Notes on being understood.
On travel, language, culture, and the small human moments that happen when the barrier finally disappears.
What gets lost in translation, according to linguistics
Why a grammatically perfect sentence can still land wrong, explained through real linguistics: politeness theory, pragmatics, and the limits of machine translation.
Read the storyBest translation apps for Japan, compared
Google Translate, DeepL, and the rest, honestly compared for a trip to Japan, plus the one thing they all miss when you actually need to talk to a person.
EtiquetteGetting politeness right in a language you don't speak
The same sentence can land as warm or rude depending on one word. A guide to register, formality, and why being understood is about tone as much as vocabulary.
RelationshipsDating someone who doesn't speak your language
The early days are hard enough. How to actually connect, flirt, disagree, and be yourself when you and the person you like do not share a first language.
ExpatLiving abroad when you don't speak the language (yet)
The trip ends; living there doesn't. How to handle the hundred small frictions of building a life in a country whose language you're still learning.
TravelOrdering food in Japan when you don't speak Japanese
From ticket machines to the counter-only ramen bar, how to order what you actually want in Japan and enjoy every bite without the low-grade stress.
HeritageHow to talk to grandparents who don't speak your language
You share a family, not a language. A warm, practical guide to connecting with grandparents and elderly relatives, and the conversations you keep missing.