overcoming a language barrier

Well,there is a lot of forms for communicate when you travel to other countries the people are different ,first of all you have to find other ways to live with them because they have other customs or habits and second of all you have to be friendly with them . If in the future I decide to travel to China and if I don't know speak mandarin chinese maybe I can use a portable board for draw pictures that I want to say but I don't know how or maybe I can use a paper but,I think it's better if I use a board.
After I arrive to China ,I'll get an interpreter because if I don't do that maybe I'm going to lose for all the country =D.I know that the interpreter is not to be with me all the time for example ,as soon as I arrive to China ,I'm going to visit the museams,cultural centers and other typical places there ,I have to use the board or a dictionary with the pronunciation finally if there is an extreme situation and I can't communicate with them I could use gestures and facial expressions I think it's going to be funny!...xP

Alexandra S.