There’s a common path for becoming skilled and knowledgeable for practically every profession. Usually this means a degree from an accredited University. But what if you could learn anything you put your mind to on your own? In this episode, we talk about what it means to be self-taught. Are you an autodidact? Links: TrustedHousesitters LinkedIn Learning Skillshare Udemy Level up your Spanish with our Podcast Membership Get the full transcript of each episode so you don’t miss a word Listen to a...
Jul 06, 2021•28 min•Ep. 65
In this episode, we take a look at some of the culture shocks of experiencing Mexico as a foreigner when it comes to observing life from the streets. Learn about topes , pedestrian right of way, J-walking, and much more. Level up your Spanish with our Podcast Membership Get the full transcript of each episode so you don’t miss a word Listen to an extended breakdown section in English going over the most important words and phrases Test your comprehension with a multiple choice quiz Thank you to ...
Jun 29, 2021•32 min•Ep. 64
In this episode, May and I pick up where we left off in talking about May’s journey towards becoming a US citizen. After years of going through the various stages of immigration, this episode details the conclusion of an eight-year process. So, how long does it really take to become a US citizen? Listen to find out that and much more. Links: Ep. 055 - Road to American Citizenship Part 1 Level up your Spanish with our Podcast Membership Get the full transcript of each episode so you don’t miss a ...
Jun 22, 2021•35 min•Ep. 63
Maybe you don’t think of local markets as places full of culture and history, but Jim and May are here to change your mind. This week, they chat about the definitions and differences between Mexican “mercados” and “tianguis,” which basically are two common types of markets. You can learn a ton from the local farmers and artisans. Check out the episode to discover more! Links: Level up your Spanish with our Podcast Membership Get the full transcript of each episode so you don’t miss a word Listen...
Jun 15, 2021•27 min•Ep. 62
Jim and May, who have travel down to a science, share their tips and advice with others who might need a little help planning a big trip! Sure, we all can agree that the first step is to decide where you want to go, but when do I buy flights? Where do I stay and how do I know what activities to do? And how can I do all this on a budget? Get the most out of your trip with a little planning! Create beautiful memories that you’ll never forget. Check out the episode for more details. Links: Worldpac...
Jun 08, 2021•33 min•Ep. 61
This week Jim and May cover an interesting topic, Jesús Malverde, better known as a saint of the narcos, or drug traffickers in Mexico. Malverde, who many people pray to, is not in fact recognized by the Catholic Church like most saints, but a saint that people come to in a time of need for not necessarily “pious” matters. It’s grown to be a cultural thing. Check out the episode to learn more about Malverde and the story of his supposed assassination. Links: Ep. 023 - Mexico’s Independence Level...
May 31, 2021•25 min•Ep. 60
Ok, so you’re having a conversation in your target language. What's the most necessary component of conversation? Having an extensive vocabulary? Understanding how grammar works? Perfect pronunciation? Or maybe….comprehension! Jim and May agree that comprehension is what’s most important because if you don’t understand what someone is asking you, you can’t even begin to reply! This week they go over a bunch of ways to improve comprehension. Links: How to Say I Don’t Understand in Spanish Video E...
May 25, 2021•29 min•Ep. 59
Although some of us are with the times and know that being a digital nomad is completely possible, picking up your living and traveling the world - all while making money on your time, a lot of people don’t have a clue where to start! This episode is for you guys! Jim and May not only break down how they became digital nomads, but they list over 14 very specific ways to make money while living abroad. The age of the Digital Nomads is here. Links: 057 - A Better Life for Less Money Matt the Exper...
May 18, 2021•27 min•Ep. 58
Most of the time, we think of people moving to the US to see their “American Dream” fulfilled. But more and more, people are leaving places like the US and Canada for countries with a lower cost of living. Like Mexico! We figure that if you’re learning a new language then you probably have double the interest in a potential move. Check out the episode to hear all the details! Links: International Living Numbeo: Cost of Living A Better Life for Half the Price by Tim Leffel The 4-Hour Work Week by...
May 11, 2021•32 min•Ep. 57
Cinco de Mayo is upon us yet again. Do you have plans with your friends to celebrate at your favorite Mexican restaurant with mountains of tacos? Or possibly at home with lots of margaritas and maybe a sombrero or two? May 5th commemorates the Mexican victory over the French in 1862 in the Battle of Puebla. Jim and May give us the run-down on the history behind Cinco de Mayo. If you think it’s all about Mexican Independence Day, you’d be wrong, so check out the episode to find out more! Links: L...
