It was bound to happen. We got COVID-19. After two years of avoiding getting ill from the pandemic that has affected everyone’s lives, we too caught the bug. In this episode, we share our experience getting COVID-19 and overcoming the illness. Links: 007 - COVID-19 y el Futuro del Turismo | COVID-19 and the Future of Travel 019 - Reflexiones del Confinamiento | Reflections on Confinement 047 - Viajando Durante la Pandemia | Traveling During the Pandemic Level up your Spanish with our podcast mem...
Jan 25, 2022•25 min•Ep. 94
Mexico has a long standing reputation of being extremely welcoming to tourists. After all, how many other countries do you know of that will let you stay for up to 180 days without submitting any prior paperwork? Well, it appears that those days may be coming to an end. Mexico has begun cracking down on people who routinely take advantage of the FMM entry pass into Mexico by limiting the days some visitors can stay significantly. Find out what you can do to get the most amount of time possible i...
Jan 18, 2022•27 min•Ep. 93
After the holidays, many people who live in Spain and Latin America have to deal with the “January Slope” or “January Struggle.” This cultural phenomenon in Spanish-speaking countries is an interesting difference that many people in the U.S., myself included, don’t have to deal with. But what’s the deal? Why is this notorious month of financial overwhelm a thing? Listen as we explore La Cuesta de Enero in-depth in this episode. Links: Level up your Spanish with our Podcast Membership Get the ful...
Jan 11, 2022•21 min•Ep. 92
We couldn’t be more ready for a new year. 2021 left us with so many gifts that left us feeling freer than ever to pursue our dreams and to accomplish our mission of sharing every Spanish-speaking country with you. And now with 2022 here, it’s the perfect time to put the pedal to the metal. It’s the perfect time to pursue your own dreams and take steps for a happier and healthy you. In this episode, we talk about our goals for 2022, and how we plan to help you on your journey to learn Spanish and...
Jan 04, 2022•20 min•Ep. 91
2021 has been a year of incredible growth. It was an opportunity for us to get out and start exploring again, and it was a massive year for the podcast. This week, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on our favorite episodes and accomplishments of the year. Don’t miss our favorites and a chance to share yours for episode 100! Links: 049 - Mexicanas Chigonas | Badass Mexican Women 051 - La Vida y Muerte de Selena | The Life and Death of Selena 060 - El Santo de los Narcos | The Saint of Narcos ...
Dec 28, 2021•27 min•Ep. 90
Piñatas are without a doubt one of Mexico’s most well known traditions. They are present in many of the most common celebrations in the country like birthdays, posadas, Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve, and even baptisms and baby showers. Although most people in the world immediately associate piñatas with Mexico, they likely came from a rather unexpected place. Find out more in this episode. Links: 018 - Tradiciones de los Cumpleaños en México | Birthday Traditions in Mexico 036 - Las Posadas Navi...
Dec 21, 2021•24 min•Ep. 89
Platforms such as Airbnb have revolutionized travel, making it more affordable than ever to stay awhile in exotic locations around the world. But it’s not all sunshine and roses. If you don’t know what you’re doing, you could end up staying at a dump with cockroaches and bed bugs. Believe us. We’ve stayed at dozens of Airbnbs, and our first experience turned out to be one of our worst experiences. Links: 007 - COVID-19 y el Futuro del Turismo | COVID-19 and the Future of Travel 047 - Viajando Du...
Dec 14, 2021•20 min•Ep. 88
Is the Virgin of Guadalupe the same person as the Virgin Mary? This is a question that I’ve had for years, but it wasn’t until May and I sat down to record this episode of the podcast that it all made sense. Religion plays such an important role in Mexican culture, so even if you’re not Catholic or even religious for that matter, it’s helpful to understand the significance of this important Mexican figure: La Virgin de Guadalupe . Links: 039 - Día de Reyes | Three Kings' Day 060 - El Santo de lo...
Dec 07, 2021•27 min•Ep. 87
This is a free audio of the Breakdown Section for episode 086 of the podcast. If you'd live to get access to the PDF document that accompanies this audio and all the other materials for this episode, check out our Podcast Membership here: https://spanishandgo.com/membership Support the show
Nov 30, 2021•28 min•Ep. 86
Swearing. Cursing. Slang. These are common elements of language that don’t get a lot of attention in academia for being “improper,” “overly casual,” or just plain old rude. But this is the type of language you’ll likely encounter on the streets, in movies, and on social media. While you don’t need to use these words to be fluent in Spanish, it’s certainly still useful to know what they mean. Vulgar as it may be, this is the way many people speak, so we’d be doing you a disservice to not explain ...
