In recent weeks, the Islamic-militant group known as the Taliban has seized power in Afghanistan as the United States military continues its complete withdrawal from the country after almost twenty years of a devastating and costly war. Thousands of Afghans and others have rushed to the airport hoping to escape the country in fear of what the return of the Taliban will bring, with some so desperate that they have fallen to their deaths while clinging to US military planes as they leave the count...
Aug 31, 2021
In today’s episode we’ll continue talking about. more common idioms in English. Expressions such as “hit the nail on the head”, “cut to the chase” and “up in the air”. Tune in to find out what these idioms mean and how to use them. As always, read the transcript as you listen here: https://www.dynamicenglish.cl/coffee-with-gringos-podcast-clases-particulares-de-ingles/episode-150-common-idioms-2
Aug 25, 2021
Business buzzwords are terms that are regularly used in business to gain attention, boost morale, and describe situations within an industry or corporate culture. While they can be unknown and confusing at first, understanding and correctly using buzzwords can help you engage with coworkers and clients and add variety to your professional lexicon. Tune in to this week’s episode as we go through some commonly used business buzzwords and how they can help you elevate your workplace fluency to the ...
Aug 18, 2021
What do Silly Putty, Furbies, and “Goosebumps” books all have in common? Being incredibly popular and successful fads in the 1990s that came and went with the decade. These short-lived trends are just a few of many that live forever in the minds of those who are old enough to remember them and in many cases, also collecting dust somewhere in the attic (looking at you, Beanie Babies…). Tune in to this week’s episode as we are joined by special guest, Cat Flynn, in discussing some of our favorite ...
Aug 10, 2021
Following its biggest anti-government protests in more than thirty years, the people of the tiny island nation of Cuba have been taking to the streets demanding aid from the government as the country suffers from food and medicine shortages, rising inflation, lack of vaccines, and a sixty-year embargo with the US that has crippled the lives of its people. Will President Miguel Díaz Canel and the Cuban government provide what the people are asking for or will they continue to ignore them and face...
Aug 04, 2021
After being postponed for a year due to COVID-19, the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics are officially underway with thousands of athletes, officials, and journalists pouring into the Japanese capital for the most anticipated international multi-sport event in the world. However, with rising positive COVID-19 cases, social distancing protocols, and no spectators allowed at the events, this year’s historic games will be different than any before. Join us for today’s episode as we talk all about the Summ...
Jul 27, 2021
Hawaii is the world’s largest island chain, located in the Pacific Ocean about 2,000 miles off the coast from the United States mainland which became the US’s newest and 50th state in 1959. With its tropical climate, beautiful beaches, rainforests, volcanoes, seafood, etc., Hawaii has long been a popular destination for honeymooners, surfers, families, and retirees trying to escape the boredom and craziness of mainland life. Join us for today's episode as we discuss Ian’s recent trip to Hawaii f...
Jul 21, 2021
Thirteen years ago, the incredibly famous and successful pop star Britney Spears suffered from a mental breakdown which led her to be admitted into a psych ward and placed under a conservatorship. Under this conservatorship, her father has the legal right to control essentially every decision of her life—from her finances to visiting her own children and even preventing her from getting off of her birth control in order to have more children. Recently, Britney has expressed her desire to end the...
Jul 13, 2021
An alter ego is a person’s secondary or alternative identity, that happens to be different from a person's normal or true personality. We see many people take on the role of an alter ego from actors and musicians to superheroes as a way to express themselves in ways that they feel that they can’t with their true identities. They can help one’s career take off to great success or see themselves get pigeon-holed into one character. Join us for today’s episode as we discuss some commonly well-known...
Jul 06, 2021
One of the most challenging parts of the English language is that it’s filled with verbs that essentially have the same meaning, but are used in different situations or contexts. Some common examples include “know” and “meet”, “watch” and “look” and “win” and “earn”, among many others. While it can be confusing to know how to choose the right verb, doing so will help you feel more confident and take your fluency to the next level. Join us for today’s episode as we discuss some of the most common...
