I woke up on what seemed like a normal day, only to remember that I had a ticket to another country! Excited, I headed to the airport, but as soon as I entered, I felt something was off. Everyone was speaking Turkish.
Getting suspicious, I boarded the plane and noticed a group of German women chatting away in perfect Turkish. I thought to myself, “Maybe they just happen to know the language,” and tried not to overthink it. But the real story was only just beginning.
When I finally landed in Japan and stepped out into the city, I was stunned: EVERYONE was speaking Turkish. I couldn’t believe my ears. How was this even possible?! I started walking, trying to shake off the feeling that I was in a dream.
Then, I saw a flyer on the ground. In Turkish, it read: “Everyone will now hear others in their own native language.”
For most, this was a miracle of communication. But for me, someone who was traveling the world specifically to immerse myself in and learn new languages, this was a total nightmare.