Shows and films to watch before traveling abroad

The English you use on a trip is quite narrow: checking in and passing immigration at the airport, checking in at a hotel, ordering at a restaurant, asking for directions and taking transport, shopping and paying, plus emergencies like losing something or feeling sick. So before you leave, you do not need to binge long series. Pick clips that cover these situations and get to know them well.

The short answer: for cartoons, watch the travel episodes of Bluey and Peppa Pig. For American shows, watch the vacation episodes of Modern Family, Schitt's Creek, and the food travel show Somebody Feed Phil. For British shows, watch Race Across the World and An Idiot Abroad. For films, watch The Terminal, Home Alone 2, Paddington, and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.

First, choose the accent by destination

• The US or Canada: mostly American shows and films.
• The UK or Ireland: mostly British shows and films, such as Paddington and Race Across the World.
• Australia or New Zealand: add Bluey and MasterChef Australia to get used to Australian accents.
• Non-English-speaking places such as mainland Europe, Southeast Asia, or Japan: the English people speak there is often slower and simpler. American or British material is fine. Focus on fixed lines for ordering and asking directions.

Cartoons: for beginners and family trips

Cartoons have short sentences and slow speech. They suit adults with weak English, and families watching together before a trip.

1. Peppa Pig. There are episodes about flying, holidays, camping, and the beach. The sentences are the simplest, good for getting used to words like passport, suitcase, and ticket from zero.
2. Bluey. Australian accents, with episodes about camping, holiday houses, flying, and the beach. The family travel talk sounds natural, which makes it a good pick before going to Australia.
3. The Adventures of Paddington. British pronunciation. Paddington visits markets, rides the Underground, and goes to museums in London. Good before a trip to the UK.

Use the travel episodes as a warm-up. Each one is only a few minutes long, and the situations they cover are limited. Adults with a bit more English can go straight to the shows and films below.

American shows: vacation episodes and hotel shows

1. Modern Family. Episodes where the family goes to Hawaii, Australia, Las Vegas, Disneyland, and a dude ranch include booking rooms, changing rooms, checking out, renting cars, and joining tours. About 20 minutes an episode, with focused situations.
2. Schitt's Creek. A family moves into a small-town motel, and conversations at the front desk, in the rooms, and at the diner run through the whole show. Good for hotel and small restaurant language.
3. Friends. The London episodes have airport, hotel, and sightseeing scenes worth picking out. The show is fast overall, so there is no need to start from the beginning.
4. Somebody Feed Phil. A food travel show where the host orders in restaurants around the world, asks owners for recommendations, and praises the food. Clear American pronunciation. The best one for practicing ordering.
5. Rick Steves' Europe. A travel show with slow speech about taking transport, buying tickets, and avoiding crowds. The content itself is a travel guide.

British shows and programs: British accents and real journeys

1. Race Across the World. A BBC travel reality show where contestants cannot fly. They buy their own tickets, ask for directions, find places to stay, and take odd jobs. Almost every episode has real direction-asking and bargaining.
2. An Idiot Abroad. A British comedian is sent to travel around the world. Lots of complaining and a stronger accent, so it fits as a relaxed watch once you have some base.
3. Paddington (the films). A film rather than a show, but ideal before a trip to London: a train station, taxis, asking for directions, and staying in someone's home, with a lot of British polite language.
4. Fawlty Towers. A classic hotel comedy with guest complaints, booking mix-ups, and restaurant chaos. It is old and fast, so watch it to get a feel for British humor and hotel scenes, not for close study.

Films: one film, one situation

• The Terminal. The main character is stuck in a New York airport: immigration, customs, a language barrier, finding food, and even finding work there. The airport film most worth watching before a trip to the US.
• Home Alone 2. The main character is alone in New York, checking in at a fancy hotel, using a credit card, and ordering room service. The front desk scene is a classic.
• The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. A trip to Greenland and Iceland, with renting a car, taking a small plane, and staying in small guesthouses. Little dialogue and a slow pace.
• The Holiday. Two women, one British and one American, swap homes for Christmas. Both accents appear, with airports, car rentals, and asking directions in an unfamiliar town.
• Before Sunrise. Chatting with a stranger on a train, then walking around Vienna all night. Good for small talk with strangers on the road.

You do not need to study a whole film. Pick one or two clips that match a travel situation. Knowing them well is worth more than finishing the film.

Find a show by travel situation

• Airport, immigration, and customs: The Terminal, and the flying episodes of Peppa Pig and Bluey.
• Hotel check-in, changing rooms, and complaints: Home Alone 2, Schitt's Creek, Fawlty Towers, and the Modern Family vacation episodes.
• Ordering at restaurants: Somebody Feed Phil, and the diner in Schitt's Creek.
• Directions, transport, and tickets: Race Across the World, Rick Steves' Europe, and Paddington.
• Renting a car and driving: The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, The Holiday, and the Modern Family vacation episodes.
• Chatting with locals: Before Sunrise and Race Across the World.

A four-week plan before you leave

• Week one: airport and immigration. Watch the immigration clips in The Terminal and the flying episodes of Peppa Pig, and note the lines you will hear at check-in, security, and immigration.
• Week two: hotels. Watch the check-in scene in Home Alone 2 and Schitt's Creek, and practice checking in, changing rooms, asking about breakfast, and checking out.
• Week three: eating and shopping. Watch Somebody Feed Phil, and practice ordering, asking for recommendations, mentioning what you can't eat, and asking for the bill.
• Week four: getting around and emergencies. Watch Race Across the World, practice asking directions and buying tickets, and prepare what to say if you lose something or feel unwell.

15 to 20 minutes a day is enough. Knowing one situation well is worth more than seeing all four once.

How to watch one clip

1. First pass with no subtitles, to understand what happens in the scene.
2. Second pass with English subtitles. Note 3 to 5 lines you will use on your trip, such as I have a reservation under ..., Could we have the bill, please?, and How do I get to ...?
3. Third pass with subtitles off. Repeat them, then imagine you are at the front desk or in the restaurant, and say them with your own details.

Finally, save the lines on your phone and go over them again before you leave.

FAQ

My English is very weak. Where do I start?

Start with the flying and holiday episodes of Peppa Pig to learn the most basic travel words. Then go straight to Somebody Feed Phil and Rick Steves' Europe. Both have slow speech and practical content.

Is it still worth practicing for a non-English-speaking country?

Yes. Airports, hotels, and many restaurants use English, and people there often speak more slowly and simply. Getting the ordering, directions, and check-in situations down is enough.

Should subtitles be on?

Off for the first pass. English subtitles on for the second pass to note lines. First-language subtitles help you follow the plot, but you will not remember how to say things in English.

I leave in a week. What should I watch?

Only three situations: immigration (The Terminal), hotel check-in (Home Alone 2), and ordering (Somebody Feed Phil). Note five lines for each and repeat them until you leave.

Next step

Today, settle on your destination and pick one show by accent. Then watch the hotel check-in scene in Home Alone 2 and note three lines you will say when you arrive at your hotel.