What do you want to accomplish during your lifetime? Having a family, spending time with friends, and finding a fulfilling career are all the usual goals in life. But what about going beyond the ordinary? We all have our own unique bucket lists. For some people, an adrenaline-inducing activity like skydiving tops the list; for others, their ultimate dream is to meet their favorite celebrity.
And traveling? Many people consider crisscrossing the globe, seeing sights, experiencing different cultures, and meeting new people as the ultimate goal. But visiting far-away lands is not all fun and games; no matter where you are, you need to be able to meet your basic needs of food, water, and shelter … and hopefully still have time for the aforementioned fun and games! To do all those things, you need one basic skill: the ability to communicate.
Luckily, there’s a new product out there that can break down language barriers without hours and hours of learning the lingo or clunky translation dictionaries.
Check out the new ICONSPEAK t-shirt, which puts easy communication right at your fingertips.
The idea for this shirt started when two Swiss guys, George Horn and Florian Nast, were traveling by motorcycle across Vietnam … and their bikes broke down in the middle of nowhere.
Now, many areas of Vietnam are flooded year round with non-Vietnamese-speaking tourists and communication is relatively easy. In the tiny village they found themselves stuck in, however, that was not the case. With no linguistic common ground, explaining their situation and negotiating a price for repairs was virtually impossible.
After finally making their way to their destination in Nha Trang on not-quite-fixed bikes, the two men began creating a list of essential icons that would make any trip easier.
“Many times, we were confronted with a language barrier that was only to be overcome by drawing signs, symbols, or icons on a piece of paper, map, or into the dirt. We thought it would be great to have an essential set of icons with you, permanently, so that you could just point on whatever you need and people would understand,” George explained.
All you have to do to get your point across is don the ICONSPEAK shirt and point … too easy!
There are the symbols for basic needs, like a bed for trying to sort accommodation, various transportation icons, such as a train and a boat, and the all-important Wi-Fi symbol, among others.
Want to make sure the water’s safe to drink?
There’s an icon for that!
You’ve also got options. No matter where you’re going, there’s a piece of ICONSPEAK clothing to suit your needs.
They’ve got long-sleeve shirts, tank tops, and even tote bags that feature the 40 symbols.
Maybe you only need a few icons to describe your vacation needs?
Their “Stories” line has you covered. This “Relax” shirt has all you need to find your way to the beach.
Be sure to SHARE this handy travel tip with your family and friends!
H/T: ICONSPEAK | ICONSPEAK Instagram
Read more: http://www.wimp.com/get-around-language-barriers-with-the-iconspeak-travel-shirt/