Language & Travel Hacking

In this episode, Benny Lewis and Shannon Kennedy have a conversation with Lindie Botes about learning multiple languages, growing up as a third culture kid, and what it’s like growing up bilingual.

In our chat with Lindie, we discuss transitioning from language learner to language mentor, gaining the confidence you need to put yourself out there, and different systems and processes for keeping track of your language learning.

Featured Resources

• italki
• Anki

Mentioned in this Episode

• italki
• Anki
• Notion
• Lindie’s viral Korean video
• Women in Language
• Lindie Botes
• Lindie’s Instagram
• Lindie’s YouTube
• Lindie’s Twitter

Episode Overview

Some of the topics brought up during the interview are:

• Transitioning from language learner to language mentor
• Gaining the confidence to put yourself out there as a language learner
• How to deal with criticism and ignore trolls as a polyglot YouTuber
• Getting inspiration from a parent language learner
• Being a “third culture kid”
• How a polyglot chooses the languages they learn
• Learning Japanese from Korean with language laddering
• Learning multiple languages at once
• How to learn other writing systems
• Systems and processes for keeping track of your language progress
• How design influences Lindie’s language learning
• How the online language community has influenced Lindie
• Growing up bilingual and whether or not it gives you an advantage learning other languages
• Do you have a different personality in different languages?
• Journaling in another language

Podcast theme: “A New Beginning” by Shannon Kennedy

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In this episode, we chat with Katie Harris, the founder of Joy of Languages, host of Easy Languages Italian and the creator of the #languagediarychallenge. Katie is also a previous student in the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge.

We guarantee that anyone who completes the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge will have a 15-minute conversation in their new language after 90 days of learning. You can find out more here.

Featured Resources

• italki
• Fluent in 3 Months Challenge

Mentioned in this Episode

• italki
• Fluent in 3 Months Challenge
• Joy of Languages
• Five Minute Italian Podcast
• Easy Languages
• Katie’s Instagram
• Katie’s YouTube
• Jessica’s Facebook

Episode Overview

Some of the topics brought up during the interview are:

• Moving to Italy, living in Italy and avoiding the English bubble
• Finding joy when learning languages and motivating yourself with cocktails!
• Doing something you love in another language vs doing something you love while learning another language
• How to feel calm before a video conversation
• Katie’s experience with the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge
• What to do when the novelty wears off in language learning
• The importance of language learning communities
• Journaling in a foreign language on Instagram
• Katie’s experience as a host of Easy Languages and overcoming the nerves around approaching strangers in another language
• Watching hours of French reality TV
• Learning multiple languages

Podcast theme: “A New Beginning” by Shannon Kennedy

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This episode features Evelyn, who learned conversational Korean in just 90 days with the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge.

We actually guarantee that anyone who completes the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge will have a 15-minute conversation in their new language after 90 days of learning. You can find out more here.

In our chat with Evelyn shares how she made huge leaps forward in her Korean learning with the support of community in the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge.

Featured Resources

• Fluent in 3 Months book
• Fluent in 3 Months Challenge

Mentioned in this Episode

• Fluent in 3 Months book
• Fluent in 3 Months Challenge
• LingQ
• Anki

Episode Overview

Some of the topics brought up during the interview are:

• How to maintain motivation through community
• Fighting perfectionism when learning a very different language
• Why the resources you use don’t matter as much as the time you’re putting in
• Having success during lockdown with the Fluent in 3 Months challenge
• Keys to her success with the Korean language and what makes Korean easy
• How the community helped her overcome learning plateaus
• Using drills to learn Korean
• Thinking differently because of Korean
• Understanding Gangnam Style
• How to deal with bad days in language learning

Podcast theme: “A New Beginning” by Shannon Kennedy

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In this episode, we talk to US memory champion Nelson Dellis about learning a heritage language, teaching his kids new languages, and memory hacks used by the champions.

