my American friend

M: Today we're talking about being ''Homesick!''

M: Cindy, can you explain briefly what it means to be ''homesick''?

C: Sure, very simply- being homesick just means that you miss your home.

M: So it doesn't mean that you are physically ill?

C: No, not at all. You may feel sad though, or depressed because you miss your family & friends. Or you may even miss speaking your own language or the every day customs & foods from your homeland.

M: I think a lot of our listeners may identify with this episode.

C: You're right, Marta. I'm sure that many listeners around the world have left their home countries to work or study abroad. Or they may have left home in search of a better quality of life.

M: Or for love? I think you know something about it, Cindy?

C: As a matter of fact I do! My husband is Italian and we live in Italy. But I return to America a few times a year to ward off any homesickness I may feel.

M: So, since you're away from home what are a couple of things you are longing for?

C: Oh wow, so many! How much time do we have?

M: Not much, so move it along, dear.

C: Okay...um...I'm nostalgic for the good old days when I lived in the country. I miss having space around me. I miss my fields and trees and the deer grazing outside my door.

M: Anything else?

C: Well, cooking in Italy is a great pleasure, but I do miss some of the foods from the US. Primarily good, fresh seafood like Maine lobsters, cherrystone clams -those are the small ones- or oysters. Oh, and fresh crabs- I miss crabs.

M: Food is probably one of most common reasons for ''homesickness'', isn't it?

C: I think so. Food, Family and Friends- the three ''F's!

M. Well, Cindy let's go over the words and expressions we've used meaning ''to miss home''.

C: Okay, first thing. The word HOMESICK, that means you're away from your home (for some reason) and you're feeling sad.

M: ...and to ''LONG FOR'' something also means that you miss something.

C: Right, for example, ''My husband has been working overseas for 3 months. I miss him and I'm longing to see him again.''

M: How dramatic! Is this true?

C: No, he's at home working the basement right now.

M: Ok, and to feel NOSTALGIC FOR something means to remember something from your past with fondness and good memories.

C: And let me add this one: to DAYDREAM . It means to dream or rather fantasize while you are fully awake. Marta what do you daydream about on these cold winter days?

M: Florida ! F l o r i d a !!!! I'd better stop daydreaming and move to Miami. I've had enough of this cold weather. Anyway, now, everyone, we have a new guest visiting with us today.

C- Fantastic! Who is it?

M- Our friend Todd from San Diego, California!

Todd : Hey Everyone, my name is Todd Allen, I am from Ramona, California, which is a small town about an hour drive from downtown San Diego. Right now, I am involved in two music projects: one here in Italy, which is an alternative metal band called 'Klogr' and one punk rock band with friends from home called 'Beside Myself'. If you are interested in either types of music please visit www.klogr.net, and for the punk rock band : www.besidemyself.org.

I have been here in Italy, living in Carpi, Modena since late February. I arrived in what I now know was the coldest time of the year. Being from San Diego, that right there was a huge change. Not to mention the huge change of being without a car and being in a small town where English is not as common as in places such as Rome or Milan. I have come to see so many similarities between Italy and the United States so at times I feel very comfortable here.. that is until I have to do something that is usually so easy for me to do in the United States, such as go to the hardware store or even the supermarket. I have had to come to rely on myself much more because of the language barrier, asking questions is usually not an option.

I daydream constantly about Mexican food or a traditional American breakfast, which is a pretty ridiculous thing to think about all the time. I miss things that I took for granted, like being able to take a long drive, blasting music and go anywhere I would please.

I am sure I will miss many things from Italy, but right now, all I can think of is returning to see my family and all those beaches that I miss. I am thankful for all the kind people I have met here and all those that have taken time with me and my lack of Italian language. Thanks, Marta for having me on your show and good luck to all of you with improving your English. I hope I helped. Bye.

M: Thanks, Todd! have a safe trip back to California!

C: What a nice guy! Thanks, Todd! I agree with Todd- I miss Mexican food too !

C - Thanks for listening everyone and before we go we have a few very special people to thank and please forgive us if we mispronounce your names.

M – Ok, a few people following us on podomatic.com : Niskar, Brigitta, Zahid, Hanene, Didem, Tiong, Zahra.

C – And from facebook, thank you Kamala, Hersh, Helena, Gina, Kiki, Harriet, Silvana, Lama, Mohanned, Ninaa and Crystal.

M - And from twitter: Marcela and Leon.

M – So, everyone, come visit us on www.myamericanfriendblog.com where you can also read the transcript of this episode. Ok, see you very soon with a new episode. Bye bye!

C – Thanks for listening, everyone! Bye bye!

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HOMESICK : that means you're away from your home and you're feeling sad

to ''LONG FOR'' something : it means that you miss something, you can't wait to have it /see it again.

to feel NOSTALGIC FOR something : it means to remember something from your past with fondness and good memories.

to DAYDREAM : it means to dream or rather fantasize while you are fully awake.

M - So, this is a follow up episode, right?

C - Right, because our episode number 10 about British English VS American English was so popular that we decided it would be a great idea to do a follow up.

M - That's why we have invited a very special guest.

C - Yes. Hi Sarah, could you introduce yourself to our listeners?

Sarah - Hello, my name is Sarah and I live in Imola. I'm married to Matteo who is Italian and that's why we now live in this town. I am originally from a town the size of Imola in the UK, called Leamington Spa which is in Warwickshire in the centre of England.

In England, I worked as a foreign languages teacher and now I teach English as a foreign language to all ages, but mainly adults at the moment. I love my job and hope to expand my teaching and translation skills to as wide a variety of situations as possible.

C - Great, so Sarah, when you're speaking with Americans, like myself, what are some of the main differences that strike you between British and American English ?

Sarah : I, as British speaker, I'm more formal, still, I prefer form. AMERICANS ARE MUCH MORE OUTGOING, GENERALLY, THEY'RE MUCH MORE RELAXED, THEY HAVE A MUCH STRONGER “CAN DO MINDSET” which comes across in their language and in the way that they interact with people. WE BRITISH ARE STILL VERY RESERVED, VERY CAUTIOUS WHEN WE'RE MEETING PEOPLE. I think we're much more relaxed now than we ever have been, but I think we're still very reserved, WE'RE STILL VERY CONCERNED WITH FORM AND POLITENESS.

M – Can you think of any examples in particular ?

Sarah : “I GUESS” AND “I SUPPOSE”. I mean, Americans would say: “I guess that's correct” whereas “I suppose” is very British, very English and it's much more formal, I'm not guessing anything, I'm assuming something to be the case, so I therefore say “I suppose that's true” instead of “I guess that's true”.

C – Oh, Sarah, I think we need to discuss a very important topic that affects us all ! RESTROOMS VS TOILET.

M - Good point! :) So, British English?

Sarah - “May I use your bathroom, please?” or “May I go to the toilet, please?”. Americans, on the other hand, they say “restroom” or “bathroom”, definitely “bathroom”, most usually “restroom”. And to me that seems very strange actually....to say restroom...I mean, I think it's a euphemism for what you do there... you are taking a little rest perhaps...

M - You're right! Ok. Can you think of anything else?

S – I notice A DIFFERENCE IN THE USE OF THE PAST TENSES.

M – Oh, you mean the present perfect VS the....

S – ...the simple past.

M – Right.

S – For example, if I say in English : “HAVE YOU BEEN TO SCHOOL TODAY?”, Americans would say “DID YOU GO TO SCHOOL TODAY?”. When we use or teach the past simple it's always with a marker of a specific time in the past. A specific time which has finished, I mean, ok, “today” is ongoing, so that goes with the present perfect, which is “have you been to school today?”, because the day hasn't finished yet. I could say “Did you catch the bus this morning to go to school?”

