In this episode, Jim and May talk about how it all started. May is a teacher with a bachelor’s degree in Foreign Languages Education. She was born in Manzanillo, a small port city of the state of Colima in Mexico. When May had just graduated from college she was looking for a way to keep practicing her English and improving her pronunciation. A friend told ... Show More
Yesterday
¿Qué Pasó con la ch, ll, y rr? - What happened to “ch,” “ll”, and “rr”?
<p>We walk you through why letters like ch, ll, and even rr used to appear in the Spanish alphabet—and why they were eventually removed. We explain the role of the Real Academia Española and the network of language academies that oversee updates to Spanish, including the move to ... Show More
25m 52s
Nov 18
Español Útil para un Viaje a México - Useful Spanish for a Trip to Mexico
<p>We’re sharing the essential everyday phrases you’ll hear constantly in Mexico — and how to use them confidently and politely. You’ll learn when to say <em>provecho, por favor, gracias, con permiso, disculpa, perdón,</em> and <em>salud</em>, plus the cultural meaning behind eac ... Show More
25m 2s
Nov 11
Me Paró la Policía en Puebla - The Police Stopped Me in Puebla
<p>Before heading to Oaxaca, we had a busy week filled with errands, appointments, and last-minute preparations. But the real story happened when I got pulled over by a police officer for having tinted windows — something that’s perfectly normal in other parts of Mexico but not a ... Show More
33m 30s
Aug 2023
Folk Heroes: Maria Bonita
Maria Bonita (c. 1900 - 1938) was a legendary Brazilian outlaw.
This month, we're talking about Folk Heroes. People whose lives and stories took on mythic proportions.
History classes can get a bad rap, and sometimes for good reason. When we were students, we couldn’t help wonder ... Show More
6m 12s
Jul 2023
Adventurers: Toto Koopman
Toto Koopman (1908-1991) graced the cover of Vogue, spied for the Allied Forces in World World II, and narrowly escaped death in a concentration camp.
This month, we’re talking about adventurers – women who refused to be confined. They pushed the boundaries of where a woman could ... Show More
8m 6s
Dec 2023
Comediennes: Fran Lebowitz
Fran Lebowitz (1950-present) is an American author, humorist, and public speaker. She rose to fame in the 1970s for her distinctive voice and unapologetic humor, often exploring topics such as politics, gender, and the urban experience. She has become a cultural icon for her shar ... Show More
7m 43s
Oct 2022
E110 La versión de nosotros viviendo en un universo paralelo - Español Intermedio
<p>Taylor Swift acaba de publicar su último álbum de estudio: Midnights, o Medianoches en español. Es un álbum que ha compuesto en las medianoches donde algo la mantuvo despierta, sin poder dormir.</p><p>Ella dice que, entre otra cosas, le quitaron el sueño el amor, el desamor, l ... Show More
18m 12s
Dec 2023
Comediennes: Gracie Allen
Gracie Allien (c.1906-1964) was the ditzy housewife of the husband-wife comedy duo George Burns & Gracie Allen. Coming up from the vaudeville scene of the 1920s and 30s into radio, film, and television, Gracie brought charm and sincerity to the “dumb Dora” comedy role, dominating ... Show More
4m 59s