Do all men in Latin America look like footballer James Rodriguez? What is el amor latino? Is machismo still a key feature of Latin American society? Today we take an interesting look at all of these questions and discuss the role of men – particularly younger men - in modern Latin America. This is a fascinating episode so we hope you enjoy it!

This Spanish audio podcast looks at how to speak to people in Latin America. We discuss differences in how open people are in different Latin countries, and share 5 questions that many people may ask you – according to Cristian’s guide book! We also tell you in which countries you will probably be able to practice more Spanish (as people are really friendly), as well as other interesting topics of conversation… In short, this podcast explains why we decided to focus our audio podcasts on a certain part of the Spanish-speaking world!

In a recent survey, Colombia was among the happiest countries in the world. Many other Latin American countries, such as Costa Rica and Peru, also feature among the happiest! So in today’s podcast we look at some of the reasons why Colombia is among the happiest countries – from the strange to the not so strange! And some of them reasons might not be what you think…

In some Western countries, beauty queens and beauty pageants seem rather old-fashioned. But in various Latin American countries they remain very popular. In this episode we discuss how you win a beauty pageant, other types of reinado, and some recent controversies from beauty pageants. Oh and how one Latin American country recently won Miss Universe…

The Archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina is formed of a group of Colombian islands far removed from the Colombian mainland. They are idyllic tropical islands, many of which are close to Nicaragua. In this episode we talk about what you can do in this vacation destination, as well as tales of pirates and how English is an official language there!

Many people in Latin America work six days a week, which means that people’s days without work are even more precious. In this episode, we discuss the variety of events that happen on domingo – from family outings and cultural events to church and food! And Cristian also wonders whether people are particularly ‘relaxed’ on a Sunday… Paola is not impressed!

Many of us have heard of the Rio carnival, but far fewer the second biggest carnival. This takes place in the sultry city of Barranquilla, on the northern Colombian coast. Today we look at the carnival’s history, some of the fascinating characters who join the parades (such as Rey Momo!), as well as the intriguing fantasy parade. We also discuss the fun that people have for 4 days in the heat – or some 40 days if you include the pre-carnaval!

Cristian shares a fascinating article he recently read about how short-sightedness in children has increased in China due in large part to the amount of time that children study. This leads on to a variety of topics – including how much people read in Colombia and why not many people seem to wear glasses there… Plus so much more!

The Colombian Gabriel Garcia Marquez was possibly the most important Latin American writer of the twentieth century. His magical realist writing produced such classics as One Hundred Years of Solitude and Love in the Time of Cholera. Here, we discuss his fascinating life, books, and how learners of Spanish can benefit from reading his books! Oh and how he knew Fidel Castro...

Many people sell products on the street in Latin America. In this episode we look at this serious issue in a different way… We focus on the people who sell products on public transport. From the charismatic man who spent 30 minutes selling health products on a bus to the popularity of English books, and bus rappers to the very unique way that Coca-Cola is sold, this audio podcast will provide an insight into the innovative ways that people sell!