M - Another difference between American and British English pertains to our dear friend Barb.

C - The chicken truck driver that sometimes joins us here on my American friend. I guess that she wouldn't be called a TRUCK DRIVER in the UK, right?

Sarah - I would say: “LORRY DRIVER”.

M - Uh uh, so, she would be : Barb the chicken lorry driver. All right then, we've added some useful details to what we had already covered in our episode n.10, thanks a lot to our friend Sarah!

S - Well, goodbye to you too and I very much look forward to taking part in this again in the near future.

C - Thanks for being with us and come back any time!

Sarah - Bye bye! Bye now.

C - It's so great having guests here, we feel it's important to give our listeners a full experience in the variety of accents found among the English speaking world.

M - Ok, don't forget to read the transcript and to come visit us on www.myamericanfriendblog.com . We're also on facebook, twitter, podomatic and iTunes. Thank you for listening and see you soon!

C – Bye bye!

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You can contact Sarah for English lessons and translations at this e-mail address: [email protected]

M - Today we’re talking about the word ‘’HOT”!

M - How are you today, Cindy?

C - Good, thanks…well, actually, I’m a little hot…can you turn the temperature down in here before we start recording?

M - Sure, no problem. Ok, there you go.

C - Thanks. Gosh, it feels like August in here.

M - Hey, did you bring us lunch like you promised?

C - Yup…right here. Chicken Enchiladas from the new Mexican restaurant in town!

M - Oh no! Their salsa is too hot! It’s absolutely volcanic!

C - No it’s not, it’s fine. Look….I had them put the salsa on the side. It’s in a cup, here. It’s just chicken with lettuce and tomatoes, just the way you like it. It’s safe.

M - Oh, thank goodness!

C - Hey, I like those shoes you’re wearing! Are they new?

M - Yes! I bought them last week. What do you think? Nice, huh?

C - Oh, those are so cool!!! That style, with the leather and the studs....

M - I know, I know, it’s a really hot look this year! When I saw them in the window, I just had to have them!

C - Good choice. Very nice. Are they hard to walk in?

M - No they’re fine.

C - I’m dizzy just looking at them! Hey, what about Jon Bon Jovi?

M - Oh….he’s sooooo hot…

C - We know, you love Jon. Do you think he likes leather shoes with studs?

M - I hope so. I bought 'em for him !

C - You know who I think is hot? The Rock, Dwayne Johnson- the former wrestler.…he’s hot.

M - So, Rock…Dwayne Johnson…if you’re listening and one day you find yourself in Italy, stop by Cindy’s place- she’ll make you a wonderful dish of spaghetti.

C - Oh, my husband would be thrilled with that wouldn’t he?

M - Oh Cindy!

C - What?? Is The Rock here?? Already…??? Get my lipstick!

M - Calm down. The Rock isn’t here.

C - Damn!

M - I just realized that we’ve used the word ‘’HOT” in four different meanings!

C - Oh, you’re right! That’s confusing isn’t it?

M - Could be.

C - OK, just to clarify things. Meaning number one, most important of all: The Rock is HOT.

M - Cindy, that’s not the most important thing…and besides, you didn’t explain anything at all!

C - Sorry, ok…The Rock is veeeeery, veeeerrryyyy HOT.

M - Let’s back up and start from the beginning.

C - Good, cause you’re not making any sense at all…I mean, The Rock is hot…what’s the problem…I don’t see how I could be any clearer……”

M - stop! rewind!

C - Ok, boss.

M - At the beginning, when you said YOU WERE “A LITTLE HOT”

C: …and you lowered the temperature in here…

M - That meant YOU WERE A LITTLE WARM, THE TEMPERATURE WAS TOO HIGH.

C - And it feels much better in here now, thank you.

M - No problem.

C - And when you said the salsa on the chicken enchiladas was TOO HOT…

M - No…no…volcanic actually!

C - ….you actually meant that THE SALSA WAS TOO SPICY! I know, they use a lot of jalapeno peppers.

M - And my shoes…

C - They are very cool shoes.

M - When I said it was ‘’A VERY HOT LOOK THIS YEAR’’, I REALLY MEANT THEY ARE IN STYLE, VERY POPULAR…

C - Fashionable. In high demand.

M - Right!

C - And Jon Bon Jovi???

M - Eternally HOT!

C - Come back to Earth, dear.

M - Sorry… WHEN YOU CALL SOMEONE ‘’HOT’’ THAT MEANS YOU THINK THEY’RE REALLY GOOD LOOKING OR ATTRACTIVE, gorgeous, handsome, smokin'.

C - Perfect! Mystery solved! The word ‘’HOT’’ has been decoded!

M - Hey, you know what else is hot?

C - What’s that?

M - Our blog!

C - You’re right. Everyone, come visit us on www.myamericanfriendblog.com and we're also on facebook, iTunes, podomatic.com and twitter.

M - All right, thank you for listening and see you very soon, bye!

C - Bye bye!

Marta: Hey, today we’re talking about : “Joking Around”!

Marta: Hey, Cindy, welcome back! We've missed you so much!

Cindy: Thank you Marta! It's good to be back!

Marta: ok, so...Halloween is coming up soon in The States, isn’t it?

C: Yup, October 31st, and right now scores of American kids of all ages are COMBING the department stores for their Halloween costumes.

M: And that reminds me, I’ve been meaning to tell you that some weird stuff has been happening around the studio.

C: Weird stuff? What kind of weird stuff?

M: Well, I can’t really explain it. The lights turn off and on for no reason.

C: Did you pay the electric bill?

M: Yes, I paid the electric bill. I’m serious!

C: Sorry.

M: And last night I was in here late, doing some editing and the door opened…and no one was there.

C: YOU’RE KIDDING? No way.

M: Really, Cindy. I think we have a ghost.

C: Quit it! Quit HORSING AROUND!

M: I mean it. I think he’s here right now.

C: Stop FOOLING AROUND! You’re not funny! You know I don’t like anything dead!

M: In fact…it’s starting to get cold in here right now. Can’t you feel it? I’m starting to feel a little weird… Look! There’s a shadow behind you!

C: What?!?! A shadow? Where?!

M: I’m here right next to you, my dear, happy Halloween!

C: You and that damned editing booth!!!!

M: Oh, I’m sorry! I couldn’t help myself! …Happy Halloween!

C: Marta Innocenti- you’re a dangerous woman! And you’re not funny one bit!

M: Oh yes! I think I am!

C: You’re going to give me a heart attack one day!

M: Okay, I think we’ve exhausted this topic.

C – Ok, let's review quickly the several expressions we have used here: JOKING AROUND, FOOLING AROUND, HORSING AROUND, KIDDING AROUND, or TO KID SOMEONE, and you may also say TO PULL SOMEONE'S LEG.

M: Ok. Who else can we have a little fun with? Hey, I think Barb’s home from work now!

C: Marta, don’t mess with her! Come on, no joking around with that woman!

M: Oh, come on…it will be fun. She’s got a good SENSE OF HUMOR.

C: Sense of humor?? That woman talks about the American Civil War like it happened last week! She’s going to come back shooting at me -the Yankee- with both barrels!

M: She’s passionate about American history! And besides…you're the Yankee…I’m Italian, so I’m safe. She won’t be mad at me!