Nov 30, 2021•31 min•Ep. 86
Learning a new language can be intimidating. The journey is full of twists and turns. Some days you feel like you’re making progress, and others feel like you’ve forgotten everything you’ve been studying. I’ve been there. I’ve never considered myself a “language guy,” but through hard work and persistence, I became fluent in Spanish. In this episode we go over a brief history of how I learned Spanish, but more importantly we talk about what I would do differently if I were starting from scratch....
Nov 23, 2021•27 min•Ep. 85
Tacos: The definitive Mexican food. And we’re not talking about the hard-shell with shredded cheese variety. We’re talking about the authentic Mexican soft tortilla with all the fixings kind. But where do they come from? What are the most popular ones? How much does a typical taco cost in Mexico? Which ones are our favorites? Find all that out and more in this episode. Links: 013 - La Comida Mexicana | Mexican Food 017 - El Origen de la Comida Tex Mex | The Origin of Tex Mex Food Spanish Immersi...
Nov 16, 2021•33 min•Ep. 84
Travel doesn’t have to be expensive. In fact, it’s possible to travel for $50 a day or less in most countries. May and I regularly travel around Mexico for as little as $40 a day. How is this possible? Over the years we’ve discovered a number of resources and methods for lowering our costs while maximizing our experiences around the world. In this episode, we share four of our best tips for traveling on a budget. Links: 057 - Una Vida Mejor por Menos | A Better Life for Less 061 - Como Planear V...
Nov 09, 2021•32 min•Ep. 83
Who knew bread could have such a colorful and creepy history? In this episode we talk about pan de muerto or “bread of the dead.” Where does it come from? What does it mean? Where can I get the chocolate filled kind? We answer all these questions and more. Links: 028 - Día de Muertos: Lo Que Tienes Que Saber | Day of the Dead: What You Need to Know 029 - Calaveritas de Azúcar: Origen y Tradición | Sugar Skulls: Origin and Tradition What is Day of the Dead? Experience: Michoacan and Day of the De...
Nov 02, 2021•26 min•Ep. 82
Have you heard about the Llorona (The Weeping Lady)? Legend has it that if you listen carefully, you might just hear her crying in the distance for her deceased children. Latin American culture is full of stories that are passed down from generation to generation. All of these tales were new to me when I first visited Mexico, and if you’re a believer, some are enough to make your hair stand on end. In this episode, we take a deep dive into some of the most popular legends in Mexico and Latin Ame...
Oct 26, 2021•26 min•Ep. 81
Mexico is a big country with a variety of foods, cultures, and climates. But what do we think is the most beautiful city in the country? For us, it’s Guanajuato! A UNESCO World Heritage city located in the heart of the country with the best of everything Mexico has to offer. Learn a bit about this incredible part of Mexico, what makes it so special, and how you can experience it yourself. In this episode, we sit down with Laura Barrón, our assistant teacher and guide on our Spanish Immersion Ret...
Oct 19, 2021•32 min•Ep. 80
Improving your Spanish pronunciation is an important part of your language journey. Not only does speaking clearly greatly improved your chances of being understood correctly, but it will also help you sound more natural when you speak and help build your confidence. In this episode, May and I talk about how to improve your Spanish pronunciation. Links: Your One-Stop Guide to Vowels in Spanish [Las Vocales - A E I O U] How to Roll Your Rs in Spani sh Ep. 042 - Pura Vida con Carlota Morales | Pur...
Oct 12, 2021•14 min•Ep. 79
Puerto Rico is an incredible place to visit, but what is it like to live in “La Isla del Encanto?” After three years of living on the island, we share our thoughts about the pros and cons of life in paradise. Links: Living in Puerto Rico: 17 Things You Should Know Ep. 055 - Mi Camino Hacia la Ciudadanía de EEUU Parte 1 | My Journey to U.S. Citizenship Part 1 Ep. 063 - Mi Camino a la Ciudadanía de EEUU Parte 2 | My Journey to U.S. Citizenship Part 2 Ep. 069 - Sobre Puerto Rico - About Puerto Rico...
Oct 05, 2021•26 min•Ep. 78
From Bigfoot to the Loch Ness Monster, mythical creatures have been a source of intrigue worldwide for millennia. Are there creatures that exist just outside of view? In this episode, we explore the ever-evasive chupacabras, a creature that has both terrified and baffled populations in Latin America and beyond. Is it real? Where does it come from? Find out that and much more in this episode. Links: Ep. 072 - Animales de la Calle | Street Animals Tracking the Chupacabra: The Vampire Beast in Fact...
