🇮🇹 Italy: Expectations vs. Reality – My Experience in Milan

This week, I’m joined by Federica, one of the most impressive non-native English speakers I’ve ever met, to unpack my complicated experience living in Milan.

💡 In this episode, we discuss:

• 🍕 My dream of living ‘La Dolce Vita’ vs. the harsh reality
• 👨‍💼 Toxic office culture & bizarre work expectations in Italy
• 🤝 Why making friends in Milan was impossible
• 📜 Italy’s paradoxes: a country of beauty, culture… & inefficiency
• 🏛 Is the UK becoming more like Italy in terms of bureaucracy & politics?
• 🇮🇹 Federica’s take: A proud Italian’s love-hate relationship with her homeland

This is an insightful, high-level English episode, full of reflections on culture, expectations, and the reality of life in Italy.

📖 Want to improve your English even more?

• Read the full transcript & vocabulary flashcards → www.morethanalanguage.com
• Follow us on Instagram → @BritishEnglishandBeyond
• Watch us on Youtube → @englishandbeyondpodcast
• Email your thoughts or questions → [email protected]

🎙 New episodes every week! Subscribe now to practise listening, expand your vocabulary, and learn English in a natural, fun way.

And remember, if this podcast is a little too tough for you, we have "English and Beyond: Intermediate English Podcast" too!

🎓 Oxford: Reality vs. Myth – My Honest Experience

For the first time ever, I’m going solo on the podcast! While César enjoys his holiday, I’m following his strict instructions to discuss the reality of the (in)famous University of Oxford.

💡 What’s in this episode?

• 🎭 The myths & realities of Oxford life
• 🏛 How hard is it really to get in?
• 📚 Why the tutorial system is so intense
• 🎓 Why so many UK politicians studied there
• 🍷 The ‘work hard, party hard’ social scene
• 🤯 The pressure & mental health challenges of Oxford students
• 🗣 Why I feel awkward even mentioning I went to Oxford

Oxford is one of the world’s most prestigious universities, but is it really the academic utopia people think it is? Or is it just an overrated, elitist relic of the past? I share my personal stories and opinions on what it’s really like to study there.

📖 Want to improve your English even more?

• Read the full transcript & vocabulary flashcards → www.morethanalanguage.com
• Follow us on Instagram → @BritishEnglishandBeyond
• Watch us on Youtube → @englishandbeyondpodcast
• Email your thoughts or questions → [email protected]

🎙 New episodes every week! Subscribe now to practise listening, expand your vocabulary, and learn English in a natural, fun way.

And remember, if this podcast is a little too tough for you, we have "English and Beyond: Intermediate English Podcast" too!

😨 Why Am I So Afraid of Being ‘Cancelled’?

This week, César and I dive into one of my biggest fears—Cancel Culture. I explain in more detail why I (still) don’t use my face to promote this podcast and share my (hopefully) irrational anxiety about becoming the next person to be publicly shamed for an opinion I didn’t even realise was controversial.

In this episode, we discuss:

❌ What cancel culture actually is
💬 Why I’m nervous about expressing opinions online
📢 The pressure to not only think the ‘right’ thing but also say it loudly
📖 How past generations had more space to ‘learn’ without fear of social media backlash
🤔 Is shame always a bad thing, or can it serve a purpose?

📖 Want to improve your English even more?

• Read the full transcript & vocabulary flashcards → www.morethanalanguage.com
• Follow us on Instagram → @BritishEnglishandBeyond
• Watch us on Youtube → @englishandbeyondpodcast
• Email your thoughts or questions → [email protected]

🎙 New episodes every week! Subscribe now to practise listening, expand your vocabulary, and learn English in a natural, fun way.

And remember, if this podcast is a little too tough for you, we have "English and Beyond: Intermediate English Podcast" too!

If something bad happens to you, how should you react? Should you fully express your emotions or try to stay detached? Is grief always bad? Is happiness always good?

In this episode, César and I take a deep dive into Stoicism, the ancient philosophy that teaches us how to navigate life’s highs and lows with balance and resilience. We discuss:

🛡️ What Stoicism is and where it comes from
🧠 How it helps us handle emotions and uncertainty
😌 Whether it’s possible (or even desirable) to stay ‘calm’ at all times
🔄 Why modern ideas of resilience are surprisingly similar to Stoicism

We also challenge some common misconceptions, like whether Stoicism means ignoring emotions entirely. Can we really detach ourselves from pain and joy? Or do our emotions give meaning to life?

📖 Want to improve your English even more?

• Read the full transcript & vocabulary flashcards → www.morethanalanguage.com
• Follow us on Instagram → @BritishEnglishandBeyond
• Watch us on Youtube → @englishandbeyondpodcast
• Email your thoughts or questions → [email protected]

🎙 New episodes every week! Subscribe now to practise listening, expand your vocabulary, and learn English in a natural, fun way.

And remember, if this podcast is a little too tough for you, we have "English and Beyond: Intermediate English Podcast" too!

Does your foreign accent make you feel insecure when speaking English? You're not alone! In this episode, I’m joined by my good friend Franziska, who has lived in the UK for nine years and still struggles with her German accent. Together, we dive into the realities of accents in language learning:

🔹 Why accents matter so much to language learners
🔹 How perceptions of accents impact confidence & identity
🔹 The unexpected struggles of mastering English – even after years abroad
🔹 How Latin (yes, really!) helped both of us avoid speaking fears in school
🔹 Can you ever fully lose your foreign accent?

Franziska shares her insecurities, her experiences with judgment, and whether she regrets never taking pronunciation classes. It’s an honest, insightful, and sometimes funny discussion about the challenges and realities of sounding "foreign" in another language.

📖 Want to improve your English even more?

