How to talk about your city in another language
Take the other person on a short imaginary walk. Start at a station or market and describe one thing you would hear, see or smell at each stop.
Keep the conversation about lived experienceGive them two choices at a familiar place
At a station, try “Right takes us to the river. Left takes us to the street where I buy bread. Which way would you go?” They can enter the story even if they didn’t catch every word. If a street name is hard to say, use a landmark first.
Hand over the map
After two or three stops, ask them to take you on a walk wherever they live. Ask the same kind of question you’d answer yourself, like what changes when it rains. Avoid showing your exact address or a route that identifies where you live if you don’t want to share it.