C: Thank you. I love you too…Oh please, please, please Marta- don’t start YANKING HER CHAIN! You’re PLAYING WITH FIRE! ... Oh no. Look- she thinks you’re wonderful! She thinks you’re made of angel feathers and gold dust. She’s going to blame me for everything! You’re a cruel woman, Marta!

Barb: Hello?

M: Hi Barb! It’s Marta, Marta Innocenti, from My American Friend…

B: Hey Darlin’, what you and the ugly ol’Yankee up to today?

M: Barb, I have some exciting news today…

B: You do? Well… do tell, Suge.

M: I do, Barb! I’m so excited because I hit the lottery last night for ten thousand!

B: You’re shittin’ me…

M: laughs…Barb, please don’t use that kind of language! I’m serious! …Really! I hit it big time and I’m going to Hawaii next week!

B: YOU ARE SHITTING ME, girl! You’re lying…

M: I’m not!

B: You’re laughing, ‘cause you’re lying. You’re TELLING ME A FIB!

M: Okay..okay! I can’t KEEP A STRAIGHT FACE any longer! I’m just pulling your leg. It’s not true, I didn’t win the lottery!

B: I knew you were lying! You got to work on your POKER FACE, darlin’. Hawaii my ass!

M: Barb! Your language! Please!

B: What in the world are y’all up to today? Y’all are interrupting my cocktail hour.

M: Oh, Barb, nothing can possibly interrupt you from your cocktail hour!

B: This is true…

M: Well, actually Barb, what I called about today was…

B:…to tell me another fib?

M: No, Barb. Last Saturday, I played a huge club.

B: Uh huh, you told me ‘bout it, girl.

M: It was a great success and it turned out that we had a big concert promoter in the audience watching us. He has connections to Tim McGraw.

B: No! Marta, you know I love me some Tim McGraw!

M: I know, Barb, and you were the first person I thought of. He’s your favorite Country Western singer.

B: Now, darlin’ DON’T PLAY WITH ME. There is nothing funny ‘bout Tim McGraw. Lord, that man is fine! I have all his albums.

M: Dear, we scored you front row concert tickets and special VIP backstage passes!

B: No! Lord in Heaven! ….Harold! Get my lipstick! I’m meeting Tim McGraw!!!!!!

M: Barb! Wait! No…I was just….

B: Wait, I ain’t got no lipstick. I got to buy me a lipstick! Tim McGraw!!!!! Oh Lord!! Harold, start the truck!

M: Barb! Hold on…I was…

B: I got to buy a lipstick for Tim McGraw!...and get some toothpaste! Git the truck! Lord! I’m coming Tim McGraw!!! Hang on!

M: Barb?!?!

C: Oh no. I’m a dead woman. Just wait until she figures it all out and she learns you were just pulling her leg.

M: Correction: You were pulling her leg. I’m made of fairy feathers and stardust, remember?? :)

C: Dead woman walking!

M: And she’s got a terrible temper too! I heard that Barb once shot a man for snoring.

C: It’s true! Why do you think her husband, Harold, is deaf in one ear?

M: Oh, that poor man!

M - Well, thanks for listening everyone and don't forget to read the transcript of this episode!

C: You'll find useful definitions of the vocabulary we've used today, such as: to yank someone's chain, to tell a fib, to keep a straight face etc.

M:Thanks everyone!

C: And remember to come visit us on www.myamericanfriendblog.com We're also on Podomatic, Twitter, iTunes and on Facebook. Happy Halloween, everyone!

M – Bye bye!

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TO COMB a store: To look very carefully, closely or meticulously

JOKING AROUND, FOOLING AROUND, HORSING AROUND, KIDDING AROUND, TO KID SOMEONE, TO PULL SOMEONE'S LEG: to tease, joke, make fun of someone/something, the opposite of serious.

SENSE OF HUMOR: the ability to laugh or find things humorous or funny. Example: “My math teacher has no sense of humor! She always yells at her students for joking around in class!” or: “My friend Steve has the greatest sense of humor! He is so much fun at parties. Everyone gathers around him and he tells the most hysterical jokes all night long!”

to YANK SOMEONE'S CHAIN: To tease, joke with or aggravate someone.

TO PLAY WITH FIRE: To play with an already dangerous or volatile situation.

to S**T SOMEONE / TO TELL A FIB : to lie.

To KEEP A STRAIGHT FACE: To keep a serious expression on your face when inside you really feel like laughing.

POKER FACE: When your facial expression does not reveal what you are feeling on the inside.

DON’T PLAY WITH ME: Do not tease/joke/make fun of me. Do not promise without intention to follow through on those intentions.

M - Hello everyone! Again, I'm on my own here, Cindy is still traveling around the States. I can't wait for her to be back!

So, have you guys already checked our blog at www.myamericanfriendblog.com ? We wait for your comments and suggestions.

Now, let's go back to episode number 16, about how to introduce yourself. We received a lot of feedback about that, so here's a very short new episode, a follow-up.

Some of you commented that local accents can be very difficult to understand, and, well, you're right. So, here's a new accent for you: let me take you far away, to Hawaii. Wow, I wish I was there right now...anyway, let's listen to our friend Leon !

Leon : Alright... aloha! My name is Leon Fabricius, I’m originally from an island called Samoa, which is about 2600 miles down South-West of islands of Hawaii. I’ve been living in Hawaii for about 8 years right now. I came here for college, I attended the university of Brigham Young up in Utah, Provo, and I ended up living in Hawaii. I’m currently working in the tourism industry and what I do is a tour director. I coordinate all the hotels, flights, pick-ups from the hotels and, of course, our activities with our groups that actually travel with us for 15 days. The reason why I chose Hawaii to live here is because kind of remind me of back home, in Samoa, the sun and everything, the beach, people, hospitality and everything, and I really enjoy the smiles and everything. And a lot of the things I do like is pretty much playing a lot of sports, like rugby is my favorite sport, second of all is basketball and third would be volleyball. I also enjoy meeting a lot of different people from different parts of the world; I met a person from Italy, which is Laura, and that’s very awesome to meet someone from that country but, anyway, I just wanna say that I really enjoy here in Hawaii. I hope you guys will ...you know...get a chance and make your way on this side and join us. All right! Mahalo!

M - Leon, trust me, everyone would like to join you in that paradise called Hawaii !!! Well listeners, I know it might have been difficult, so make sure to read the transcript of this episode, ok?

Good, now let's get in contact with Cindy. Cindy, can you hear me?

C – Hi Marta, yes, I can hear you quite well. How are you?

M – I'm fine, but I miss you, come back soon Cindy!

C – Yes, my time in the States is coming to a close now, I'll be back in Italy next week, so get the coffee pot ready !

M – Ok ! I know you have another special guest for us, a friend of yours introducing himself.

C – Everybody, I'd like to introduce you to our friend Omar, a bright young man, with an incredible future ahead of him.

Omar : Hi everybody, my name is Omar. I am currently 17 years old- and ladies, it won’t be for long. I have lived in North Carolina for 7 years. I came from Mexico when I was 10 years old, not knowing a single word in English. Having to adapt to a different culture and learning a whole new language was a big challenge. But after attending school for a year and taking a class of ESL (English as a Second Language) helped me find my way. With the help of friends, teachers and the involvement with the community that I have helped me to become fluent. Last year, I graduated from high school. I’m now attending a community college, earning my Associates in Arts. My goal is to one day become a lawyer on Criminal and Immigration Law. In my spare time, I’m a professional dancer and a computer technician. Well, I hope that you enjoyed to listening to my American experience…hasta luego...so long.

M - Great, thanks a lot to Omar and Leon for joining us here at My American Friend ! Cindy, I'll see you very soon, right?

