I’ve done it in Arabic, Lao, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai, and Vietnamese. I gained language functionality in these foreign tongues with minimal, yet consistent, easy effort. Functional isn’t conversational. Functionality is using practical words for ordinary situations. Here we’re reminded to learn hello
Year: 2023
![A lit up boat at night, heads for land on the wide Han River, with buildings and city lights along the the body of water.](https://earthdrifter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Boat-Hanh-River-Night-Feature-For-Post-Resized.jpg)
Once in a while I get the question: What’s your favorite country? My answer has typically been:, the exact place I was in, or the last new country I had drifted to. Sheer newness elevates optimism. Fresh surroundings breed content and enhanced excitement.
![Mural that shows different coffee brewing methods.](https://earthdrifter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Mural-Coffee-Brewing-Forms-Resized-Blog.jpg)
While Vietnam’s coffee allure may have pushed me into consuming more caffeine than ever, it also nudged me to give it up, at least for the last 19 days. I have no immediate intention on stopping this cold-turkey endeavor. Still, the abstinance could
![Sand, people, artificial light and mountains under a cloudy dawn sky, My Khe Beach, Da Nang, Vietnam.](https://earthdrifter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Beach-Dawn-Sky-Resized.jpg)
I awoke at 4:15 a.m. I don’t want to deal with electronics at that hour. It’s a deal I’ve made with myself. Although the habitual thought loomed, I observed it, and let it slip away. Psychological win! Mostly, the only thing mindful was
![Lots of luxurisouly thick sand, buildings, people, cloudy sky, sea and hills at the urban My An Beach in Danang, central Vietnam](https://earthdrifter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Urban-City-Beach-Resized-Feature.jpg)
Wide sidewalks, yet long blocks, make Danang a pleasant alternative to Hanoi’s cluttered streets and practically endless buzzing traffic. Hanoi’s Old Quarter thrives in organized chaos while Danang seems to prosper without this potentially-perceived pandemonium. Danang has a wide, luxuriously-long, soft-sandy beach. It
![A view of UNESCO Luang Prabang and the Nam Khan River from atop Phusi Hill in north central Laos.](https://earthdrifter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Sunrise-Nam-Khan-Feature-Resized.jpg)
Laos is a land to love. It’s an earth space that can have you feeling like you’ve stepped back in time, while simultaneously, the country is developing at a moderate pace. I don’t believe that Laos is well-known to most of the eight-billion-plus
![Classic Asian Massage Depictions](https://earthdrifter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Massage-Depictions-Resized.jpg)
A drifting mantra of mine is Wellness. In southeast Asia I get to take advantage of affordable saunas (herbal steam). I’ll happily take whichever I can get. It’s called a sauna when in essence it’s an herbal steam, just semantics. While steam facilities
![A menu in Spanish in Panama](https://earthdrifter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Feature-Menu-Sabrason.jpg)
On foot in Panama City, I ordered a fruit shake from a drive through window. I was charged for, and got four huge shakes in styrofoam cups. I thought my Spanish was functional. I was on a tight budget, yet had no choice
![At the small night market in Luang Namtha, Laos - How to Haggle in Developing Countries](https://earthdrifter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Feature-Luang-Namtha-Market.jpg)
Buying and haggling in most Asian and other developing countries can be a different experience compared to in Europe and North America. Away from shopping malls, stores, and street food stalls, getting used to haggling in the developing world is something we have
![People and a fruit cart outside in Paksong, Laos. From the post: "Why Learning Numbers Abroad is a Great Idea"](https://earthdrifter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/People-Fruit-Cart-Paksong-RESIZED.jpg)
When drifting in a land not one’s own, it behooves a visitor to take time to think about why learning numbers abroad is a great idea, along with the phrase: How much? Some vagabonds will disagree, as I’ve observed the majority assume that