Learn Spanish with Stories

One of the creepiest tales to come out of Venezuela was that of Dorancel Vargas. A homeless man with severe mental issues who lived outside the city of San Cristobal, Vargas had a fascination that no human should have...


He enjoyed eating human meat. And the ugliest thing of it all isn't that he just feasted on the meat, but the fact that he hunted people down like game, taking special advantage of runners who came through his territory.


In this special DUAL narrator episode, we go over a police case led by Inspector Alfredo Gómez and reporter Elena Ramírez, as they push to capture this terrible monster before he can continue committing heinous crimes on his fellow man (and woman).


Warning: Viewer discretion is advised.


Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/1370

Latin America is beautiful, but it's also dangerous, and I'm not talking about the wildlife here... Holding 6 spots in the top 10 crimes rates worldwide, this region has unfortunately been one of the most deadly in recent decades, and its people have lived in fear of violent crime and terrorism for too long.


And with organizations such as the FARC and ELN, FMLN, the US-backed Contras, Sendero Luminoso, and more, it's no surprise that there's plenty of content for today's episode on the scary past (and present) of Latin America's crime underworld.


We love Latin America (especially as Latin Americans ourselves!) - but today, we'll spend half an hour going through the dark side of the Latino region. Enjoy the episode.


Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/1338

We've given Mexico some love in recent times, after Season 3's finale "Te Amo, México" - and today is no exception. In fact, today we'll talk about how Mexico's modern political structure came to exist.


The nation wasn't always a stable democracy (well, depending on who you ask these days). It has had its up and downs, and its downs have been preeetty low. With multiple authoritarians coming and going, it was inevitable that the people would rise up, and with it... a revolution would start.


You've probably heard of Emiliano Zapata and Pancho Villa, two Mexican heroes... but do you actually know what they did? If the answer is no (and I'm hoping for that, so you can listen to the episode), you're going to enjoy today's episode of the Learn Spanish with Stories podcast!


Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/1337

Do you love chocolate as much as we do (and if you don't, WHY)? Well, in that case, you might be curious as to how we ended up having this delicious sweet all across the world, on every continent. And yes, that includes Antarctica.


Born in the heart of Mesoamerica and originally consumed by the Olmecs, Mayas and Aztecs, cacao (the precursor of chocolate) was discovered by Spanish conquistadors, who decided to take this curious fruit back home with them, which soon led to an explosion of delicious new products.


But I'm done "spoiling" the episode here. You should check it out and unravel the history of cacao, chocolate, and the origin of one of the most delicious desserts you'll ever try, in this episode of the Learn Spanish with Stories podcast!


Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/1305

Have you ever seen flowers in the desert? One of the most curious climate phenomena worldwide is El Niño, which is the irregular warming of sea surface temperatures, which leads to a cascade of effects on weather patterns and ecosystems.


In this episode, we talk about what it involves, how it affects the lives of animals and human beings in Latin America, and what is being done to lessen its effects on people and nature.


Oh, and you'll also learn more about how and why this phenomenon occurs, and you'll find out why I asked you about flowers in the desert - so don't miss it!


Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/1272

Welcome back to the Learn Spanish with Stories podcast, this time for a fourth season! We've returned with a pretty interesting episode about something that isn't talked about enough... Latin America's Space Race!


I bet you know the U.S., the EU, China, India and the Soviet Union (back in the day) had all built amazing missions to space, but Latin America doesn't often come to mind when discussing satellites and spaceflight.


That changes today. In this episode, we will tell you all about how governments in Latin America are starting to pay attention to the universe outside our planet, and using technology to bridge the gap between the Latin world and the immensity of space. So, buckle up and get your astronaut suit, we're lifting off with Season 4!

Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/1271

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 every street corner, every local restaurant, every beating heart...


And we give you a ton of reasons to visit this beautiful and magical nation of the Aztecs. Enjoy our season 3 finale of the Learn Spanish with Stories podcast, and see you soon!


Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/1270

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 is quite a fascinating and interesting one, and it's a story we dive into in our penultimate episode of the third season of the Learn Spanish with Stories podcast! Enjoy the episode, and make sure to prepare your favorite drink before diving in!


Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/1269

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. All of this has caused great controversy.


And that doesn't even cover half of what has happened (or failed to happen) during the planning and proposed construction of this canal. Because even nuclear warheads (?!) have been considered, and yes, we're not kidding. Want to find out more? Check out this week's episode of the Learn Spanish with Stories podcast!


Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/1268

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, as long as they understood what Catholicism meant. This, and the fact that Jesuits believed in communal living, social justice, and a huge respect for the poor, led other branches of Catholicism (and even royal figures) to see them as dangerous Marxists who needed to be eliminated.


But this story has quite a few twists and turns before we get to the end - find out exactly what happened to the Jesuits in Latin America in this week's episode of the Learn Spanish with Stories podcast!


Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/1267