May 04, 2021•29 min•Ep. 56
This week Jim and May take on a topic that isn’t discussed enough - the long, stressful road to American citizenship! Join them as they reveal the beginning half of their journey, from May, getting tourist visas and eventually her green card in 2013, to just a few weeks ago when they finally sent in the paperwork to apply for full citizenship. Find out why Ciudad Juarez is so important to this particular process, and who had to sign papers for May to represent her as a potential caretaker in cas...
Apr 27, 2021•35 min•Ep. 55
At last, it’s been 10 years since Jim and May met in Mexico for the first time. They reminisce on how far they’ve come and also offer advice to couples on a similar path. Learn about how they met online, their marriage story, and getting “lost in translation” when meeting each other’s families in the beginning. If you are in a similar situation with your partner, it could help to hear about their journey. Check out the episode to hear more! Links: 033 - Getting to Know Veracruz with No Hay Tos L...
Apr 20, 2021•33 min•Ep. 54
Meet Olly Richards, polyglot and founder of the StoryLearning method. Olly, who is originally from England, explains that his path as a polyglot began when he was 19 with French as his second language. Jim and May pose the question of the psychological fears surrounding adults and language learning, while Olly shares his opinions on how kids actually learn vs what he considers a myth. Check out his “I Will Teach You a Language” platform - website, YouTube channel, podcast. Just another gentle re...
Apr 13, 2021•30 min•Ep. 53
Wow! It’s been a whole year since the team started this podcast journey! This week we simply take a step back to review the process. Jim and May reflect on the top 5 most popular episodes over the last year. It’s like a little blast from the past. Tune in for little snippets of the episodes, while Jim and May chat about what each episode meant to them. Links: Ep. 003 - Magic Towns of Mexico Ep. 010 - Mexican Spanish vs Spain Spanish with Notes in Spanish Ep. 036 - Mexican Christmas Parties Ep. 0...
Apr 06, 2021•38 min•Ep. 52
This week we discuss the life and success of Selena Quintanilla, the Mexican-American singer and probably one of the biggest Latina stars ever! She met a tragic fate in 1995 at the age of 23, but she managed to garner an incredible amount of fame before that. Her path is an interesting one partly because growing up in Texas, being Mexican-American made her occupy a unique space. Learn all about her journey and also the facts of how someone close to her ultimately ended her life. Links: 049 - Mex...
Mar 30, 2021•35 min•Ep. 51
Get ready to learn 9 of the most common mistakes that students make when they are learning Spanish. Maybe you're making them too? In English, sometimes we use certain verbs interchangeably, but it doesn't always work the same in Spanish. Jim points out how patient May has been while helping him on his Spanish journey since he used to make a lot of these mistakes all the time, but she confirms that if you're making mistakes, then you're learning. Not only do they review these mistakes, but they a...
Mar 23, 2021•34 min•Ep. 50
As March is Women's History Month, it's only right that we highlight some pretty badass women's achievements, both in the past and in the current moment. Most of us know about Frida Kahlo, Salma Hayek, and maybe even Kate del Castillo, but Jim and May share their list of 5 Mexican women that you need to know. Links: Level up your Spanish with our Podcast Membership Get the full transcript of each episode so you don’t miss a word Listen to an extended breakdown section in English going over the m...
Mar 16, 2021•28 min•Ep. 49
Tune in this week as Jared and Diana from Speaking Latino joins Jim and May to chat about their Spanish learning resources for Spanish students and teachers alike. One of their biggest hits is a work called "Speaking Boricua," which is all about Puerto Rican Spanish. In the episode, both parties remark about how Puerto Rican Spanish is full of African influence, how the letter "R" becomes an "L" a lot of the time, and why Spanglish is such a big deal in everyday life. Jared and Diana give their ...
Mar 09, 2021•31 min•Ep. 48
This week, Jim and May catch everyone up with their personal experiences traveling during the pandemic and compare the different cities they’ve visited during this difficult time. Get an idea of how Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the US, differ from each other when it comes to handling the pandemic. Also, listen for a few tips for those eager travelers who plan on catching flights soon. Travel responsibly! Links: Trapped Abroad in Guatemala Video Safest Place to Be in the US Right Now? Live Stream Ep....
Mar 02, 2021•32 min•Ep. 47
“Help! I’m studying Spanish, but I can’t understand native speakers when they ask me something!” or the classic, “I don’t have anyone to practice with!” Don’t worry, we’ve all been there. Learning to have a natural conversation is probably the hardest part of learning a language. What the process is really about is finding a balance between genuinely advancing your target language vocabulary (and grammar too of course!) and allowing your brain to do its job. A lot of communication is subconsciou...
