Pantomime

So far, I have not needed quite the formal pantomime training you suggest. Many people around the world speak at least some English. Toilet is a common word in many languages, and you only need to communicate that word, not a complicated sentence.

Rick's guidebooks and phrasebooks will describe some local, non-verbal signs, which vary by country, as well as useful phrases. See also Rick's article on Creative Communication.

Pointing to things goes a long way, whether it's to a word in a book or mobile app, or to the item you want. Various all-picture point-to-books also exist, but we don't use them.

When I would chat away with my toddler friend in Morocco, maybe we only pretended to understand each other, but it was a fine friendship.

I'm guessing a "$" won't do you much good unless you are in the US....and then you don't need pantomime. Seriously, I have successfully pantomimed all kinds of things all over the world without instruction. On the Great Wall of China, I saw an older woman taking a picture of her husband, and I "asked" if she would like me to take the camera, she could join her husband, and I would take a picture of them both. No hesitation, she handed me the camera. Afterward, she wanted to take a picture of me with my camera - a terrible picture, but one I treasure because of the interaction it came from. As an earlier poster said, I do try to learn the very basics - thank you, please, excuse me, toilet, how much, etc.

I had fun in the small village in Greece we were staying in, buying eggs and tomatoes from a farmers' wife. My chicken panto was great and the tomato was easy. No classes, just play some charades to get into the feel of it.

Really, I would learn the word for toilet no matter what country I was going to. Important stuff!

'As a Brit this question initially slightly confused me until I realised you meant "mime"!'
Oh no he didn't :)

In the example of getting across where is the toilet, I thought writing WC on a piece of paper would get the point across since it's recognised as international, whether one is in Asia or Europe. I remember the last time I stayed at a hotel in Nürnberg a large French tour group arrived at the hotel, yes, les francais encore. . I happened to be hanging around at the Rezeption, this French guy approaches, asks where the "Toilette" was but didn't know how similar the word is in French and German, and says "WC" in French. The Rezeption made out what he said and pointed him the direction.

WC is pronounced Vay-tsay in German. Of course you could write it. I've found that toy-let-ah is more universally understood.

A lot was made by the news media about the Ukrainian rebels not knowing if they had found the black boxes from the plane crash. Afterall, they had "Flight data recorder" written on them in large letters, ... but in western characters, not in Cyrillic! Would we understand it in Chinese?

Basic, polite words and phrases are essential and go a long way in bridging different cultures . I've done charades, drawn pictures, added lists of numbers on paper, whatever it takes. The funniest thing I've experienced is people talking very, very loudly in order to make themselves understood in another language!

Years ago, I was given, partially as a joke, a laminated business-card-sized "translator" card with images of many comon travel-related items, including a train, a taxi, a hotel, and toilets - both flush type and hole in the ground that is straddled. Have never needed it, but I carry it in my money belt, just in case. Not only can you request toilet facilities by pointing, but you'll know what kind they are before stepping thru the door :-)

Good guidebooks usually have a few survival words phrases (and sometimes, helpful pronounciation hints) for things like hello, goodbye, please, thank you, what does it cost, and where's the WC?

This is a courtesy bump to ameliorate an issue I caused in the forum. Please ignore this post.