Spanish On the Go! - Improve your listening comprehension skills with our authentic podcasts

Ava Gardner was one of the brightest stars of the Golden Age of Hollywood. Her exotic looks, femme fatale roles and high-profile romances with Mickey Rooney and Frank Sinatra brought her international fame, but also constant scrutiny from the press and public.

When she first arrived in Spain, she immediately fell in love with the natural surroundings, the culture, the people and their laid-back, happier lifestyle, and for ten years she led a glamorous life in Madrid.

Click play to hear more about Ava Gardner's career, love of Spain and her passion for el flamenco!

In the late 1880s the first wave of Chinese immigrants started to arrive in Mexico driven away from the US discriminatory policies and horrible labor conditions. Unfortunately, their reception in Mexico was not so different, and these Chinese immigrants were forced to do hard labor in farms, railroads, and mines for very little pay and under terrible conditions while being vilified by Mexican society at large. However, overtime the Chinese community in Mexico managed to put down roots, grow, and create a support system for new immigrants. Click play to learn more about the difficult immigration history of Mexico's ever-growing Chinese community.

Contrary to the brutality -never questioned- of other European nations against native inhabitants of the lands they colonized, Spain went through the excruciating dilema of how to treat the peoples they had conquered.

Abuses were also committed by the Spaniards, of course, but from the early days of the conquest, many questioned the legality of these abuses and even of the conquest itself.

Bartolomé de las Casas was a Spanish clergyman and scholar who famously chronicled the first decades of colonization in the New World. Appalled by the atrocities committed against native people and his own role in this exploitation, Bartolomé de las Casas became a staunch defender of indigenous people's rights and one of the leading voices in different social reform projects, laws and treaties.

Click play to learn about friar Bartolomé de las Casas transformation from early colonial settler to fierce activist and advocate for indigenous rights, that earned him the title of 'Protector of the Indians':

Born in Austria in the 19th century, the accordion was affordable and easy-to-play, and it quickly spread among the locals in various Spanish-speaking countries. On its arrival to the American continent, the accordion perfectly melded into the rich and diverse musical landscape of the region, thus cementing the signature sounds of popular genres like la cumbia, el vallenato, el norteño and el tango.

Click play to listen to the history of el acordeón, the immigrant instrument that's an integral part of Latin America's cultural identity.

José Martí was a Cuban writer, poet, journalist, diplomat and freedom fighter loved (by both the left and the right) in Cuba and the diaspora. He was a key political figure in the Cuban independence movement against Spain. His political activism took him all over the world including Spain, México, Venezuela and New York where he spent 15 years. It was in New York where he designed a plan to free Cuba from Spain. During his time in New York, he also worked to improve commercial relationships in the continent to strengthen bonds among Latin American nations and to protect the rights of their citizens.

Click play to hear more about the remarkable life and legacy of José Martí, the Cuban hero immortalized in Central Park.

Tacos are the undisputed star of Mexican cuisine with countless varieties in every region. In the central Mexican region, the tacos al pastor stand out as a true feast for the senses: full of vibrant colors, intoxicating aromas, and perfectly balanced flavors. Interestingly, these quintessential Mexican tacos can trace their origins back to the culinary traditions brought by Lebanese immigrants that arrived in Mexico at the beginning of the 20th century.

Click play to learn more about the Lebanese-Mexican fusion that originated this delicious dish!

Forks, along with spoons and knives, are such a big part of our daily life and eating habits that it's hard to imagine our meal times without them. Before its invention in 11th-century Florence, for centuries people used their fingers to grab food to eat. Nevertheless, it's very hard to conceive the uproar caused by the Catholic Church upon the invention of the fork. Centuries of prejudice and stereotypes were associated with this simple and useful instrument.

Click play to hear the curious story of el tenedor!

"Mirreyes" is a colloquial term used in Mexico to talk about young people from the country's elite.

Known for their lavish and flashy lifestyle, the mirreyes are the offspring of Mexico's wealthiest politicians and business executives.

The obscene displays of wealth and luxury that are part of the mirreyes' daily life is a sad contrast to the realities of the majority of the Mexican population and a testimony of the rampant impunity and corruption of the wealthy class.

Click play to learn more about the evolution of the term 'mirreyes' and its role in Mexican society!

Día de muertos is a special holiday to honor the dead that takes place in México at the beginning of November.

During these festive days people believe that their loved ones return to the land of the living, so they prepare a big celebration with food and music to welcome them back.

Dating back to pre-Hispanic times, the modern Día de los muertos festivity perfectly combines the ancient traditions of the region's native peoples with the Catholic beliefs imposed by los conquistadores.

Click play to learn all about this important Mexican holiday!

Latin America's beautiful landscapes such as the Andes mountain range, Mexico's warm sandy beaches or Bolivia's salt flats have been transformed by Hollywood into such diverse locations as the capital of Tibet (in Seven Years in Tibet), the battlegrounds of the Trojan War (Troy), the icy waters where the Titanic sank, and even planets from galaxies far, far away (Star Wars).

Click play to discover which of your favorite Hollywood movies have been filmed in Latin America!