Language barriers could be making life harder for Brits who unwittingly break the law when overseas

The Foreign Office (FO) has this week warned British travellers to check international laws before they travel to overseas destinations.  The new warnings come as the FO is concerned that laid back Britons see their passport as a ‘get out of jail free’ card even though unwittingly breaking the law abroad could result in a fine or even an arrest.

Interestingly it’s not the more obvious laws that we should be worrying about.  It’s the more obscure, odd laws that could catch us out and land us in trouble.  For instance, did you know that it’s illegal to wear camouflage clothing in Barbados, or that you will be arrested if you attempt to feed pigeons while in Venice?  If you’re caught eating or drinking near churches in Florence you’ll also find yourself on the wrong side of the law.

It’s probably true that most of us don’t think about researching local laws before we travel abroad, the same goes for local traditions and culture, add to that the potential language barrier most of us face when travelling overseas and it’s no great surprise that we are prime candidates for unwittingly breaking laws abroad.  In some locations there may even be adequate signage or notices to warn you of illegal practices, but if you can’t read the language, you’re none the wiser.

But it’s not just about researching laws; that can be time-consuming if you don’t know what you are looking for; in fact there are so many laws you could be researching forever before you find something relevant to your trip.  Attempting to learn a bit of the local language before you travel may also only go so far in helping.  But should you find yourself in deep water it could make all the difference if you are able to communicate with the local police or authorities to at least explain the situation and if nothing else, to better understand why you are being accused of breaking the law and what your next steps should be.

It’s vital to remember that laws and customs can vary greatly from country to country and what might be perfectly legal in the UK, could mean a jail sentence in another.

 

1.8 Million Brits expected to flock abroad this bank holiday weekend

As the final bank holiday of the year falls upon us, ABTA has launched findings this week that 1.8 million Brits are expected to head abroad this weekend in search of sun and relaxation.

The great British summer (despite its heat waves during July and August) has not deterred people from heading across the water to foreign destinations.  Are we heading off in search of new cultures, global exploration or simply to experience somewhere new?  No.

Where will we head to then?  No great surprises here if our past blogs are anything to go by; Spain remains the most popular overseas destination for us Brits to hang our ‘sun-hats’.  This is closely followed by the Balearic and Canary Islands (both with their Spanish influences and warm climates).  And, you’re not going to believe this but Barcelona is the most popular choice for city breaks this bank holiday (Spain again?)  Yes, it seems that Spain is the winning choice for so many ‘home-comfort’ searching Brits. Clearly we all yearn for somewhere warm but with the security of English-speaking people and cuisine we know and trust – we all know what paella looks like; sorted.

But don’t forget, travel five or ten minutes out of the tourist-rich destinations and you’ll probably find that most locals don’t speak a word of English – so it might be time to brush up on your Senorita’s if you plan to take the plunge and move away from the hotel poolside at any point.

But we like to think that one size doesn’t fit all.  There must be some travelling adventurers left out there?  And we don’t mean bungee jumping in Mexico or white water-rafting in Iceland either; we’re talking about the section of the population who simply like to visit new places, learn about new cultures and see a bit of the world.

Heathrow will be the busiest airport this weekend with around 425,000 passengers jetting off on their overseas travels, closely followed by Gatwick and Luton airport.

Brits enticed into moving abroad following ‘summer holiday’

A new survey from a holiday lettings company has found that 3 in 10 Brits have looked into moving abroad following a summer holiday where they have fallen in love with the country.  Whether they are browsing estate agent windows, have looked into the cost of living or even searched for jobs in the destination of choice, many are hooked on the idea of life overseas.

Around 1 in 10 are said to have actually made the leap to moving abroad following a holiday.  This has left us wondering what makes people fall in love with the idea of a life abroad?  It’s easy to fall hook, line and sinker for a destination when you are on holiday, no worries about work, money, school or daily chores.  But the reality is quite different when it becomes ‘home’ and a regular routine so people should really think seriously about this before making such a life-changing commitment.

Interestingly the most popular places for a permanent move are Spain followed by our neighbour, France.  Then the US makes third place followed by Australia and Italy.  Spain and France still have the comfort of not being too far afield, we expect most people will speak English (so languages aren’t a problem) – in fact, that may not be the case at all but still the assumption is there; equally with Italy.  And then you have our ‘language buddies’ the US and Australia – no need to brush up on your language skills there (as long as you know your ‘Sheila’s’ from your ‘good’day’s’ of course).

Maybe languages do play a factor in destination choice as well as closer destinations where the flight home to visit family isn’t quite so expensive or time consuming.  Either way, the lure of a life abroad continues to be popular with many.  We can’t help thinking that more of us should branch out a little further and start considering and visiting other destinations for our new lives abroad – maybe they aren’t the obvious choice, but if you don’t open your mind to the possibilities of the big wide world, you might be missing out!