Learn Spanish with Stories

It's the final episode of Season 3, so let's admit it: we haven't been fair with Mexico during our podcast's lifetime. Yes, we've talked about the Aztecs, but we've also talked a lot about the border issues, El Chapo, and other negative circumstances in the beautiful country of "El Águila Real" (the Royal Eagle). But it's time to redeem ourselves.In this special DUAL NARRATOR season finale, we meet Ana and Oliver, who join forces to discover the beauty, magic, and power that Mexico has in eve...

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 ...

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 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, ...

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 ...

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...

There could be a war brewing in South America... and it's a conflict that has been a long time coming.You see, Guyana and Venezuela have been fighting a silent battle for centuries over a large territory that makes up two-thirds of Guyana - the Essequibo. During the late 1800s, Venezuela lost this territory to a treaty signed by the United Kingdom and the United States, and things seemed to end there.However, the recent discovery of oil deposits containing up to 700 million barrels of oil (wo...

Love him or hate him, it is clear that Javier Milei has rapidly made himself quite a controversial figure in global politics. Carrying a message that is unique and very different from traditional South American politicians, Milei has vowed to reduce the "parasitic" state in his country.But his appearance may be ideal for the nation, and his recent victory as President of Argentina is a sign that the people of Argentina are tired of the old, stagnant systems of Peronism and Kirchnerism, that k...

Believe it or not, there are communities of people out there who have never been contacted: they've only ever seen a handful of outsiders in their lifetimes, never been on the internet, driven a car (or bicycle) and are still several centuries behind us in terms of technological advancement.It sure is hard to imagine, right? But in fact, that are several communities in South America that are so remote and separated from civilization that they have managed to maintain their ancient traditions ...

Before Simón Bolívar, before José de San Martín, there was someone else. A man who fought for independence not only in South America but in France and the United States, and whose name is the ONLY American one (North or South) to be engraved in the Arc de Triomphe.I'm talking about Francisco de Miranda, who was born around this time of the year in 1750, and who pretty much got the independence efforts going in Venezuela and South America in general.Born into a Spanish family, Miranda actually...