Learn Spanish with Stories

On March 13, 2013, a massive event took place within the Catholic Church – the first ever South American Pope, and the first from outside of Europe since the 8th century, was elected to succeed Pope Benedict XVI, who had resigned earlier.

This came as a shock to many – as respectable as he was, Pope Francis, who is actually called Jorge Mario Bergoglio – was something of a humble and less rigid figure, even considered a progressive by many. He had worked as a bouncer at a club in his youth, gotten involved in political controversies in native Argentina, he… he was different. And still is.

In the 34th episode of our Learn Spanish with Stories podcast, we cover the story of Pope Francis, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, and discover more of how this interesting individual came to represent the head of the largest Christian church on Earth and one of the most powerful institutions on the planet.

Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/1071

Haiti – when you hear the name of this nation, what comes to mind? Usually, you can recall the hurricanes, earthquakes and other horrific tragedies that have hit the island and its people, plunging them further into a state of despair and disaster that they have suffered for decades now.

But Haiti is much more than disaster, pain and suffering. It is a nation with a rich history full of bravery and valor, in which the populace had to fight for its rights and throw off the yoke of French tyranny, along with other colonizers (including the United States!)

In our latest episode of the Learn Spanish with Stories podcast, Episode 33, we venture to this French-speaking part of Hispaniola – an island shared with Dominican Republic, by the way – and learn of the Haitian resilience before tragedy, invasion and political crisis, throughout several centuries of history.

Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/1071

The deserts across the planet are some of the most majestic and impressive destinations you will ever witness; Latin America is no exception. But there is one specific Latin American desert that has managed to blow the minds of even the highest level of scientists on the globe: The Atacama Desert.

Known for being the most arid (driest) desert outside of Antarctica, Atacama has still managed to sustain life, and is the place where you are most likely to have the best visibility of distant stars and galaxies – so much, in fact, that NASA extensively studies space from there.

Furthermore, its potential for tourism is so high that more and more people are crossing Chile and South America to visit it every year. Want to know more? Listen to our latest episode of Learn Spanish with Stories and enjoy!

Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/1070

When thinking of South America, people across the world typically recall Brazil and its beaches, Argentina’s football and history, or perhaps the beautiful northern coasts of Colombia and Venezuela… but you can bet that hardly anybody remembers that the Guianas even exist!

But our goal is to change that: you see, Guyana, Suriname and the French Guiana are extremely singular, lush locations that are just as emblematic to the region as any other country. When you look at their history, their capitals and the people that make up these territories (French Guiana isn’t a “nation”, per se), you’ll realize how special they are and why they should be featured in a podcast episode such as this one.

So, let’s present this episode of Learn Spanish with Stories and tell you – it’s time to discover new lands that you probably didn’t know -anything- about!

Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/1069

You may have heard of “The 33”, a group of miners who were unexpectedly trapped in a mine back in 2010… but do you know the full story? It all started with one big uproar – a loud boom of noise and collapse of earth that would set a series of events in motion that would shift all eyes from across the world to a small mine in the north of Chile. 

A terrible tragedy, a magnificent show of humanity of an entire world united and even the appearance of the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (or NASA, as you may know it as) to bring cutting-edge technology in this battle against time… in short, this is a story you’ll definitely want to hear.

In Episode 30 of our Learn Spanish with Stories podcast, we tell the tale of “The 33” and how hope is humanity’s powerful driving force, no matter the situation.

Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/1068

In the history of world football, we have seen many great legends – men and women who have not only help build the sport, but also bring to it a mythical quality from which the greatest stories have been told. One such figure was Diego Armando Maradona. Born in Argentina to a poor family that lived in a shantytown, this skillful young man would grow up to become one of the best football players ever (some would argue -the best-).

But there are controversies that helped make El Diego who he was – the biggest of many, his “Hand of God” moment – the instant which defined him, his career and his entire legacy, for better or for worse. 

In Episode 29 of our Learn Spanish with Stories podcast, we cover the story of El Pelusa, El Diego or La Mano de Dios, as he known around the world. A man of many facets and a truly wondrous reputation (good or bad, depending on one person to the next), his story will blow your mind.

Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/1067

When traveling across Latin America, especially at night, you may find that some towns and small populations will recommend you to stay indoors after the sun comes out, but why? Sure, some countries aren’t as safe as others, but it’s not always -human- threats that they’re worried about…

You see, in Latin America, there is said to be a number of dark, supernatural threats that await unwary travelers, sometimes monsters with horrific forms, while other times they are what we could have once known as “people” that are now more like bloodthirsty specters and cursed ghosts.

Don’t believe me? Check out our latest episode of Learn Spanish with Stories to discover just how spooky things can get when you’re alone in the dark… it won’t seem so farfetched then!

Just a reminder: if you’re looking to learn how to speak Colombian Spanish – or just know more about the fascinating nation of Colombia – check out the amazing Spanish Colombiano podcast, hosted by Jorge. Find it on: https://www.spanishcolombiano.com/episodios 

Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/1066

For all of its beauty and the “magical realism” that make Latin America such a wonderful place on Earth, even the most passionate of the region’s admirers must accept that the economy can sometimes be a bit… messy. Terrible politics, weak currencies and a general chaotic economic reality make Latin America a roller coaster when it comes to saving and/or investing.

But a potential solution is growing in popularity and utility across the region, as more and more Latin Americans, including entire governments, look to include cryptocurrency into their financial plans. Whether they’re introducing Bitcoin (BTC) as their legal tender, setting up mining farm or simply allowing citizens to trade in these interesting assets, cryptocurrency is taking over Latin America.

Find our more about how NFTs, bitcoin and crypto in general are taking Central, South America and the Caribbean by storm in our latest episode of Learn Spanish with Stories!

Oh, and if you’re looking to learn how to speak Colombian Spanish – or just know more about the fascinating nation of Colombia – check out the amazing Spanish Colombiano podcast, hosted by Jorge. Find it on: https://www.spanishcolombiano.com/episodios 

Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/1065

Latin America has one of the most heterogeneous populations in the world – in other words, you can find countless ethnic groups, backgrounds and cultures that make it a true gem of humanity. One of the most precious groups that can be found in the region is that of the Garifuna (or Garinagu). Descendants of West African and indigenous Central American natives, this group represents not only a mix of cultures but a beautiful fusion of continents separated by an ocean.

But the Garifuna have – in recent times – become victims of persecution and murder due to the greedy ambitions and financial desires of powerful entities, who wish to displace them from their lands and take their homes from them. 

Find out more about the history, culture and struggles of the Garifuna in our latest episode of Learn Spanish with Stories!

Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/1011

One of the things that we seem to know a lot about but strangely, at the same time, not much at all is the Spanish colonization of South America and the Caribbean. Some sources have led us to believe that huge armies of conquistadors traveled from nation to nation, killing, plundering and burning down everything they came across on their conquest… but this couldn’t be further from the truth. 

Mostly explorers (or at least at the beginning they were), the Spanish conquerors of Latin America were able to use brains more than brawn to achieve their objectives: through manipulation of political alliances and rivalries between the natives, psychological trickery and superior military tactics, a few hundred Spaniards were able to take down empires and achieve one of the biggest conquests in the history of humankind. But what happened when these European conquerors started getting too power-hungry and the fighting began between them?

Find out more in the latest episode of the Learn Spanish with Stories podcast by Lingo Mastery!

Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/973