C - Now Marta, don't forget : our big Halloween party is coming up at the end of the month !

M – Yeah!

C – Are you ready?

M – Of course!

C – Do you have a costume yet?

M – Sure!

C – I'm bringing back a suitcase filled with spooky creepy things, it's gonna be a lot of fun !

M – I'm sure about that.

C – I'll see you soon dear, bye everyone!

M - Bye Cindy!

M - That's it for now, folks, we'll be back very soon with a full episode.

I want to thank a few of you for writing on our facebook page : Myrna, Letizia, Zana, Maria, Laura, Angela, Tatsuro, Reza, Mohannad, Viswashakti, Irem, Shin San, Henrietta. And I also want to thank all the people that are following us through a Russian website called lingualeo.ru thank you very much.

Ok, don't forget to read the transcript and don't forget to come visit us at www.myamericanfriendblog.com I'll see you there. Bye Bye!

M - Hello everybody, today we're going to take you to the... AIRPORT.

M - Well, listeners, this time Cindy is not here with me, but don't worry, we will listen to her beautiful voice later on anyway. She's traveling around the States at the moment, and that's why I thought of this episode about airplane travel. There's a lot of vocabulary to revise about it.

Ok, uhm...well, before you even get to the airport, you'd better double check your tickets, all the documents you need to bring along as well as the weight and dimensions of your bags. You don't want to pay any unforeseen costs for your EXCESS BAGGAGE or miss your flight just because of some silly oversight, do you? No, I'm sure you don't.

All right, so picture yourself at the airport, embarking on a wonderful vacation or preparing for an important business trip. You're ready and willing to fly. Well, at least, I would be 'cause I love flying, I always choose a WINDOW SEAT to better enjoy the TAKE OFF, that's the moment when the plane leaves the ground, as well as the TOUCH DOWN, that is the moment when the plane lands. I really love the view you can see from the window when you fly above the clouds. But some people prefer the AISLE SEAT, because they like the additional leg room or freedom to leave their seat more easily. I'm as far as one can be from being AIRSICK, you know, you're airsick when you suffer from MOTION SICKNESS. This can happen on boats, cars, planes, amusement rides etc...

Ok, first off, if you're in The States, your flight can be international or domestic. You need to go to DOMESTIC departures if you fly within the country, or to INTERNATIONAL departures if you fly abroad. Each airport is designed differently, and some can be quite large. Be sure to look carefully at airport monitors for your gate information and don’t be afraid to ask airport personnel for some help. That’s what they’re there for!

Before landing, I always take a look in the seat pocket in front of me for the convenient airport maps located in airline magazines. These diagrams are helpful to familiarize yourself with arrival airports.

It can be a DIRECT FLIGHT or you may have to make a STOPOVER or LAYOVER, that means you have to stop down at more than one airport and switch planes in order to reach your destination.

There's a lot of CHECKING IN to be done and that's the boring thing about flying. You need to present your tickets and proper identification with a photo I.D. and check your baggage in. The bigger suitcases are to be stored below the plane. Be sure to check your airline’s baggage allowances online before going! Fees and baggage limits vary greatly and you may be asked to pay for your first or second suitcase depending on the airline’s rules. Check online to avoid unexpected surprises!

Then you need to GO THROUGH SECURITY, together with your CARRY ON BAGS. These are the small bags you take on the plane with you, to be put in the OVERHEAD COMPARTMENT. Most flights allow you one carry on bag and one personal item (like a purse or a computer bag), but even these rules can vary on small commuter planes with weight restrictions.

Security will scan your bags, purses, laptop computers and check for liquids and anything else they find questionable. You may be asked to remove your jacket, belt, shoes, watch and large jewelry for scanning as well. Keep all your liquids or gels (and for women- that means cosmetics!) in a small clear resealable plastic bag for security to check easily.

Then you eventually get to the GATE, where you wait until you can BOARD the aircraft, that is to get on the plane. Of course, you are going to need your BOARDING PASS, the document that lets you enter the plane and your passport or picture identification available as well.

Now it's time to get in contact with Cindy, hey Cindy, can you hear me?

C - Yes, I can hear you quite well. Hi Marta and hi everyone! I'm back home in The States this month, traveling around and visiting with my family. So, I understand that you're talking about flights today?

M - Yeah, by the way, could you tell us something about BAGGAGE CLAIM ? I know you've had some hard times recollecting your bags more than once... right?

C - Oh, girl, don’t even get me started! Last Christmas, an airline that shall remain nameless, lost my bags for 8 days!!!

But this is common for me, it happens every time I fly- I get get off the plane, go down to BAGGAGE CLAIM to pick up my bags and they never arrive on time. I mean, they always arrive eventually, a day or two later, but I just have them delivered to my hotel. So, for all of you listening- if your bags get lost, don’t worry, just look for the baggage office related to your airline and fill out the proper documentation with all of your contact information. The airport will work hard to get those bags to you as soon as possible. So don’t panic, it’s not such a big deal, believe me- I’m an expert!

***SPECIAL NOTE: DO NOT pack your medications, jewelry, electronics or anything else of value into your checked bags! Keep these items with you at all times and pack them into your CARRY ON suitcase instead. ***

M – Another possible inconvenience about flights is : flying through some TURBULENCE.

C - Turbulance? Well, a margarita will take care of that nicely. But if you’re not a drinker- again, don’t worry. I don’t know the exact statistics, but thousands of planes take off and land safely every day around the world. Wind turbulence is just a normal part of flying. So don’t panic if you feel some “bumps’’ along the journey. The pilot may even illuminate the “FASTEN SEATBELT” sign. Just buckle-up and don’t worry. I’ve been much more afraid riding along inside a car on Italian highways than I ever have in an airplane!

M – You're right! Cindy, could you remind our listeners about the word COMPLIMENTARY ?

C - Complimentary- important word. That means “it’s free”. It won’t cost you anything. When you fly on a budget for instance and you purchase a low cost ticket (or an ECONOMY seat) you need to check for what is complimentary and what is not. For instance, you may be offered a complimentary snack, but you may have to pay for any other foods or beverages, and it could be very expensive. Water, soda and a small bag of nuts or crackers are usually free, depending on the duration of your flight. It may be a good idea to “grab a bite’’ (that means to eat something quick) at the airport before your departure.

M – All right, Cindy, that's it for now, we let you go back to your traveling and to your JET LAG !

C - Oh! Jet lag! Well, that’s another story! There is a 6 hour time difference between Italy and the American East Coast- and my internal clock is still adjusting! It was nice talking with you , everybody! I wish you a great day! Marta, I’ll see you soon, dear! Bye!

***

M – Ok, listeners, before we go, I want to thank a few of you: Henrietta, Maria, Derek, Darko, Alejandro. And I also wanna thank Skip Montreaux for all his nice words about our podcast. He is running a great podcast too, it's about business English, if you're interested, check it out at www.downtobusinessenglish.com .

Everybody, come visit us at www.myAmericanfriendblog.com where you can read the transcript of this episode together with a lot of interesting posts we have already uploaded to help you improve your English.

Of course you still find us on facebook, twitter, iTunes, podomatic.com and martainnocenti.com but now we also have our blog myAmericanfriendblog.com

See you there! Bye bye!

*************************

EXCESS BAGGAGE : Suitcases beyond the normal allowance for that particular flight. Check online with your carrier because these allowances and restrictions can vary greatly.

WINDOW SEAT : A seat located next to a window, preferred by those who enjoy the view.

AISLE SEAT: A seat located on the aisle.

MIDDLE SEAT: Nobody wants this one!  It’s the seat located between the window and aisle seats.