Jun 30, 2021
Have you ever wondered what your ancestors were like? Did they immigrate from a foreign country to where you live now? What was life like for them in the past? These are common questions that get mentioned when talking about genealogy—your family’s history. With advanced genealogy and DNA testing more readily available than ever, it is now easy and affordable to find out more about one’s family history, genetic makeup, and even one’s own identity. Join us for today’s episode as we discuss all ab...
Jun 16, 2021
A tongue twister is a phrase that is designed to be difficult to articulate properly and can be used as a type of spoken word game or even a voice warm-up for performers, politicians, and other speakers. Specifically for language learners, they can be used as exercises to improve pronunciation, fluency, and speaking speed. Join us for today’s episode as we explain some classic English-language tongue twisters from Peter Piper to woodchuck chucks and many more. Read the full transcript here: http...
Jun 11, 2021
For those who think that United States traditional foods only include hamburgers, hot dogs, and apple pie—you’re wrong (although we do eat a lot of those). In the US, almost every city or state can be associated with its unique kind of food. From New England clam chowder and Kansas City barbecue to New Orleans jambalaya and Wisconsin cheese curds, the nation’s wide variety of dishes welcome eaters to the flavor and culture of the place they are experiencing. Join us for today’s episode as we cha...
Jun 02, 2021
Since the beginning of journalism, news and media outlets have published damaging, embarrassing, and even racially biased stories to provide readers with interesting and attractive articles—whether they are true or not—and have left these stories uncorrected in their publications. These unfair stories have caused many to be kept from getting jobs, homes, etc., and are constantly haunted by a past publication. However, recently The Boston Globe has committed to giving people the opportunity to ei...
May 26, 2021
Seven years ago, comedian Christian Fetterman left his home in Pennsylvania, US for Chile with the dream of learning Spanish and making people laugh with funny videos. Since starting his YouTube channel—“Gringo Mode On”—three years ago, he has gained widespread popularity for his viral content, especially his hilarious parodies and stereotypes of Chileans and gringos. Join us for today’s episode as we sit down with Christian to talk all about his journey from teaching English to Chilean preschoo...
May 20, 2021
The Southeast Asian country of Myanmar has suffered from countless hardships and injustices in the recent past, from the mass genocide of the Rohingya Muslims to having one of the longest ongoing civil wars in the world. To make things even worse, on February 1st, the Myanmar military successfully deposed the democratically elected National League for Democracy (NLD) party through a military coup—seizing the power of the government and declaring a state of emergency and martial law. Three months...
May 12, 2021
When speaking any language—as a native or as a learner—it can be very easy to fall into the habit of using the same general and uninteresting adjectives over and over. In English, just a few of these adjectives include “good”, “bad”, “fine”, and they are not only vague—but also downright boring. A great way to expand your lexicon, sound more fluent and have fun challenging yourself at the same is to learn and use some great alternative synonyms to replace them. Join us for today’s episode as we ...
May 05, 2021
It is common to hear people talk all about the big cities in the US—New York City, Los Angeles, Miami, San Francisco, etc. However, a lesser-known city that lies in the hills of Kentucky is Louisville. Home to the famous boxer, Muhammed Ali, The Kentucky Derby, and Kentucky Fried Chicken—Louisville is a hidden gem that is overlooked too often by tourists. Join us on today’s episode as we talk to our special guest and native Kentuckian—Nate Douglas—about the Bluegrass State from black-eyed peas a...
Apr 28, 2021
The Grand Canyon is an enormous natural formation located in the southwest US in a state called Arizona that was formed by millions of years of river and wind erosion. At 446km length and 29km width, the canyon is a sight to see and is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the US with an estimated 5.9 million tourists visiting every year. While visiting the Grand Canyon is for everyone, it is especially attractive to hikers looking to experience some of the trails and dangerously hot co...
Apr 21, 2021
The rise of climate change in recent years has affected our planet in many ways, one of which is the increase in frequency and magnitude of natural disasters. Every year, these forces of nature cause chaos, destruction, and death more and more frequently than before. Whether it’s tornados in Missouri, blizzards in Boston, or wildfires in Chile, natural disasters are a common part of life and culture for the people who live with them. Join us for today’s episode as we discuss natural disasters, t...
