Have you ever succeeded when no one thought you could? That’s what it means to do something against all odds. In today’s episode, Shana begins with a bear story from her front yard in Asheville (yes, one even climbed into her car!), then moves into a lighthearted pun about “bare feet.”

From there, you’ll dive deep into the expression against all odds. You’ll learn its meaning, history, and how to use it naturally in daily conversation. Shana shares incredible real-life examples: the Donner Party pioneers who survived a brutal winter, Eminem rising to the top of rap, the “Miracle on Ice” U.S. hockey victory, and more inspiring stories including Walt Disney, Elvis Presley, Diana Nyad, and Aron Ralston.

By the end, you’ll not only understand the phrase against all odds, but you’ll also feel motivated by stories of triumph in the face of impossible challenges. Stick around for the pronunciation practice to make sure the phrase rolls off your tongue like a native speaker’s—and get ready for next week’s tale of Hugh Glass, the legendary frontiersman who inspired The Revenant.

Mentioned in this Episode

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Think you’ve mastered English prepositions? Think again. In this episode, I sit down with my husband Lucas (an advanced English speaker) to tackle 5 prepositions even fluent speakers still get wrong.

We’ll cover:
✅ Invest ____
✅ Be interested ____
✅ Participate ____ / Take part ____
✅ Spend money ____
✅ Depend ____ / Rely ____

And a few more that came UP naturally in conversation. Can you find them?

You’ll hear real-life examples, fun U.S. culture facts, and some entertaining stories. This is just the tip of the iceberg, but the goal is to have you stop second-guessing yourself and start sounding more natural when you speak. What do you think?

👉 Don’t forget to subscribe for more lessons on American English, culture, and expressions!

Mentioned in this Episode

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In today's episode, you’ll hear the incredible story of a man named Larry Walters, or "Lawn Chair" Larry, who bought over 40 weather balloons, attached them to a lawn chair in his backyard and flew 16,000 feet up in the air.

The story is weird and funny, and it gives way to a larger discussion about “Cluster Ballooning.” I’ll explain challenging words and phrases as I go along!
*****
Premium Content: This episode is part of  By purchasing Season 3 transcripts, you'll be able to access the full episodes, the full PDF transcripts for episodes 101 - 150, an Mp3 download  and the premium podcast player to work on your pronunciation.  

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this wild episode, we dive deep into the Burmese python invasion in Florida’s Everglades, which is one of the most unexpected and dramatic ecological crises in U.S. history.

00:58 - Introduction: Bears, Neighbors & the Python Cowboy

03:23 - The Everglades: An important ecosystem for Florida

05:53 - How Burmese Pythons got to South Florida

06:00 - The rise of python ownership as a trendy, edgy status symbol; Exotic Pets & Loose Laws

09:09 - From Pet to Predator: The Rise of the Python Population

11:17 - Hurricane Andrew & the Reptile Escape

18:25 - How Many Are Out There? Estimating the Python Population

19:59 - Are Pythons Dangerous to Humans?

22:01 - The Python Elimination Program (Paid Hunting)

24:17 - The Florida Python Challenge Explained

25:46 - What Happens to the Snakes After They’re Caught

28:11 - Can We Ever Win? An Uphill Battle

29:44 - Shana’s Creative Snake Solutions

30:22 - High-Tech Tools: Judas Snakes & eDNA

30:58 - Robo-Bunnies and Future Innovations

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ever heard someone say, “Don’t have a hissy fit”? In this episode, we break down this funny, very Southern expression that describes a dramatic overreaction (think tantrum, or an overreaction). You’ll hear real-life examples—from picky eaters at restaurants to Wi‑Fi meltdowns—and find out how “hissy fit” made its way into American English.

Mentioned in this Episode

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yesterday at the library with my girls, a lightbulb went off in my head 💡—fables aren’t just great for kids... they’re perfect for English learners too!