TAKE OFF: The period of time when the aircraft accelerates quickly and leaves the runway to take flight.

TOUCH DOWN: The end of the flight when the aircraft decends slowly and makes contact once again with the runway.

MOTION SICKNESS / BEING AIRSICK: A disturbance of the inner ear caused by motion creating nausea, vomiting or dizziness.

DOMESTIC DEPARTURE: A departure that begins and ends in the same country. For example from New York to Los Angeles.

INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS : Flights that begin in one country but land in another. EXAMPLE: New York to Paris.

DIRECT FLIGHT: A flight that connects from one city or country to another without stopping and switching planes.

STOPOVER or LAYOVER: Stopping in one city for a period of time before switching planes and continuing onto your final destination. ATTENTION: Some airports can be very large and complicated to manuever through. You may have to take a shuttle bus or monorail train to get from one section to another. Be sure to allow yourself plenty of time so that you don’t have to run or maybe miss your connecting flight!

CHECK IN (BAGGAGE): The suitcases that are “checked in’’ with airport personnel and stored beneath the plane during flight. Be sure NOT to leave your medications, expensive electronics, jewelry or any items of value in your “check in” bags.

CARRY ON BAGS: The bags you carry with you onto the plane. Example: Purse, computer bag or small suitcase.

GO THROUGH SECURITY: Security is the first stop you make after you are issued your boarding passes. Security can be quite thorough. During security checks, officers will x-ray your carry on bags and personal belongings. You will be asked to show all your boarding passes, identification and pass through a metal detector as well.

OVERHEAD COMPARTMENT: The airplane storage cabinets located above the seats where you are to store your belongings during a flight.

GATE: The numbered doors and passages that connect airport terminals to the planes for departures and arrivals. Example: “ My flight to New York leaves from Terminal 2 at Gate B-10”

TO BOARD: To get on the plane.

BOARDING PASS: The ticket that allows you entrance to the plane. You will not be allowed on a flight without a BOARDING PASS.

BAGGAGE CLAIM: The area of the airport where all suitcases are delivered and passengers can then pick them up from a moving conveyor belt. If your bags do not arrive, go to the baggage office corresponding to your airline company and fill out a “LOST BAGGAGE REPORT”.

TURBULENCE / BUMPY RIDE: “Bumps” in the journey caused by wind.

COMPLIMENTARY: Free. EXAMPLE: On this flight, we offer a complimentary beverage.’’

JET LAG: Exhaustion or confusion brought on by a difference in time between your states or countries of departure and arrival. For example: New York is 6 hours earlier than Rome.

M - Hello! My name is Marta, nice to meet you!

C - Hi, I'm Cindy, nice to meet you too!

M – and this episode is about how to... INTRODUCE YOURSELF !

C - We know that this podcast is for intermediate and advanced English learners, but even the easiest things can get difficult sometimes, for example when you're nervous for a job interview, or excited to join a new class of complete strangers, or you don't feel comfortable for any reason.

M - Yeah, every time I have a new class at school for one of my English+Music lessons and I ask the students to introduce themselves it seems that... well... they just don't know where to start from.

C - Yeah, that can be intimidating...

M - You know, it should be the easiest thing on Earth, I mean, just go ahead, say your name, your age, where you're from, tell me something about your family, your career, your hobbies.

C - You feel under pressure, everyone's looking at you, you may have studied English for years but in that very moment you just can't remember the difference between “how do you do?” and “how are you” ! I remember being introduced to a woman who told me : “it's a pleasure to meet me” !

M - Really? It's a pleasure to meet me instead of it's a pleasure to meet you?!

C - She just got confused, and she was probably a bit nervous, it happens! And local accents can be a big problem too.

M - That's why we are going to listen to a few special guests now introducing themselves.

C - I'm so happy when we have guests here at my American friend!

M - So am I ! Let's start with some Scottish accent ! Let's listen to Adrian !

Adrian : Hi, my name’s Adrian and I was born in Liverpool from Scottish parents. I spent most of my childhood in England but moved back to Scotland for job reasons in my 20s. I’m an industrial chemist and I’ve been living in Italy for 6 years. I’m married and I’ve 2 daughters. I like sports and I’m a keen amateur skier and windsurfer. I decided to come to Italy because I was interested in getting to know a new culture and language and of course… cause the girls are nicer!

C - Wow! I love his accent ! Ok, let's practice questions and answers a little bit. Where was Adrian born?

M - He was born in Liverpool but his parents are Scottish.

C - What does he do for a living? Or, I could also say: what is his job?

M - He's an industrial chemist.

C - Where does he live? And who does he live with?

M - He lives in Italy with his wife and his two daughters.

C - What are his hobbies? What does he like doing in his free time? What is he interested in?

M – He likes skiing and windsurfing and he's interested in getting to know new cultures.

C - Great, let's move on to a new accent. Our next guest comes from Australia! Oh, and by the way, shall we revise how to introduce people?

M - Why not?

C - So, I could say: Marta, let me introduce you to my friend Kate from Australia. Or: Marta, I'd like you to meet Kate, she's a friend of mine, she's Australian.

M - Ok, let's listen to Kate.

Kate : Hi, my name is Kate and I’m an 18 year old girl from Melbourne, Australia.

I live with my parents in a little town just out of the city, which is right near the beach. In the summer, this is where I spend most of the time with my friends, usually followed by a barbeque in the evening. We also have lots of music festivals which are great fun! The biggest ones are over New Year’s Eve, when it’s really hot. It’s a great way to welcome in the New Year, listening to some awesome local Australian acts, as well as some big international artists. It was a pleasure talking to you all, thanks for listening to this little snippet of the laidback Aussie culture!

M - Thank you Kate! Great, now let's go back to the States.

C: Hi, Britney! Thanks for being here today. Could you tell our listeners a little bit about yourself?

Britney: Hi! My name is Britney I am 19 years old and I am from North Carolina. I have a son named Jaden, he is 10 months old. My husband’s name is David, he was born in Puerto Rico and moved to the U.S. with his family when he was 5 years old. My grandparents came from Poland. I’ve never been to Poland, but I would love to visit one day. In my spare time, I like to go to the movie theater plus I really hate to cook but I like going to restaurants. I love music and the radio is always on at my house. Well, I was nice talking to y’all. Have a nice day.

M - That was great. Thanks a lot to our special guests: Adrian, Kate and Britney, thank you. All right, listeners, why don't you try and write down your self-introduction? Just a few lines to be prepared to talk about yourselves and to be sure you can relate to other people quickly and in a pleasant way.

C - You don't have to LEARN IT BY HEART, that means to memorize it word by word. But it will certainly help you in avoiding those uncomfortable moments of silence and panic next time you're asked to say something about yourself. This is especially useful when you're not dealing with a new group of friends but with an interviewer who has to decide to hire you or not and it's the job opportunity of a lifetime!

M - Ooooh, job interviews are so difficult when you have to speak a foreign language!

C - That's why you'd better prepare your answers before. Because, of course the interviewer is not interested in your whole life story, the question “tell me something more about yourself” actually means : “why do I have to choose you for this position? Give me a good reason.” So you have to mention a few good points about your education and previous career related to the job you're applying for.

M - You have to bear in mind what the interviewer is after and focus only on that.

C - No hesitations, proper language. You definitely have to prepare the answer to that question before you enter the room for that job interview!

M - Let's pretend you're applying for a job, Cindy, mmmm, ok. The host for a tv program about international recipies.

C - Oh, that sounds like fun !