Apr 14, 2021
A euphemism is a word or expression used in place of one that may be found offensive or suggest something unpleasant. Some euphemisms are intended to be funny while others are used to say something that would be very inappropriate to say otherwise. While they might seem confusing or vague to someone learning English, native speakers use them constantly and can really help you to sound more fluent. Join us for today’s episode as we discuss "doing your business”, “ big-boned,” and other common eup...
Apr 07, 2021
With the rise of remote work during the pandemic, the world has seen a significant increase in people leaving their urban homes for more rural settings away from the city and traditional office settings. Some are even brave enough to leave their permanent homes behind and accept a nomad lifestyle, traveling from place to place to live and work. Join us for today’s episode as we sit down with special guest, Kate Connelly, to talk about her decision to leave her urban life in Washington DC and tak...
Mar 31, 2021
A Ponzi scheme is a fraudulent investing scam that generates returns for earlier investors with money taken from later investors. This is similar to a pyramid scheme in that both are based on using new investors' funds to pay the earlier backers. These schemes have existed for many years and examples can be found all over the world from Brazil’s Telexfree to Alberto Chang in Chile. But, why is it called a Ponzi scheme? And how are these con artists able to trick so many people into giving them t...
Mar 24, 2021
The death penalty—also known as capital punishment—is the execution or killing of an offender sentenced to death by a court of law for a serious crime such as murder. While many countries have abolished capital punishment, it still remains a prevalent practice in many other countries, including the United States where seventeen executions took place in 2020 alone. Join us for today’s episode as we discuss the dark and controversial issue of the death penalty. Read the full transcript here: https...
Mar 18, 2021
There are few things that give us a sense of freedom like hopping in the car and driving a long distance from one place to another, viewing the scenery and landscapes along the way. Road trips give us the opportunity to explore new places and cultures, see famous and unknown attractions, and bond with our friends and family. Like most things in life, road trips don’t always go perfect and you always have to expect the unexpected from speeding tickets and hitchhikers to broken down cars and blizz...
Mar 10, 2021
In the age of digitization when we are all constantly shopping online, sharing content on multiple social media platforms at once, and our whole lives are essentially online, we give up more and more of our personal data to companies and governments. Is it worth giving up some of our personal information in exchange for access to the digital world? Or are we risking more and more privacy to the point of being watched and listened to constantly? Join us for today’s episode as we discuss encryptio...
Mar 03, 2021
In the US and Canada, Black History Month takes place during the entire month of February and is dedicated to remembering and recognizing important people and events of African descent. While we still have a long way to go in order to reach equality, it’s important to recognize the accomplishments and contributions that have been made throughout history by prominent figures such as Martin Luther King Jr., Frederick Douglass, Rosa Parks, and Jesse Owens among many others. Join us for today’s epis...
Feb 24, 2021
According to the New York Times, when there is a tragedy or disaster, it is common to see an increase in marriages as people want to maintain their feelings of safety, security, and love by deciding to marry their partner. This has certainly been the case during the global pandemic, with figures showing as much as a 70% increase in marriage licenses in some places. For many in long-term relationships, the pandemic has marked a moment for them to take their love to the next step while others migh...
Feb 17, 2021
Can you think back to your days in school and remember a certain teacher that really made an impact on your life? Maybe it was a teacher that made you laugh, maybe that made you think deeply, or maybe inspired you to pursue your goals and dreams? Whoever they might be, great teachers are invaluable and we are lucky to have them. Join us for today’s episode as we chat with our special guest, Angela Sigismondi—a high school English teacher from the US who is doing her best to be that special teach...
Feb 10, 2021
The Super Bowl—the annual championship game of American football in the United States—is happening this Sunday between the Kansas City Chiefs (Ian’s favorite team!) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a showdown to find out which team will be crowned champions. And while it’s the most important and popular sport in the United States, American football is mostly unknown or misunderstood everywhere else in the world. Even though the rules can be complicated, it’s a dynamic and entertaining sport to wa...
Feb 03, 2021