• Read the full transcript & vocabulary flashcards → www.morethanalanguage.com
• Follow us on Instagram → @BritishEnglishandBeyond
• Watch us on Youtube → @englishandbeyondpodcast
• Email your thoughts or questions → [email protected]

🎙 New episodes every week! Subscribe now to practise listening, expand your vocabulary, and learn English in a natural, fun way.

And remember, if this podcast is a little too tough for you, we have "English and Beyond: Intermediate English Podcast" too!

What happens when you spend years learning a language… and then forget it? 🤯

In this episode, I’m joined by my dear friend Laura, and together, we take a trip down memory lane to our language-learning adventures in Beijing. We talk about:

• How we met while studying Mandarin in China 🇨🇳
• The joys and pitfalls of language learning – and why it disappears so quickly!
• Whether speaking a different language changes your personality 🤔
• Laura’s workplace email disaster (she accidentally emailed Christ instead of Chris for six months!)
• The reality of moving abroad and why some expats never truly integrate

Join us for a fun and insightful chat filled with memories, cultural differences, and a few embarrassing language mishaps!

📖 Want to improve your English even more?

• Read the full transcript & vocabulary flashcards → www.morethanalanguage.com
• Follow us on Instagram → @BritishEnglishandBeyond
• Watch us on Youtube → @englishandbeyondpodcast
• Email your thoughts or questions → [email protected]

🎙 New episodes every week! Subscribe now to practise listening, expand your vocabulary, and learn English in a natural, fun way.

And remember, if this podcast is a little too tough for you, we have "English and Beyond: Intermediate English Podcast" too!

What makes a relationship work? In this special episode, César and I take an honest, unscripted look at our eight-year relationship, from our first meeting to navigating cultural differences and conflicts. With César feeling under the weather and my voice barely holding up, it’s the perfect storm for some genuine British awkwardness!

💡 What We Cover:
✔️ How we met (and why I never left Spain!)
✔️ How long-distance relationships shaped us
✔️ The challenges of living and working together
✔️ The differences in British and Spanish relationship dynamics
✔️ The realities of love, compromise, and occasional moody moments!

📖 Want to improve your English even more?

• Read the full transcript & vocabulary flashcards → www.morethanalanguage.com
• Follow us on Instagram → @BritishEnglishandBeyond
• Watch us on Youtube → @englishandbeyondpodcast
• Email your thoughts or questions → [email protected]

🎙 New episodes every week! Subscribe now to practise listening, expand your vocabulary, and learn English in a natural, fun way.

And remember, if this podcast is a little too tough for you, we have "English and Beyond: Intermediate English Podcast" too!

We’ve all had terrible bosses, but how do they shape our work lives? In this episode, César and I discuss our personal experiences with bad managers, workplace culture, and toxic leadership. We explore:

✔️ Why so many bosses are bad at their jobs
✔️ How different workplace cultures affect management styles
✔️ The impact of micromanagement, power struggles, and bad leadership
✔️ How the pandemic has changed the way we work
✔️ What makes a good boss—and why they’re so rare

📖 Want to improve your English even more?

• Read the full transcript & vocabulary flashcards → www.morethanalanguage.com
• Follow us on Instagram → @BritishEnglishandBeyond
• Watch us on Youtube → @englishandbeyondpodcast
• Email your thoughts or questions → [email protected]

🎙 New episodes every week! Subscribe now to practise listening, expand your vocabulary, and learn English in a natural, fun way.

And remember, if this podcast is a little too tough for you, we have "English and Beyond: Intermediate English Podcast" too!

Is Instagram making us more narcissistic? Or is self-obsession just part of human nature? In this episode of English and Beyond, César and I explore how social media fuels vanity, self-image issues, and the need for validation—and what we can learn from the ancient Greek myth of Narcissus.

We discuss:
✅ How selfies and filters create unrealistic beauty standards
✅ The psychology of Instagram and its effect on self-esteem
✅ César’s confession about using beauty filters
✅ Why I avoid social media (and why it might be a good idea)
✅ Should we ban Instagram? Would life be better without social media?

📖 Want to improve your English even more?

• Read the full transcript & vocabulary flashcards → www.morethanalanguage.com
• Follow us on Instagram → @BritishEnglishandBeyond
• Watch us on Youtube → @englishandbeyondpodcast
• Email your thoughts or questions → [email protected]

🎙 New episodes every week! Subscribe now to practise listening, expand your vocabulary, and learn English in a natural, fun way.

And remember, if this podcast is a little too tough for you, we have "English and Beyond: Intermediate English Podcast" too!

Jealousy: Why Do We Feel It & Can It Be a Good Thing?

Jealousy is a powerful emotion—sometimes it drives us to succeed, and sometimes it makes us miserable. In this episode of English and Beyond, César and I dive into personal experiences with envy, comparison, and self-improvement.

💭 Key Topics:

• Why we get jealous & how it shapes our behaviour
• When jealousy motivates us vs. when it becomes toxic
• Cultural attitudes towards jealousy in relationships, careers & friendships
• How to deal with jealousy in a healthy way

Perfect for intermediate-advanced English learners! Expect engaging discussion, natural English, and practical insights to help you expand your vocabulary and listening skills.

📖 Want to improve your English even more?

• Read the full transcript & vocabulary flashcards → www.morethanalanguage.com
• Follow us on Instagram → @BritishEnglishandBeyond
• Watch us on Youtube → @englishandbeyondpodcast
• Email your thoughts or questions → [email protected]

🎙 New episodes every week! Subscribe now to practise listening, expand your vocabulary, and learn English in a natural, fun way.

And remember, if this podcast is a little too tough for you, we have "English and Beyond: Intermediate English Podcast" too!