M - I'm the interviewer. So : tell me something more about yourself.

C - I've studied the cuisines of many different cultures. I've lived in America and Europe and still continue to travel the world with every chance I get. I love to cook and I love meeting new people. As an English language podcast professional and teacher I believe I possess many essential qualities that would be an asset to your program.

M - Wow, this is how to talk about yourself in order to make an impression! Ok, let's shake hands and leave me your business card, I'm quite sure you're going to be chosen for this job!

C - And...thank you for your time!

C - Hey everyone! We have some great news! We've been preparing our brand new blog !!

M – myAmericanfriendblog.com It's going to be constantly updated with new material regarding the English language, the States, pictures, idioms, travel suggestions, songs, anything to help you improve the language and to better know the American culture and everyday life.

C - And of course you'll also find all the episodes of our podcasts with accompanying transcripts. And you will be active part of our blog ! So, everyone who has been following our podcast on facebook, twitter, podomatic.com, martainnocenti.com and iTunes...

M - ...come visit us at : myAmericanfriendblog.com !

C - And enjoy all the new pictures and content.

M - Let's create the myAmericanfriend-community. You will make new friends from all over the world to practice the English language with ! And before we go, I want to thank some of our listeners for contacting us on our facebook page: Shin San, Viswashakti, Angela, Ayad. And also Hikari and Giorgio who are following us on podomatic. Thank you.

C - Thanks for you support everyone and we'll see you soon!

M - Bye bye!

*************************

Let's sum up

INTRODUCTIONS:

let me introduce you to... / I'd like you to meet ….

nice to meet you / how do you do / it's a pleasure to meet you

SELF INTRODUCTIONS:

your name, your age, where you're from, your family, your career, your hobbies

QUESTIONS:

Where were you born?

What do you do for a living? / what is your job?

Where do you live? who do you live with?

What are your hobbies? What do you like doing in your free time? What are you interested in?

***********

To LEARN something BY HEART : to memorize it word by word.

M - Today we're talking about being TIRED !

M - Hi Cindy! … Cindy? Are you awake?

C - What?...oh, I’m sorry, Marta I must have DOZED OFF for a second. What did you say?

M - I said ‘‘Hi Cindy!’’

C - (yawning) Excuse me, oh, Hi Marta…how are you today?

M - I’m fine, BRIGHT-EYED and BUSHY TAILED this morning, but what about you?

C - I’m sorry, girl. I am DRAGGING today! I’M BEAT!

M - What happened? Did you skip your morning CUP OF JOE?

C - Yes, I’ve had my coffee…although I could use another right now.

M - And what do you mean by saying you’re dragging and beat today? You look fine, well, a little tired, but you look alright to me?

C - You’re right, I guess those 2 words do sound pretty extreme! … I just meant to say I’m very tired today! If someone says they’re ‘’dragging’’- it means they’re moving very slowly, dragging their feet.

M - As if to say they have no energy- THEIR BATTERIES ARE DRAINED.

C - Bingo.

M - And how about the word ‘’beat’’.

C - ‘’Beat’’ conveys that I am DEFEATED today, EXHAUSTED, I have NO ‘’GET UP AND GO’’ today.

M - Defeated, huh? Well, my friend, I know you don’t play sports…so are you defeated by one too many toasts at the bar last night?

C - No, no…I wasn’t drinking last night I swear!

M - So why are you in here looking like SOMETHING THE CAT DRAGGED IN?

C - Oh dear, do I look that bad? Thank goodness this is just a podcast- audio only!

M - I’m just joking. What have you been up to?

C - I’ve been up very late every night this week because we are remodeling my home office. The room needs a COMPLETE OVERHAUL- new paint, new flooring, new furniture. Everything.

M - That’s a monster job, but it will be nice when it’s done.

C - (yawning…) Oh, if I live to see the end of it! Marta, I’m sorry to keep yawning.

M – Well, you need another coffee. Why don’t you RUN ALONG and come back later? I’ll HOLD DOWN THE FORT in the meantime.

C- The word ‘’Run’’ is not in my vocabulary today. OK, would you like a cup too?

M- No thanks, I’m good.

C- See you in a bit.

M- Oh wow, this is a really slow morning. Cindy’s exhausted. So who can I call for a PICK-ME-UP? Who’s always good for a laugh or two?

BARB - Y’all just shut the hell up!...Hello? Hello?

M - Hello Barb! This is Marta, Marta Innocenti.

B - Marta, is that you? It better be! This ain’t no dang ol’ telemarketer, is it? I swear, you all call me one more time, just one more time! I’m gonna fly on up there to New York City and open up a can o’ country whoopass on you Yankees like you never seen!!!! Who is this??

M - Barb, please stop yelling. It’s me, Marta Innocenti from ‘’my American friend’’, I just called to say hello.

B - Oh hey, Darlin. I’m sorry. How y’all doing?

M - We’re good, thank you for asking. So, what’s going on Barb? You sound STRESSED OUT this morning.

B - Oh Suge, you don’t know the half! I am beat! I got my grandchildren tearing the roof off the place, the hot water heater’s down broke, Harold (that’s my husband) done locked himself inside the car again and I been up running chickens since 3 o’clock this morning.

M - I’m sorry, Barb. So you had a lot of deliveries to make this morning? We should remind everyone that you’re a truck driver,

B - …a tired truck driver…

M- a tired truck driver who delivers chicken from the factory to area supermarkets. And you’ve been awake since 3am?

B - Yup, it was ‘’RISE AND SHINE’’ this morning with a 3a.m. with a wake up call.…

M - Oh my goodness, that’s early!

B - and now I got to go down to the store and unlock Harold from the car…again…second time this week!

M - He’s inside the car? Well, why can’t he just push the unlock button?

B - Oh honey, we been through this before. You all know Harold’s dumb as a box of hair!

M - I’m sorry Barb, I hope your day gets better real soon. Be sure to HIT THE HAY early tonight so you’ll BE UP AND AT’ EM first thing tomorrow morning.

B - Ugh, that’s Harold now! Lord grant me patience! … Harold it’s the lock button! I know it’s says lock on it! you press it again and the door’s gonna open! I swear! same thing as yesterday! … Marta, darling, I got to go! Lord, this man’s gonna send me to an early grave!

M - Ok, Barb. Good luck. You’d better go rescue him.

B - Oh, he’s fine. He’s got a 6 pack of beer under the seat. I keep one there for the next time, just in case I can’t get to him right quick. Y’all come see us, darlin! Bye!

M - Ok!

B - Leave the Yankee at home!

M - All right, Barb!

B - Hey, y'all listen to My American Friend !

M - All right, everyone, thank you very much for listening, and remember that you can find us on podomatic.com martainnocenti.com on facebook on twitter and on iTunes. And a big Hello to all our new friends listening from Russia, Australia and Tasmania, China, Ghana and Thailand. And of course to our old friends as well. Thank you very much for listening, bye bye!!

*******************

DOZED OFF : To fall asleep. Example: I was so tired last night that I “dozed off” at 8pm, a whole two hours earlier than my normal bedtime!

BRIGHT-EYED & BUSHY TAILED: To be very awake, alert and vibrant first thing in the morning. Example: You’re looking “bright-eyed and bushy tailed’’ this morning! Why is that? Answer: Because I dozed off very early last night! I slept for 10 hours and I feel great today!

DRAGGING: 1.) to pull something behind you. Example: A child can drag a toy or a wagon behind him. 2.) To be exhausted, no energy, moving slowly. Example: I am “dragging” today because I only got 3 hours of sleep last night.

