If you intend to visit Africa, I will advise you to get an African Phase book or take a crash or school course in the language of the Country you intend to visit.

Last time I was in Africa - Ghana, I spent well over £1000 and it was money well spent and the best holiday and enlightenment in my whole life.

First you must know something about the country you are visiting. Find their embassy and ask them for Tourist Information Packs.

Read all the information and familiarise yourself with its main language.

In Ghana I recommend Ga and Twi, as these are the ones I know. Ga, for while you are in the Capital and its Greater areas. The markets and shops etc. Twi, for the whole Akan area and spoken by some 75% of the population.

If you speak, read and write English, it is very easy learning a second language and its alphabets and pronunciations. Names of objects, days of the week and simple sentences to get by are all that you need.

There are a lot of language courses to choose from. At the African Language School we endevour to provide (in the not too distant future); Language Study Classes, Books, Cassettes, Videos, DVD's CD's etc.

KEY STEPS TO LEARNING AN AFRICAN LANGUAGE

First learn the Twi Alphabets and their pronunciations.

This is the basic and the most fundamental one. It is the foundation on which one builds the rest.

Study of the Alphabets, their correct pronunciation and use in simple sentences to get by are very essential.

The Twi language has 26 Alphabets just like English. But these English alphabets are not in Twi.

Also the Twi Alphabet is not in English.