Featured Resources

• Preply
• Drops
• Memory Superpowers

Mentioned in this Episode

• Preply
• Drops
• Memory Superpowers
• Nelson’s Dutch Words Video
• Nelson Dellis
• Nelson’s Instagram
• Nelson’s YouTube
• Nelson’s Facebook
• Nelson’s Twitter

Episode Overview

Some of the topics brought up during the interview are:

• Going from memory champion to language learner
• Learning Flemish to get closer to his family
• Memory champion techniques to learning languages
• Using images to remember words
• Breaking down words for easier recall
• Enhancing your memory in a short space of time
• The power of speaking and language exposure
• Multigenerational learning: learning with his mom and teaching his son
• Fixing fossilized errors
• Using Drops to learn words when starting a language
• Balancing revision vs learning

Podcast theme: “A New Beginning” by Shannon Kennedy

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This episode features Nissa, who learned conversational Bengali in just 90 days with the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge.

We guarantee that anyone who completes the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge will have a 15-minute conversation in their new language after 90 days of learning. You can find out more here.

Nissa shares about learning a less-commonly-taught language, and coming to understand herself through languages.

Featured Resources

• Fluent in 3 Months Challenge

Mentioned in this Episode

• Fluent in 3 Months Challenge

Episode Overview

Some of the topics brought up during the interview are:

• Understanding the world and herself better through languages
• Studying French in high school as a good student but still not being able to speak the language
• Breaking through the comprehension wall
• Learning Bengali with the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge
• Learning a language with few or no resources
• Making real progress in a short period of time by focusing on processes
• Overcoming perfectionism and fear of making mistakes
• How to best undertake a 90 Day Challenge and Dream Teams
• Learning with a nonnative speaker
• Best ways to utilize a language tutor
• Learning Yupik, an Eskimo language
• Giving up on languages

Podcast theme: “A New Beginning” by Shannon Kennedy

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Judith Meyer is the writer behind Teach Yourself’s Script Hacking series, creator of LearnYu, and several other language learning resources and tools.

In this episode, Judith Meyer, renowned polyglot and language educator shares how she uses unique, specialized language goals to make progress in her languages quickly. She also discusses her involvement in the creation and development of several language courses and resources.

Featured Resources

• Complete Esperanto
• Script Hacking Series

Mentioned in this Episode

• Learnyu
• Complete Esperanto
• Script Hacking Series
• Learnlangs
• Judith’s YouTube
• Judith’s Twitter

Episode Overview

Some of the topics brought up during the interview are:

• How Judith learned Esperanto online
• How she uses specific language goals to motivate herself
• How she prepared to give a speech in Indonesian
• How to get comfortable learning a language outside of the European language family
• How she manages to maintain multiple languages
• Motivation in language learning and her struggles learning Arabic
• How learning languages has opened up so many opportunities
• Picking resources based on your needs as a learner
• Her work developing language learning books and courses

Podcast theme: “A New Beginning” by Shannon Kennedy

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Lindsay Williams of Lindsay Does Languages is a co-founder of Women in Language, the creator of Language Stories, and is passionate about language learning.

In this episode, Lindsay Williams joins us to discuss traveling around the world while learning languages, recording her docuseries and podcast Language Stories, and what it’s like being a “language dabbler”.

Featured Resources

• Not a Year Off
• Language Planner
• 100 Creative Ideas for Solo Language Learners
• Successful Self Study
• Online Teachers Starter Kit

Mentioned in this Episode

• Lanugage Stories
• LiveLingua
• Essential Vocabulary
• Not a Year Off
• Language Planner
• 100 Creative Ideas for Solo Language Learners
• Successful Self Study
• Online Teachers Starter Kit
• Lindsay’s Instagram
• Lindsay’s YouTube
• Lindsay’s Facebook

Episode Overview

Some of the topics brought up during the interview are:

• Moving to Costa Rica for three months at 18 years old
• Her experience traveling around the world with her husband Ashley creating Language Stories
• Advice for learning indigenous languages (Guarani)
• Keeping up language learning while backpacking around Latin America
• Maximizing immersion experiences
• Plan of action for learning a language before a big trip
• Being a “language dabbler”
• Habit stacking, habit chaining, and time management
• Language learning systems, goals, and routines
• How to teach and be taught languages

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Jessica Tefenkgi Ruelle of French Sunnyside teaches mindfulness to language learners. She helps learners discover their authentic selves through self-awareness, journaling, and other coaching techniques.

