I've been living in a new country now for over 6 months, and although my German is getting better, it can still be tough at times. Are you travelling from country to country, or are you based in one place? I ask because it's much easier to get settled into one spot. In either case, here are some things that have helped me:
- Try being more expressive with your facial tones and gestures, although you may want to practice a bit to make sure you don't look like a bloody mime or something. Being able to have a fun look on your face while you silently say hey, a "what the fuck?" face if you both see something weird, or just having a really strong smile and seductive face can all help provide some nice universal non-verbal communication.
Have lots of fun! I still remember a crazy night in the south of Spain where me and a few work friends did a Red Bull & Vodka night after a long trip, and despite the fact that none of us spoke a word of Spanish, we owned the place. We set up camp on the edge of the dance floor, were constantly going out and dancing and just talking jibberish to girls, and tons of girls and even some sets of guys were continually coming up to us because of the positive vibe. I ended up just getting smashed, but I know at least two of the guys ended up hooking up that night...
English can be your best friend. Throughout Europe, English knowledge is a major commodity, and most people under 35 speak at least a little (more so in Western Europe, but even in the east). One of the first 3 things I say when talking to someone here is "Do you speak any English?" I speak a bit of 5 different languages, so I usually roll through the list until I hit a connection (nice DHV BTW), and if there's none, just politely smile and eject - if neither of you speak a word of the other's language, there's really only so far you can go unless you've got a crazy physical thing happening. As long as they speak a little English, they will be very interested in engaging with you, although you may need to be very basic in what kind of game you run. Still, I've had some pretty awesome conversations with people where neither of us really speak much of the other's language...
Find a translator! As silly as this sounds, gaming over here has become so much easier for me since I've built up a circle of German friends. You're still only going to have to be able to communicate on some level (hopefully she speaks some English), but having the friend close by (not necessarily hanging over your shoulder) to help translate through tough bits helps a LOT. Even if you don't come with someone that speaks the language, if you can meet someone in the club/bar that does, I'd suggest sticking with them.
Anyhow, that's what I can think of now. It's definitely not as easy as being home, but I assume you're travelling to experience something new and unknown. I hope some of these things help, and have fun!
CHAT
) Enjoy the trip and have fun