I’M BEAT! / DEFEATED / EXHAUSTED: tired

CUP OF JOE: a cup of coffee

THEIR BATTERIES ARE DRAINED- no energy left, to be tired

NO ‘’GET UP AND GO’’- no enthusiasm or motivation

to look like SOMETHING THE CAT DRAGGED IN: This expression has many meanings but basically means to be disheveled looking, beaten up, rough or to have a hangover.

PICK-ME-UP: Something that raises spirits, energy level, enthusiasm. You can get a ‘’pick me up” from a cup of coffee, good music, a movie or just talking to someone you enjoy, a person who is a lot of fun or a motivator. Many things can act as a “pick me up”.

STRESSED OUT- Feeling a lot of stress, very nervous, under a lot of pressure, unhappy. Example: I’m really stressed out right now because I am studying for my final exams. He’s really stressed out right now while going through a painful divorce. This new job is stressing her out.

‘’RISE AND SHINE’’: to wake up. Example: Rise and shine, my dear! School starts today!

HIT THE HAY: To go to bed/fall asleep. Example: You had better “hit the hay” early this evening because you have an early flight to catch tomorrow morning.

BE “UP AND AT’ EM” – Commonly used slang meaning to wake up and approach the day (or a task) with enthusiasm. Example: Come on! Up and at’ em, you’re going to be late for your first day of school!

COMPLETE OVERHAUL- When something needs to be completely redone, remodeled, or reconstructed. Example: This house is so old and damaged, it needs a complete overhaul. Or “My dad bought an antique car, but it’s really a piece of junk. It’s so old and it needs a complete overhaul!

RUN ALONG: To go away. Example: “Kids, you’re being too noisy! I’m on the phone- run along and play in the garden so I can finish my phone call in peace and quiet!

HOLD DOWN THE FORT : To take care of things, keep them under control. Example: You go ahead and enjoy your vacation. Everything will be fine, I’ll “hold down the fort” in the office until you get back.’’

M - This time we're dealing with a joyful topic ….CONGRATULATIONS!

C - Ok, Marta, congratulations on what?

M - On anything! We need to learn how to express our happiness to people in any situation.

C - You're right, and how to praise someone for their success or achievement, both in a formal and informal context.

M - Yes, I noticed that Americans are usually very attentive to this, whenever someone takes an important step in their professional or personal life everybody congratulates properly.

C - Isn't it how it's supposed to be?

M - Sure, it's really nice and polite. For example, I remember when flying back home from the States after getting married, the flight attendant said something about me being a newlywed and every American passenger on that plane turned around to congratulate us.

C - Only the American passengers?

M - Yeah. And they were all smiling and truly kind. They had never seen me before and they knew they wouldn't see me again, still all those strangers felt like sharing a moment with me and it was just...you know, so unexpected to me and so...nice.

C - I see. That's really sweet.

M - And from that moment on, I thought that if I didn't congratulate on someone's special moment in the appropriate way I would seem impolite or rude.

C - Yeah, I think it's important to spread the joy when you can. I know, speaking a foreign language is so difficult. It's not only about vocabulary or grammar, it's about the habits and unwritten codes of a population, of a country. A single sentence said at the right moment in the right way can make the difference between being rude and being lovely.

M - That's what I meant. Ok, then, let's start with something easy. A conversation between friends. Mmm, ok. Cindy, yesterday I turned the radio on and one of my songs was on air in that very moment!

C - No!! How cool ! Congrats! I'm so happy for you, you deserve it.

M - Thanks! And do you remember that short musical I wrote for the kids of the summer camp? They performed it last week and the show was amazing!

C - Way to go! Great work, darling! Kudos! I'm so proud of you.

M - Thank you, I appreciate that! Now, let's pretend that you and your husband have just gotten married, I would say something similar to what I was told by the passengers of that plane : “I wish you both all the happiness in the world!” or “Congratulations to the perfect couple!”

C - Yes, and when sending a card or an e-mail or texting, you could write something like: “Best wishes for your marriage” or “Sincere congratulations on your marriage”, or: “May your new life together bring you the joy you deserve”, or: “I write to send you my very best wishes for your future together.”.

M - Ok, now, a friend of mine is due to have a baby soon. How will I have to congratulate on a newborn?

C - You can say something like: “Congratulations on the birth of your baby boy or baby girl!” “Congratulations on the arrival of the newest member of the family!” or: “Best wishes for you and your beautiful baby!” Or “I wish you a lot of happiness with your little one!”

M - Great, and now let's talk about Ashley.

C - Ashley?! Is she having a baby too?

M - Hopefully not, she's just a teen-ager! I've heard she passed her driving test.

C - Oh, thank goodness it was just the driving test! Yeah, we mentioned that in episode number one about shopping. So what about it?

M - Well, I'd say something like : “Congratulations on passing your driving test! Good job, Ashley!” is that ok?

C - Sure, you only need to remember that the preposition to be used is ON, to congratulate someone on something.

M - And Ashley will also graduate sooner or later, how will I properly congratulate her on that?

C - Well, her dad would say: “Great, now get a job and move out, I'm not paying for your credit card any more!”

M - True!

C – But you could say something like : “Happy graduation! Wishing you luck and success in all that you do!” or “You did it! Congratulations, graduate. Wishing you the best things in your future to come.”

M - Ok, so I'm gonna say : “Congratulations Ashley, you've got a bright future in front of you!” And can you imagine her answer?

C - Mmm, Ashley, well, she'd probably say something like : (Ashley voice) Yeah, whatever, ok, so when are we going shopping?! You tell me you'd take me shopping, Marta, how about that sparkling eye shadow? I would love some new shoes, what do you think about pink? Uh! Pink, I definitely want pink. And I want...I want...I want silver eye shadow, oh my God, it would be so cool, will you take me to the mall, Marta, please???

M - Well, anyways, Ashley, we wish you the best of luck for your graduation

C - Thank you Marta.

M - Whenever it will be!

C - By the way, Marta, do you know any idioms to wish someone good luck?

M - Well, I know that musicians and actors never say “good luck” before going on stage. Because of a superstition. Saying good luck would in fact bring bad luck. They say “break a leg”.

C - Yes, Break a leg! Isn't that weird?

M - Yeah! I once read that a possible explanation for this strange idiom is that when you break a leg you bend your knee, and that means that you take a bow and of course if you take a bow that's because the audience is clapping their hands.

C - So when you say “Break a leg” to a performer you're actually wishing a long applause at the end of their show.

M - Ok, let's go back to congratulations. Remember when your husband was promoted last year, Cindy?

C - Hurray! Yes, he was really excited about it, his job means so much to him.

M - Ok, right. So let's imagine that I'm a colleague who congratulates him on his promotion, so let's keep it formal.

C - Ok, so you could say : “I want to congratulate you on your new position, I couldn't imagine a more deserving person to be chosen.” or “I was very pleased to learn about your outstanding achievement”, or “Hard work, knowledge, experience and perseverence pay off and you have proved it!” or “I know you're the right person for this job, you can count on my full support.”

M - Well, listeners, I'm sure now you can perfectly handle both formal and informal congratulations.

C - Keep listening to this podcast and excercising your English in any possible way. We're sure that you'll soon deserve a big “Congratulations!” on how much you've improved ! We await your comments and suggestions on podomatic.com, martainnocenti.com, iTunes, facebook and twitter.

M - See you soon!

C - Bye bye!

*********************

Let's sum up:

to CONGRATULATE someone ON something

- Informal :

Congrats!

I'm so happy for you, you deserve it.

How cool !

Way to go!

Great work, darling!

Kudos!

