English Vocabulary (Small Talk): Lesson 3-How Was Your Trip?

How Was Your Trip?

Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.

~André Gide, French Author

If you have recently been on a trip, the most common question that people probably asked you was: “How was your trip?”

What was your answer to this question? You might have said:

It was fine.
Beautiful! I wanted it to go on forever.
It was a bad trip. I was sick all the time.
Wonderful! I had a good time.
It was alright. We visited so many new places.

There are many things you can actually say since “How was your trip?” is an open-ended question. This is what today’s lesson is going to be about. It is part of the Small Talk series that you can find here and here.

He would travel happily must travel light.

~Antoine de St. Exupéry, French Writer and Aviator

Sample Dialogue

You are a seasoned traveller. Your last trip was to Malawi, the warm heart of Africa. One of your colleagues asks you about it.

Jack: Hi, Chris! You are back already! How was your trip?

You: Hi, Jack! Fantastic! It was a heavenly trip. The people were very welcoming.

Jack: Oh, really? Were they?

You: Yes, they were. They kept inviting me to share food with them. It was a humbling experience because I didn’t know anyone there.

Jack: Yes, you must have had an amazing trip. Is Malawi a small country?

You: Yes, it is but there a big lake. It’s called Lake Malawi.

Jack: What about the inhabitants? Do you call them Malawians?

You: Yes, they are called Malawians. They are about 18.5 million.

Jack: All right, good to know. I think I will visit this place one day. It looks inviting.

You: Sure, you should. It’s never too late to travel!

Your Turn: Can you imagine a similar dialogue? What would you write about?

Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s okay. The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind.

~Anthony Bourdain, American Chef

Small Talk, How Was Your Trip, Learn English With Africa, June 2019

Sample Dialogue

You have just turned thirty. To celebrate this important landmark in your life, your friends offered you a plane ticket and some money to go to a tiny, remote island. On your way back, you meet someone who is going to your country. Her name is Julia. She asks you about your recent experience.

Julia: So, how was your trip? Did you like it?

You: Disappointing. I just wanted it to come to an end.

Julia: Why? Weren’t there many things to do?

You: Not at all. There were fifty of us on that empty island. There wasn’t much to do so we kept turning in circles. It was an awful experience.

Julia: Could you swim?

You: Yes, we could but you can’t do that all day.

Julia: Did you have to find food yourself?

You: Yes, we had to. It was part of the ‘unique experience’.

Julia: How much did you pay for that?

You: I won’t tell you that, I’m sorry.

Julia: Come on…

You: No, it’s too embarrassing. It was a lot of money. I wish I’d used it on something more useful. Well, at least it was a present so it’s not that painful.

Julia: Oh, I understand. I’m sorry you had a tough time.

You: Thank you for your kindness. Such is life. We cannot have outstanding experiences all the time!

Your Turn: Create a similar dialogue and be as creative as possible.

The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.

~Saint Augustine of Hippo, African Theologian and Philosopher

Sample Dialogue

You are a secondary school student and recently won a trip to Kenya. The headmaster of your school asks you to talk about it. Here is the conversation:

Headmaster: Good afternoon, Dalitso.

You: Good afternoon, Sir.

Headmaster: Tell me about your trip. How was it?

You: It was alright but I wish we had stayed there longer. We didn’t see much.

Headmaster: Oh, I understand. How long did you stay there?

You: Two weeks, Sir. Just enough to visit a few national parks.

Headmaster: Next time we will organise a longer trip then. This is a great educational experience and you should take full advantage of it.

You: I agree with you, Sir.

Headmaster: Think about doing oral and written presentations for your classmates. They will learn quite a lot from you.

You: I will, Sir. I love sharing my experiences with other people.

Headmaster: That is a good thing to do, young man. Keep it up!

You: Thank you, Sir.