at all. You don't need to take classes, but it's always a good idea to have a phrasebook handy to help you read signs, menus, etc. You will find that many Europeans speak good English, but as a courtesy you should learn some basic terms in their language, such as hello, goodbye, please, thank you, do you speak English, and where is the bathroom.

Relax, you'll be fine.

One little-known secret of the travel world is that few foreigners actually speak their own language. Local languages simply get in the way of understanding MTV and the latest movies. A few old timers may pretend they don't understand English, but while in France just speak through your nose every once in while and toss in the odd "le" or "la", and most will come around. In Italy you should add "ino" or "ini" to the end of a word every now and then.

Few people try to learn foreign languages these days, except eco-tourists. Since there is no ecology in Europe, you will not meet any of these types.

If you do find people unfriendly, simply dress in black and have your toes done. This will open many doors . . .

You shouldn't have trouble. I speak just the smallest amount of French and somewhat more Italian. We have never had a problem in either country. I'm not sure where you are going but in the cities, you can usually find an English speaker to help you communicate. Try to make the time to learn some basic greetings and phrases before you go.

English, whether anyone likes it or not, has become the lingua franca of the world - which is both a blessing and a curse for native English speakers. A blessing because you can almost always be more-or-less understood (especially in Italy and France), and a curse because there's less incentive to learn other languages. I can bumble - and I mean really bumble - along in a number of languages, but really don't speak anything but English, and I can't imagine being anywhere in Europe where I couldn't make my basic needs understood. Communication, of course, is another matter entirely, and while being able to really communicate would add immeasurably to your experience it's not absolutely necessary. So, I guess what I'm trying to say is spend some time learning the basic "tourist" phrases in Italian and French before you go, bring along a small pocket dictionary and phrase book, and don't worry about it.

Look at it this way...

If you are too scared to speak, at least your toes will be dolled up, LatteLuna.

Could be worse.

My advice: go with the knowledge of at least a few very simple phrases such as "please" "thank you" "how much" and so forth.

LEAVE BEHIND any notions that English is or should BE the "lingua franca" of where you are visiting and DON'T get PO'd when you find out that it isn't!!

With all due respect Intrepid, you forgot "pedicure".

I don't find it scary at all. Actually I find it quite refreshing (to be somewhere I don't understand the language).

Stay calm and observe. For instance you are at the post office or in a grocery store and feel overwhelmed - step back, take a minute and watch how locals do it... then do what they do!

Yes you are right I can always flash my toes and they will forget that I can't speak correctly.

I am worried because I have only taken a European trip with my grandmother and my boyfriend has only toured over there with his band and we were both catered to.

I volunteered to do this trip planning and now I am getting cold feet!!!! Funny I know but if I don't really need to know what they are saying I guess that is OK.

latteluna, I'm not sure just who all you're planning to start up a conversation with?

I would strongly suggest taking a phrase book so you can figure out restaurants menus, signs on stores, and the like.

Perhaps you'll enjoy a spirited and lengthy game of charades...

I will go to Switzerland, German-speaking parts. Of course I know danke and bitte, but not more. This is where a phrase book comes in. Besides, on hotels there should be someone to speak English.

Also the "written language" is very useful - write down on a piece of paper your destination (the name of a museum, for example) and show it to everybody. Just remember: you are not alone in this, and not the first one.

You'll manage. And I'll manage. Have a great time!

I don't know about conversation but if the whole country is yelling in a language I can't understand how will I step away from getting hit with a bus! or some other emergency. I know I have it in my head that if everyone around me is saying things I can't understand it will make me nervy.

Just picture right now everyone around you starts saying something to you in jibberish what would you do? Wherever you go for the rest of the day people are speaking jibberish to you. Nervy, yes!

Piquawka? Mondohanee!!!

Jaga-jaga -- Mondohanee!!!

Good grief.

Okay, I have a confession. On our first trip to Italy, I arranged it as a surprise for my husband because I knew he would go there no other way.

When we arrived at our hotel, I promptly burst into tears feeling an overwhelming responsibilty for having everything go right and worrying that he would not enjoy this trip. All I could sob out was, "I can't do this!"

My husband laughed at me and said what are you worried about??? I said, "I don't speak Italian. What are we going to do???" (sob, sob, sob, sniffle, sniffle)

With that, the phone rang and it was a woman who was giving us a private tour the next day asking if we had arrived all right. When she discovered how upset I was she also laughed and instructed us to go for a walk in the neighborhood, have some gelato, and relax.

Let me tell you....she was right! We were indeed fine. As long as you can say please, thank you, and how much, you will be fine.

We now laugh every time someone says aren't you scared that you don't speak Italian??? My husband just looks at me and laughs and says, "Naaaaah."

I would hand them my Gibberish-English Phrase Book, point to it and say "Krandlech?" which I happen to know mean s "Please" in Gibberish. Stop worrying, and enjoy the ride.

(And don't stand where the buses run.)

Instead of worrying about understanding the "gibberish", gads won't the Europeans love the description of their various languages, you might try keeping your eyes open to make sure a bus doesn't run over your pedicure!

I second the "good grief"...