Feb 23, 2021•29 min•Ep. 46
We started off this week with Valentine’s Day, or “El Día del Amor y la Amistad” in Mexico. Of course, most of us are familiar with celebrating love on this day with gifts or romantic gestures, but how did Valentine’s day come to be? Jim and May run down the list of stories surrounding the origin of Valentine’s Day. Links: Level up your Spanish with our Podcast Membership Get the full transcript of each episode so you don’t miss a word Listen to an extended breakdown section in English going ove...
Feb 16, 2021•25 min•Ep. 45
Where do we find the motivation to do things we want to accomplish in life? How do we stay consistent in order to reach our goals? Jim and May give advice about how to overcome the mental blocks that everyone has. Links: Forbes: The Science Behind Motivation Sign up for our newsletter for motivation, tips, reviews, and more Level up your Spanish with our Podcast Membership Get the full transcript of each episode so you don’t miss a word Listen to an extended breakdown section in English going ov...
Feb 09, 2021•25 min•Ep. 44
Out of the foods that we know and cherish today, how many do we actually know the origins of? Take tamales for example - they are so important to Latin American gastronomy, especially in Mexico. But where did they come from? When were they first introduced to society? Learn about the history and importance of this traditional food in this episode! Links: Episode 039 - Día de Reyes Day of the Dead in Michoacán Video Level up your Spanish with our Podcast Membership Get the full transcript of each...
Feb 02, 2021•34 min•Ep. 43
Join Jim and May as they chat with Carlota Morales, a Tica who breaks down everything you need to know about her country - from ecotourism and typical food, to what makes Costa Rican Spanish so different from other Spanish-speaking countries. If you’ve never been to Costa Rica, you’ll definitely add it to your bucket list by the end of the episode! Links: Planeterra Worldpackers Niños de Guatemala Carlota’s Instagram Level up your Spanish with our Podcast Membership Get the full transcript of ea...
Jan 26, 2021•45 min•Ep. 42
Are you having a hard time expressing yourself in Spanish? Do you get nervous or feel embarrassed about having to speak the language? Have you struggled to find a way to use your Spanish in a real context? Don’t worry, these are common concerns of most people learning a second language and in this week’s episode, Jim and May share their 5 tips to success when it comes to achieving Spanish fluency. Links: Special promotion for the new Podcast Membership Plus! Episode 040 - Políglota Después de lo...
Jan 19, 2021•29 min•Ep. 41
Learning multiple languages when you’re young is hard enough, but can you imagine at 70? In this episode, Jim and May interview Steve Kaufmann, linguist, polyglot, and co-founder of LingQ, a platform designed to expand your language skills. Links: Check out LingQ LingoSteve - Steve Kaufmann’s YouTube Channel Level up your Spanish with our Podcast Membership Get the full transcript of each episode so you don’t miss a word Listen to an extended breakdown section in English going over the most impo...
Jan 12, 2021•33 min•Ep. 40
January 6th pretty much wraps up the holiday season in most Spanish-speaking countries with Día de Reyes , or Three Kings’ Day. It’s a holiday that’s an important part of Mexican culture, showing us how important religion, tradition, and family are to so many across the country. Links: More about Día de Reyes Ep. 038 - Christmas Differences Between Mexico and the US Level up your Spanish with our Podcast Membership Get the full transcript of each episode so you don’t miss a word Listen to an ext...
Jan 05, 2021•25 min•Ep. 39
Got any New Year’s resolutions, anyone? Maybe getting back into the gym, taking that trip you’ve always wanted, or even starting a business? People bring in the new year differently all over the world, but the one thing most countries have in common is making New Year’s resolutions. Jim and May chat about different traditions that people have and compare how they celebrated the holiday growing up. Links: Atomic Habits by James Clear The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg Spanish and Go New Year’s ...
Dec 29, 2020•36 min•Ep. 38
Christmas is finally here after a very long year. Ever wonder how people in Mexico celebrate the holidays? Jim and May compare their own holiday traditions growing up. After listening to the episode, can you name any more differences? How does your personal experience compare? Links: Christmas in Mexico vs US video Podcast Episode 036 - Las Posadas Navideñas Mexicanas Level up your Spanish with our Podcast Membership Get the full transcript of each episode so you don’t miss a word Listen to an e...
Dec 22, 2020•34 min•Ep. 37
Around Christmastime in Mexico, you’ll start to hear a lot about “ las posadas navideñas” - all the little Christmas parties leading up to Christmas Eve. Learn about these Mexican Christmas parties and how they’re celebrated in this episode. Links: Día de Reyes Video Pedir Posadas song La Guadalupana song Episode 022 - Traditional Drinks of Colima, Mexico Episode 018 - Birthday Traditions in Mexico Level up your Spanish with our Podcast Membership Get the full transcript of each episode so you d...
Dec 15, 2020•24 min•Ep. 36