Sep 28, 2021•26 min•Ep. 77
Ever learn something new in Spanish, only to find what you “learned” has gone out the window the moment you try to use it in a regular conversation? Who hasn’t!? If you’re like most people who don’t automatically remember new concepts or vocabulary right away, then this episode is for you. Learn how to make what you learn in Spanish really stick so you can use it in everyday conversations. Links: Check out Baselang Use our link to get $10 off your first month of unlimited Spanish lessons. Check ...
Sep 21, 2021•20 min•Ep. 76
Did you know there are almost 70 languages recognized as “National Languages” in the country? But that’s not all, it’s estimated that there are around 364 languages spoken all over Mexico! For our second episode in the series about Spanish-speaking countries, we decided to highlight May’s country and share some valuable and interesting information with you. So, this episode is all about Mexico; Its population, geography, most important cities, money, weather, and much more! Links: Spanish Immers...
Sep 14, 2021•31 min•Ep. 75
Hispanic Heritage Month was established to recognize what Hispanic and Latinos have brought to the world in terms of culture and history, but it isn’t without its critics. Often such holidays that are meant to honor different groups of people become overcommercialed and don’t do much to advance general knowledge about what these groups actually contribute to the world. So in this episode, we dive into what this holiday means for some, and how you can better celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. Lin...
Sep 07, 2021•29 min•Ep. 74
Spanish is difficult to learn for a number of reasons. Not only are there differences in word order and accents when compared to English, but you also need to keep track of which words are masculine and feminine. In this episode, we talk about how to overcome these struggles to make the learning process easier. Stay tuned for part two… Links: Why Spanish Is So Hard to Understand [4 Quick & Easy Tips] 10 Hard Words to Pronounce in Spanish | Vlogmas 20 How to Type Spanish Accents on Mac and iP...
Aug 31, 2021•27 min•Ep. 73
Street animals are a common sight in many Spanish-speaking countries. And it seems no matter where we go, we either find them, or they find us. We’ve both helped to foster and find forever homes for many animals over the years, and in this episode, we wanted to share some of those stories with you as well as a number of ways you can help. Whether you’re on the road or flying home, you can help animals in need find their way off the streets and into a caring family. Links: The Triumphant Return o...
Aug 24, 2021•30 min•Ep. 72
Travel is an exciting opportunity, but it’s not risk-free. Scammers have come up with clever ways to take advantage of unsuspecting visitors abroad. Unfortunately, running into someone who’s looking to take advantage of you is a matter of when, not if. But such a situation doesn’t have to end up with you getting ripped off. In this episode, we explore some of the most common travel scams, and what you can do (and say) to keep you and your money safe. Links: The Ultimate Guide to Travel Banking [...
Aug 17, 2021•28 min•Ep. 71
Do you know when to use Hispanic or Latino? What about Latinx or Chicano? If you don’t, you’re not alone. Even Latinos get confused! In this episode, we take a deep dive into what these different terms actually mean and when to use them. But the answer isn’t always black and white. Links: Experience: The Copper Canyon - Las Barrancas del Cobre 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...
Aug 10, 2021•27 min•Ep. 70
Puerto Rico is fascinating place with a complicated history and unique culture. For whatever reason, it’s not often a topic that’s covered in schools in the U.S… even though it’s a U.S. territory. As part of a new “country overview” series on the podcast, we share a brief rundown of Puerto Rico – a place we’ve called home for the past two and a half years. Links: Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico: Pink Lakes, El Faro, and Playa Sucia How to Visit the Bioluminescent Bay in Mosquito Bay in Vieques, Puerto Ri...
Aug 03, 2021•29 min•Ep. 69
Nothing says “Mexico” like tequila. In this episode, we talk about the origins of this quintessential Mexican drink, where it’s produced, how it’s made, how it compares to its cousin mezcal, and more. ¡Salud! Links: “Traditional Drinks You’ve Never Heard of Before” Video 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 comp...
Jul 27, 2021•26 min•Ep. 68
Are you superstitious? If you’ve ever gone out to shew away an owl or flipped a saint figure up-side-down, you just might be Mexican. As a skeptic myself, I was shocked by how superstitious Mexican culture can be. Many Mexicans go out of the way to hedge their bets against the forces of evil in some fascinating ways. In this episode, you’ll learn about 10 different popular superstitions in Mexico. Links: Ep. 066 - Shamanism in Mexico Level up your Spanish with our Podcast Membership Get the full...
Jul 20, 2021•22 min•Ep. 67
Shamanism isn’t just lore from thousands of years ago–it’s still practiced today in Mexico and in many other countries throughout the world. In this episode, we talk about four of the most prominent modern shamans from Mexico, what they were known for, and our thoughts on the custom. Links: Sign up for italki 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 imp...
Jul 13, 2021•31 min•Ep. 66
