While today we may recognize Medellín as a beautiful city that is not only welcoming of tourists and digital nomads but also a safe place to live, it was not this way just a few decades ago… You see, in the 1980s and early 1990s, a wanted criminal known Pablo Escobar had made this city – as well as much of Colombia – his personal territory in which he would grow what was the biggest drug trade business in history. It didn’t only earn him much riches and recognition, even being named on the Fo...

Pablo Escobar, "Plata o Plomo" (Pablo Escobar, Plata o Plomo)

Learn Spanish with Stories is the number one podcast for upper beginner to intermediate Spanish learners. The main objective of this podcast is to give students fun and interesting stories from Latin America to help students with Spanish immersion. You can read while you listen if you head over to podcast.lingomastery.com to find the transcript.

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Do you like tea? Sure, maybe. But have you ever tried (or seen someone else try) yerba mate? Mate goes beyond just a drink. It goes beyond the English tea time or that of other cultures. It's something which is almost... spiritual, you know?Having started as a tradition among the Guarani people and then adopted by Spanish colonizers, this drink has spread across the world and is now seen consumed by European athletes, Hollywood artists, and even... U.S. presidents?!The story behind mate ...

Mate, A Drink that Transcends Borders (El Mate, Una Bebida que Atraviesa Fronteras)

You know of the Panama Canal (we already talked about it in Season 1 if you didn't), but you probably had no idea that a second canal has been in plans for a very, very long time now - one that passes through Nicaragua (that's north of Panama).But the delays haven't just been a problem of bureaucracy and budget... the canal would actually have to pass through a delicate natural reserve, where both humans and animals coexist, as well as a lake that certain endangered species call their home. A...

The Nicaragua Canal, An Unfinished Dream (El Canal de Nicaragua, Un Sueño Inconcluso)

The Jesuits were a Catholic order that was founded in Europe, but which soon expanded to South America to spread the word of God - mainly to Paraguay.However, they had a different way of evangelizing, which made them as interesting as it did controversial... hated, even. You see, the Jesuits didn't believe in forcing their beliefs on the local indigenous tribes or forcing conversion.Instead, they integrated themselves into the indigenous beliefs and allowed the natives to express themselves, ...

Jesuits in Latin America, a Legacy of Transformation (Jesuitas en América Latina, un Legado de Transformación)

While not a country we hear about often these days, Nicaragua has gone through quite a turbulent history that has left it with long-lasting economic, political and social scars.And leaving aside the subject of Daniel Ortega, current dictator of Nicaragua and one of the longest-lasting presidential terms in the world (with 26 interrupted years in power), Nicaragua's Sandinista revolution, in particular, brought massive transformation to the country, although with great controversy attached to ...

Sandinista Revolution, the Battle for the Heart of Nicaragua (Revolución Sandinista, la Batalla por el Corazón de Nicaragua)

If you want to see historic sights everywhere you go, you go to Europe. But if you want to have fun, Latin America is the place to be.Known as the land of dance, music, and smiles, Latin America just has "something else" that makes it a spicy and sweet combination of great food, fantastic nightlife, and quick friendships unlike any other. It's in the culture. It might even be in the genes, if we dug deeper (hmmm...)But that's still too vague, right? How exactly is this culture of enjoyment ex...

Pablo Escobar, "Plata o Plomo" (Pablo Escobar, Plata o Plomo)

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