In this episode I interview Miguel, co-owner of Lima Cantina in Perth, and massive foodie. We talk about his journey in the hospitality industry and how food, drinks and music have helped him learn, teach and share culture over time.

Miguel, a Peruvian who moved to Spain in 2001, fell in love with the industry and eventually opened a tapas bar in Barcelona. He met his wife, Mel, in Barcelona, and they moved to Melbourne before settling in Perth.

We talk about the establishment of Lima Cantina, which focuses on authentic Peruvian cuisine and is the only Pisco bar in Western Australia. Miguel emphasizes the importance of passion in hospitality and the unique cultural fusion in Peruvian food, highlighting the significance of Pisco and the evolution of Peruvian cuisine.

Finally, we use this as an excuse to talk about food related slang and expressions and different variations in both Spanish and English.

If you would like a transcript for this episode, find all content and have a say in the creative process, think about becoming a patron:

patreon.com/AustraliansTeachEnglish

Or check out my other podcast - IELTS in the Sun - the podcast to help you prepare your English exam:

https://open.spotify.com/show/7wVfUn2wKiQxlE47vLudmc?si=VWsuUzo-T4esfb1KnjW3aA

You might remember Ashley Kalagian Blunt from the previous episode, “Down Under”. In this episode, I talk to Ashley about her academic work on the Armenian Genocide and genocides in general. In her novella, ‘My Name is Revenge’, she uses the tale of Simpson and His Donkey as a way of understanding different viewpoints of history.

Given this week is ANZAC Day, I invited her on the show to talk about the links between the ANZAC invasion of Gallipoli and the links to the Armenian Genocide.

Ashley highlights the parallels between the Armenian Genocide and the Holocaust. We also discuss the Armenian Diaspora, the influence of Armenian language and culture, and the importance of recognising historical atrocities to prevent future genocides.

Genocide is a feature of human history and Australian history is not immune from that. We talk about the Tasmanian genocide, The Conquest of the Desert, The Armenian Genocide and the Holocaust, as well as genocides currently occurring. We discuss what they have in common and what are some of the features of these inhumane events.

We leave with commentary about what we can possibly do to make this world a safer and more positive place, using Simpson and His Donkey as an example.

If you would like a transcript for this episode, find all content and have a say in the creative process, think about becoming a patron:

patreon.com/AustraliansTeachEnglish

Or check out my other podcast - IELTS in the Sun - the podcast to help you prepare your English exam:

https://open.spotify.com/show/7wVfUn2wKiQxlE47vLudmc?si=VWsuUzo-T4esfb1KnjW3aA

It might seem that coming “down under” from “up over” would seem an easy transition for a fellow English speaker. Especially if that person is from Canada. After all, it’s just Australia with snow, right? But that’s not the case.

When I was browsing my local library, I came across a fascinating book – How to be Australian. It is the best book I’ve read on culture shock, and it happens to be explained by an English speaker in Australia.

I decided to invite the author, Ashley Kalagian Blunt, to the show to talk about her experiences in Australia.

In this episode, we talk about the similarities and differences between Australia and Canada, and some key aspects that might help you if you are trying to adjust to Australia.

If you would like a transcript for this episode, find all content and have a say in the creative process, think about becoming a patron:

patreon.com/AustraliansTeachEnglish

Or check out my other podcast - IELTS in the Sun - the podcast to help you prepare your English exam:

https://open.spotify.com/show/7wVfUn2wKiQxlE47vLudmc?si=VWsuUzo-T4esfb1KnjW3aA

When people go to a kid’s party for the first time in Australia, they might be confronted with something called “fairy bread”. So, I thought I’d invite an expert on kids to the show, Erika Deery, to help explain some of these oddities.

Erika is the author of several bilingual children's books featuring a character called Millie. While she is on the show to talk about this, we take the opportunity to discuss some different philosophies about bilingualism and raising bilingual kids.

And of course, we talk about what to expect at a kid’s party and explain the history of fairy bread.

Erika’s work can be found at: https://www.milliebooks.com/

And on social media with the same name.

