Traveller T-Shirt With 40 Icons Lets You Communicate In Any Country Even If You Don’t Speak Its Language
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I wish I had this shirt when I was in Afghanistan. In 2009, we were situated in a little Observation Post somewhere in Kandahar for a week or two at a time, with nothing but rations to fill our bellies. After many days and much elaborate drawing, I finally managed to communicate to a local Afghan National Army soldier that we were interested in real food. For the rest of our stay, and for just a few dollars per week, we were treated to hot meals twice per day. But had I had this IconSpeak shirt, weeks of eating cold rations could have been avoided.
IconSpeak is a useful T-shirt printed with 40 universal icons, perfect for those occasions when you don’t speak the local language and have forgotten how to sign “I think there’s a problem with my carburettor.” The shirt was thought up by three Swiss “pen-pushers” over numerous drinks and after an adventure with a broken-down motorcycle, somewhere in Vietnam. Read a little bit of their story below:
“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,” explain George, Steven, and Florian. “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. Soon the notepad was pulled out again and we started listing more or less essential icons that would have been of great help during not just ours, but basically anyone’s trip.”
More info: iconspeak.world (h/t: ufunk)
“In the discussion and selection process we came across some icons that were on the long list” IconSpeak told Bored Panda
“Don’t make something unless its both necessary, and useful”
“But if it is both necessary and useful, don’t hesitate to make it beautiful”
“We decided to really make the world edition ‘essential’”
“Imagine if you had to choose several animal icons – where would you stop?”
“We aim to develop a icon language that can be used and understood all over the world”
“To see now that this is really happening is a big pleasure”
“We invite individuals and institutions from all over the world to participate in this venture”
Bored Panda would like to thank the IconSpeak team for this interview!
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It seems like a good idea at first glance, but I don't want to wear clothing that screams, "I'm a tourist and I don't understand the language!" I'd be afraid it would make me a bigger target for pick-pocketers and other ill-intentioned characters.
Wearing a shirt with icons on it doesn't make people think you're a tourist. For all they know, you could just be wearing a shirt.
Oh trust me, locals always see the foreigner. Like in Europe, you can see people from USA from distance.
If they even read get the concept in the first place. Not looking like a tourist is a weak excuse for traveling anywhere I think. Its way better than taking 20 minutes to find where your going, what to eat and or where to relieve yourself. After all the places I have been this would have helped in so many ways. But if you worried about being robbed or ill intentioned characters and not taking on the adventure of traveling then live vicariously through people that do take that risk. Being a tourist is better than being scared.
I genuinely think it's an honest question to ask if you even have a passport when you assume foreigners are pick-pocketers and ill-intentioned characters. And by foreigners I mean natives of the land you'd be visiting if you had a passport.
It doesn't matter what country you're in, there's good & bad people place. Every country has criminals. Tourist destinations also tend to attract people looking for ways to take advantage of tourists to make a buck in both legitimate and illegitimate ways.
If you're white in Africa, Asia, or South America it really doesn't matter what you're wearing. You're going to scream tourist just by your skin color. This is an awesome idea!
Being a tourist is awesome! You have nothing to worry about in most places. Just listen to your intuition. But embracing the tourist as you travel really is okay. Most places appreciate your visit and sharing in their economy
Uhm... Cute idea, but would look awkward on me. The icons would be less visible on my curved front and I'd have to drag my shirt to flatten it every time of I don't wanna look like pointing on my breasts...
Just print it out and keep it in your purse.
Or download this app from the play store https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=mh.com.talk_with_icons_free
Yea, I'd rather just pay $1 for an app called Trip Icons which does the same thing except you it's on your phone / watch... https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/trip-icons/id1068047965?mt=8
http://tripicons.com/
Abjectly what is it in 4th column and 2nd raw?
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Personally I tend to think of a woman's breasts as a feature, not a bug. :)
@Robert Paulson: that's cause you're a smarmy creep! What the fuck do you need to be ogling women you don't even know?
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
We get it, u have boobs....
And this is why people are discouraged to give opinions about practical things from a practical point of view...
How about just print these images on a small piece of paper that stays in your wallet?
It seems like a good idea at first glance, but I don't want to wear clothing that screams, "I'm a tourist and I don't understand the language!" I'd be afraid it would make me a bigger target for pick-pocketers and other ill-intentioned characters.
Wearing a shirt with icons on it doesn't make people think you're a tourist. For all they know, you could just be wearing a shirt.
Oh trust me, locals always see the foreigner. Like in Europe, you can see people from USA from distance.
If they even read get the concept in the first place. Not looking like a tourist is a weak excuse for traveling anywhere I think. Its way better than taking 20 minutes to find where your going, what to eat and or where to relieve yourself. After all the places I have been this would have helped in so many ways. But if you worried about being robbed or ill intentioned characters and not taking on the adventure of traveling then live vicariously through people that do take that risk. Being a tourist is better than being scared.
I genuinely think it's an honest question to ask if you even have a passport when you assume foreigners are pick-pocketers and ill-intentioned characters. And by foreigners I mean natives of the land you'd be visiting if you had a passport.
It doesn't matter what country you're in, there's good & bad people place. Every country has criminals. Tourist destinations also tend to attract people looking for ways to take advantage of tourists to make a buck in both legitimate and illegitimate ways.
If you're white in Africa, Asia, or South America it really doesn't matter what you're wearing. You're going to scream tourist just by your skin color. This is an awesome idea!
Being a tourist is awesome! You have nothing to worry about in most places. Just listen to your intuition. But embracing the tourist as you travel really is okay. Most places appreciate your visit and sharing in their economy
Uhm... Cute idea, but would look awkward on me. The icons would be less visible on my curved front and I'd have to drag my shirt to flatten it every time of I don't wanna look like pointing on my breasts...
Just print it out and keep it in your purse.
Or download this app from the play store https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=mh.com.talk_with_icons_free
Yea, I'd rather just pay $1 for an app called Trip Icons which does the same thing except you it's on your phone / watch... https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/trip-icons/id1068047965?mt=8
http://tripicons.com/
Abjectly what is it in 4th column and 2nd raw?
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Personally I tend to think of a woman's breasts as a feature, not a bug. :)
@Robert Paulson: that's cause you're a smarmy creep! What the fuck do you need to be ogling women you don't even know?
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
We get it, u have boobs....
And this is why people are discouraged to give opinions about practical things from a practical point of view...
How about just print these images on a small piece of paper that stays in your wallet?