In this episode, Jessica shares how to be more mindful in language learning and improve your self-awareness, how to create a new identity in another language, and tips for journaling in another language.

Featured Resources

• French Sunnyside Membership
• French Sunnyside Journaling Program

Mentioned in this Episode

• French Sunnyside Membership
• French Sunnyside Journaling Program
• French Sunnyside
• Jessica’s Instagram
• Jessica’s YouTube
• Jessica’s Facebook

Episode Overview

Some of the topics brought up during the interview are:

• Blending mindfulness, self-awareness, and languages
• Discovering yourself through the language
• Creating a new identity in a different language
• Overcoming fear using mindfulness
• Importance of knowing your why and how it’s particular helpful when you hit the intermediate plateau
• Journaling in a foreign language
• Going on retreats in a foreign language
• How to help language learners work through personal stories and open themselves up

Podcast theme: “A New Beginning” by Shannon Kennedy

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Jonathan Huggins first discovered his love for learning languages when he started diving into his father’s language learning library. That passion brought him to France to study music and continues to be a part of his life as he teaches English online while living abroad and raising his kids to speak multiple languages.

In this episode, we chat with Jonathan about why classroom learning worked for him, how to learn languages in the age of distraction, and how to create sustainable language routines.

Featured Resources

• Fluent in 3 Months Challenge
• 30 Day Speaking Challenge

Mentioned in this Episode

• French in Action
• Pimsleur
• Toefl
• Fluent in 3 Months Challenge
• 30 Day Speaking Challenge
• Jonathan’s site
• Jonathan’s Instagram
• Jonathan’s YouTube
• Jonathan’s Facebook

Episode Overview

Some of the topics brought up during the interview are:

• How he excelled at classroom learning
• Learning in the age of distraction
• Sticking to one method and system
• Raising multilingual children
• Studying music abroad and in another language
• Creating sustainable language routines
• Recommendations for the first few months of language learning
• Common misconceptions and stereotypes about language learning
• Parallels between learning languages and learning music
• Using Instagram and social media to learn languages

Podcast theme: “A New Beginning” by Shannon Kennedy

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Benny Lewis chats with Shannon Kennedy and Caitlin Sacasas about how they use the language app Drops. Drops is a visual, vocabulary language learning game that helps you build your foundation in a new language in 5-minute sessions.

Shannon and Caitlin share why they love Drops, how they use the app, and how Drops teaches vocab without translation.

Featured Links

• Fluent in 3 Months Black Friday Deals
• Drops

Mentioned in this Episode

• Drops
• Fluent in 3 Months Challenge
• Terrace House
• Shannon’s Italian Refresh
• Holly’s Mosalingua Review
• Shannon’s Instagram
• Language Hacking Interview with Will John
• Gus on the Go

Episode Overview

Some of the topics brought up during the interview are:

• The history of Drops and its multinational background
• Why Drops focuses on helping learners with just one thing
• How Drops pays special attention to teaching a language through games
• Learning a language without translation
• Keeping up your language learning motivation and how Drops’ 2-Day Rule
• How 5 minutes a day adds up to a language learning habit and lots of learned words
• Why learning vocabulary is so important
• The difference between the free version of Drops and Drops Premium
• How Drops decides on what new content gets added
• Learning travel essentials with Drops’ “Travel Talk” feature
• Drops partnership with K-pop star and artist Amber Liu
• Language laddering with Drops

Podcast theme: “A New Beginning” by Shannon Kennedy

Join Our Patreon

Enjoy the podcast? Subscribe to our Patreon to get access to bonus content and monthly exclusives.