If you would like a transcript for this episode, find all content and have a say in the creative process, think about becoming a patron:

patreon.com/AustraliansTeachEnglish

Or check out my other podcast - IELTS in the Sun - the podcast to help you prepare your English exam:

https://open.spotify.com/show/7wVfUn2wKiQxlE47vLudmc?si=VWsuUzo-T4esfb1KnjW3aA

Did Punk and Grunge originate in Australia? I’ll let you be the judge. But they certainly had their roots in Australia.

Michael is my oldest friend, the creator of the music in my podcasts, and a muso. So, I invited him on the show to talk about one of our favourite themes – Australian music.

We talk about the culture of Australian music and how sleepy towns like Perth and Brisbane have gone on to shape music history across the world.

We talk about our favourite bands and give you some pointers as to where to go if you want to listen to music to improve your English.

We also discuss what it is like to be so “un-Australian” and to be born on Australia Day, as Michael is.

If you love music, then this is another episode for you!

If you would like a transcript for this episode, find all content and have a say in the creative process, think about becoming a patron:

patreon.com/AustraliansTeachEnglish

Or check out my other podcast - IELTS in the Sun - the podcast to help you prepare your English exam:

https://open.spotify.com/show/7wVfUn2wKiQxlE47vLudmc?si=VWsuUzo-T4esfb1KnjW3aA

When people first arrive in Australia, one of the first locals they are likely to meet is the “Bin Chicken”. So, I invited the expert on ‘Bin Chickens’ to the show. John Martin became fascinated with the Ibis whilst studying “pest” species in Australia. And they are an incredibly interesting bird in urban ecology.

In this episode, learn about the ‘Bin Chicken’, how they came to be known as such, and their adaptability to new environments and experiences – just like a language learner.

It is also an excellent opportunity to get involved in citizen science, which is a great way to reduce culture shock, and to acclimatise to a new environment.

If you would like a transcript for this episode, find all content and have a say in the creative process, think about becoming a patron:

patreon.com/AustraliansTeachEnglish

Or check out my other podcast - IELTS in the Sun - the podcast to help you prepare your English exam:

https://open.spotify.com/show/7wVfUn2wKiQxlE47vLudmc?si=VWsuUzo-T4esfb1KnjW3aA

Earlier this year, Francisco starred in a short video that went viral. In it, he used a couple of classic Australianisms to say good-bye. So, naturally, being the last episode of the year, I invited him on the show to talk about it.

Francisco reflects on his shock when first arriving in Australia and gives some great advice for others when arriving.

I hope you enjoy this episode and it is hooroo for another year from me, Glen.

My brother Paul is fresh off competing in the green and gold, lifting stacks of weight and winning a world championship in powerlifting. You might remember him from a previous episode - heaps, so I thought it was an opportune time to talk about his recent achievement in lifting stacks.

We talk about the different ways we can use the word stack or stacks and related terms.

We also talk about his professional role in the health and safety industry and his previous role as a safety inspector for worksafe. I wanted to have him on my show for this reason, to give advice to any workers in Australia struggling to have difficult conversations about safety in the workplace. There are strategies for you in this episode if you are one of those people.

Paul also shares his experience with a shoulder injury that required him to reassess his goals, leading to a more realistic approach to competing in the world championships, and how this approach is applicable to learning.

I hope you enjoy this fun and practical episode!

Diana Paez, a documentary filmmaker from Colombia, discusses her journey to Australia, where she studied filmmaking at Deakin University. She highlights her passion for docos and human stories, particularly around identity and migration. Diana's recent work, "Nuestras Voces," explores the lives of Spanish-speaking migrants in Australia from the 1960s to 1980s.

Diana emphasizes the importance of embracing accents and using them as a strength. She is currently working on a new doco focusing on migrant women and their experiences with accents.

We talk about how docos can be an extremely useful tool in learning language through being exposed to comprehensible input.

Ella Sabljak is a two-time Paralympian, rose gold medal winner, educator, and proud representative of the green and gold amongst many other things. I invited her on the show to discuss her journey in wheelchair sports and to talk about her work to promote inclusivity in schools.

Ella shares her experience transitioning from wheelchair basketball to wheelchair rugby, highlighting her bronze medal win at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. She explains the unique aspects of wheelchair rugby, including its classification system and the bonus points for female players. Ella also discusses her role in promoting disability awareness and inclusion through education and her involvement with the World Anti-Doping Agency.

We also talk about how the "Green and Gold" came to be our national colours and what wearing these colours means to Ella.