I'm so proud of you.

- Marriage:

“I wish you both all the happiness in the world!”

“Congratulations to the perfect couple!”

“Best wishes for your marriage”

“Sincere congratulations on your marriage”

“May your new life together bring you the joy you deserve”

“I write to send you my very best wishes for your future together.”

- Newborn:

“Congratulations on the birth of your baby boy or baby girl!”

“Congratulations on the arrival of the newest member of the family!”

“Best wishes for you and your beautiful baby!”

“I wish you a lot of happiness with your little one!”

- Driving test:

“Congratulations on passing your driving test! Good job!”

- Graduation:

“Happy graduation! Wishing you luck and success in all that you do!”

“You did it! Congratulations, graduate. Wishing you the best things in your future to come.”

“Congratulations, you've got a bright future in front of you!”

- Promotion:

“I want to congratulate you on your new position, I couldn't imagine a more deserving person to be chosen.”

“I was very pleased to learn about your outstanding achievement”

“Hard work, knowledge, experience and perseverence pay off and you have proved it!”

“I know you're the right person for this job, you can count on my full support.”

*******

BREAK A LEG (idiom) : good luck for your performance!

M - This episode is going to be about …. DRINKING !

C - We know that many of our listeners study English in order to travel around the globe and make new friends. When you hang out with those new friends it's likely that you’ll have a drink together and you may need to know some specific words and expressions about drinking.

M - Ok, listeners, make sure to read the transcript of this episode. Now, let's imagine we're having a drink somewhere in the States...

C - How about the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles? Plenty of cool bars and clubs there, Whisky a Go-go, Rainbow, House of Blues , Roxy, Viper...

M - Nice choice, among the regular clients of those bars you get to see rockstars and actors, you're likely to spot some celebrity, like, every night out there.

C - But before you order your cocktail, enjoy the live music and make friends with Steven Tyler or Slash you'd better revise some vocabulary with me, Marta, ok?

M - Ok, let me get a bottle of wine and two glasses.

C - Now, it's common to have a drink together when you’re celebrating something, right? For example we can celebrate that our podcast was number one on the Podomatic chart last week.

M - Ok, so what should I say while I CLINK GLASSES ?

C - Let's TOAST TO our podcast and to our listeners! Or we could say : let's DRINK TO... let's DRINK A TOAST TO.... or : let's RAISE OUR GLASSES TO or FOR....

M - CHEERS !

C - Cheers!

M - Mmmm, delicious!

C - Marta, you're taking small SIPS, com'on, DOWN IT IN ONE GO! Or I could also say : SLAM IT !

M - All right, but that's it for me. I CAN'T HOLD MY DRINK, one glass is more than enough.

C - You GET DRUNK very easily, don't you?

M - Well, it's not that I get drunk, I just ...fall asleep!

C - Uh, that wouldn't be good if you fell asleep now. Steven Tyler and Slash just bought us another ROUND OF DRINKS !

M - I know, I know, it's not my fault, I just fall asleep. I'd better have some soda with Steve Vai who I'm pretty sure doesn't drink any alcohol.

C - I didn't know he was a TEETOTALER ? Ok, so you and Steve Vai are going to be our designated drivers, right?

M - Ok, ok. I've been the designated driver my whole life! Well, at least I don't have to SOBER UP the following day. No headache, no HANGOVER.

C - Oh, Marta, have you seen that movie, “The hangover”?

M - That's hilarious!

C - It’s got to be one of my favorite movies of all-time. It's about a group of friends who wake up in Vegas having no memory of what they've done the previous night, after a wild bachelor party for one of them. And that's what happens when you're DEAD DRUNK : you have a great time and the next day- you can’t remember a thing! Doesn’t seem to be much sense in it, does it?

M – Yeah. Everyone, be careful, you can get into trouble if you drink too much and you lose control. Cindy, can you think of any idiom or expression about those people who drink too much?

C - “TO DRINK LIKE A FISH”, that's drinking a lot.

M - To drink like a fish. Ok.

C - And to be really drunk is : TO BE WASTED, TO BE SLOSHED, PICKLED... there are so many expressions.

M - And how about BINGE DRINKING ? What is it?

C – Oh, binge drinking is an extreme form of drinking, that would be overdoing it.

M - How about those people who drink because they're sad ?

C - We say that : they DRINK THEIR PROBLEMS AWAY, they DROWN THEIR SORROWS.

M - Ok, anything else?

C - I have a funny song about drinking to suggest.

M - Which one?

C - “Alcohol” by Brad Paisley.

M - You're right! It's a really cool song! And now that you make me think about it, there is something interesting Brad says in the lyrics of that song, he says: “I'll bet you a drink or two that I can make you....”do something, whatever.

C - Yes, for example, if we're watching a football match we can BET A DRINK on the winner. If your team wins I'll pay for our drinks and vice versa. Or you can use this expression when you are challenging someone. Marta, this song is too difficult, I'll bet a drink that you can't sing it.

M - You do? Ok, you'd better prepare your wallet, I'm getting thirsty!

C - I was just kidding!

M – So was I.

C – And everyone, let's make it clear once again: hanging out with your friends having a drink or two is just great, drinking a little more on special occasions is ok, but alcohol can turn into a serious addiction, so, be responsible.

M - Well, listeners, we went through a lot of vocabulary, so check it out in our transcript and come visit us on podomatic.com, martainnocenti.com, facebook, twitter and iTunes. Before we go let me thank some of our listeners : Bairma, Natalia, Zainal and our dear friends Tatsuro and Reza.

C - See you soon with a new episode!

M – Bye bye!

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to CLINK GLASSES : To touch (making a ‘’clink’’ sound) glasses during a toast. Toasts can be made with non-alcoholic drinks as well.

Let's TOAST TO / let's DRINK TO... / let's DRINK A TOAST TO.... / let's RAISE OUR GLASSES TO or FOR.... : Ways to say let’s celebrate or honor something with a drink.

to TAKE SMALL SIPS : To drink slowly, taking small mouthfuls at a time.

DOWN IT IN ONE GO! / SLAM IT ! : To finish the beverage all at once.

I CAN'T HOLD MY DRINK : Alcohol intolerant, to become intoxicated or sick from alcohol easily.

TO GET DRUNK : Ingesting too much alcohol before the liver has a chance to metabolize it, the result is inebriation and impaired judgment.

to BUY A ROUND OF DRINKS : To buy beverages for everyone at your table, group or bar. Watch out! That can be very expensive!

to be a TEETOTALER : Someone who does not drink alcoholic beverages.

to SOBER UP : When the body has metabolized all alcohol and you are feeling normal again.

HANGOVER : The after effects of too much alcohol. These may include headache, dehydration, nausea & fatigue.

to be DEAD DRUNK / WAISTED / SLOSHED / PICKLED : Severely impaired by too much alcohol.

BINGE DRINKING : Consuming a dangerous amount of alcohol at one occasion.

they DRINK THEIR PROBLEMS AWAY / they DROWN THEIR SORROWS : The attempt to relieve or forget problems through the use of alcohol.

to BET A DRINK : A challenge where there winner receives a drink from losing person. Example of a challenge:

JOHN: Your team is awful! I’ll bet they can’t even score a goal during the first half of the game!

STEVE: You’re wrong! My team is awesome!

JOHN: Ok, you’re on! What should we bet?

STEVE: I’ll bet you a pint of beer!

JOHN: You’re on! If your terrible team makes a goal in the first half of the game- then I’ll buy you a beer.

STEVE: Well, take your wallet out of your pocket because they just scored- and I’m thirsty!