This week on the podcast, we’re diving into one of Aesop’s most famous tales: The Goose & The Golden Egg (or The Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs). 🪿✨ It’s short, memorable, and it teaches a timeless lesson about greed—a perfect jumping-off point to learn advanced adjectives like:

- Greedy

- Selfish

- Inconsiderate

- Ungrateful

- Spoiled

- Entitled

- Gluttonous

- Materialistic

- Impatient

- Insatiable

Whether you want to describe people more accurately, express opinions more clearly, or just sound more natural when speaking English, this episode is packed with real-life vocabulary and pop culture examples (yes, Veruca Salt and Augustus Gloop make an appearance).

Mentioned in this Episode

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at better help.com/AMERICANENGLISH and get on your way to being your best self. 

Ever wondered what life is like in the middle of the U.S.? Tune in to this week’s episode with Bethany Anderson and discover tornado drills, taco pizza, sweet corn, Amish visits, and small towns bursting with culture. You’ll get fun expressions, new vocab, and a fresh view of Iowa you won’t find on any map! 🌟

About Our Guest

Bethany Anderson grew up in Iowa and she currently lives in the town of West Liberty. She owns Anderson Language Center where she teaches English to Spanish speakers living in the U.S. You can contact her through her website, andersonlanguage.com or follow her on Facebook or Instagram.

Improve your English with the AE Podcast

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/AMERICANENGLISH and get on your way to being your best self.

In this immersive summer episode, you'll escape to the sun-drenched shores of an American beach and soak up advanced vocabulary, phrasal verbs, and collocations—all beach-themed and delivered in under 10 minutes (ish 😉).

You'll need to use your imagination for this one. You'll look back on your childhood memories and teenage beach days, from building sandcastles and kite flying to sunbathing and snorkeling. Along the way, you'll learn natural U.S. beach expressions and many beach rules in the U.S.! At the end, I'll give a hot tip on where to go if you're between the ages of 18-24 and want to meet lots of locals!

👙 Vocabulary highlights: bathing suit vs. swimsuit, board shorts, Speedo, skimpy
🔥 Cultural insights: U.S. beach rules, bonfires, beach snacks, and more.
🎧 Perfect for: High Intermediate and Advanced English learners.

👉 For full vocabulary support, exercises, quizzes, and pronunciation practice, check out the Premium Content: All Premium Content Seasons 1-3⁠ (+ discount on Season 4).

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/AMERICANENGLISH and get on your way to being your best self.

In this casual Chats with Shana episode, I’m taking you along on our sweaty summer trip to Charleston, South Carolina. 🌴

You’ll hear about:

Milo’s first vacation (spoiler: he’s a sand-digging pro)

Dining outside in 95° heat… while swatting a swarm of flies

Why Folly Beach is a top spot for shark attacks—and why we still went

A surprise encounter with a horseshoe crab under the pier

The iconic rowboat scene from The Notebook—yep, we went!

Tasting frog legs and learning about frog gigging

The Southern tradition of painting porch ceilings "haint blue" to keep away spirits

Plus, fun facts about pineapples, sweet tea, ghost tours, and more!

You'll also learn natural expressions like “sweating bullets,” “the cherry on top,” “food for thought,” and “to keep something at bay,” all explained as we go.

So grab an iced tea (sweet, of course) and join me for a fun and language-packed adventure through the Palmetto State. 🐊🦈🍍

Mentioned in this Episode

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You may be wondering: What’s the difference between a buffalo and a bison? That was the first question I had when researching this topic. And the answer is—well, a lot. Despite being from the same family (Bovidae), bison and buffalo have different hair, different horn shapes, and different temperaments. Bison are known to be a little bit moody!

So, which one lives in the United States? Technically, bison, but most native English speakers from the U.S. call the bison that roam here “buffalo.”

In today’s episode, you’ll learn about these incredible creatures, the mass slaughter of them on behalf of the U.S. government, and their comeback after being nearly extinct.

I learned so much while making this episode. I hope you do too!

Mentioned in this Episode

Sponsors for this Episode

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices