I just came back from a trip to Japan where I cycled the 80km Shimanami Kaido trail that connects two of the main islands by a group of small islands and bridges. It was a beautiful experience, and in this episode I share an overview of the trip.

You'll hear some funny stories and mistakes, as well as some reflections on language learning and using it in the country while travelling.

It's more of a casual episode, but I hope you like this style. 

Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast349

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Shower thoughts are basically deep thoughts that tend to come to us when we're in the shower, or at other times in the day free from distractions. 

In this episode, I go through a few funny thoughts, and a few deep and philosophical ones I've gathered and find interesting to think about. Hopefully you'll enjoy hearing them too!

Make sure to listen carefully to the vocabulary I mention throughout the episode. The full list of new words will be available on the website for members.

Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast348

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Ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes of a top English learning podcast? 

In this episode, I chat with Luke from Luke's English Podcast about the challenges and joys of content creation.

We discuss: filming outdoors and dealing with self-consciousness, balancing YouTube's algorithm with quality educational content, audio vs video podcasting, audience capture and staying authentic, Luke's 16+ years of podcasting wisdom, and future content ideas inspired by creators like GeoWizard.

Whether you're a content creator or just curious about the podcasting world, this conversation is full of honest insights and practical advice.

Shownotes Page: https://levelupenglish.school/podcast347/

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"The more you know, the more you realise you don't know"

This is an example of a well-known proverb (that is so true for language learning too, by the way) and in this episode, we'll be looking at several proverbs, quotes, maxims, and aphorisms that contain some wisdom or rule for living a better life.

We'll be learning a few key terms and also exploring the vocabulary within each proverb, while exploring the meaning and wisdom behind each one. 

Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast346

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Sentences that are too short and simple is an issue that all language learners face. We can say what we want, but we don't sound natural because all of our sentences sound like children.

In this episode, we're going to practise extending sentences and making more natural phrases using Relative Clauses. I spend just 5 minutes reviewing the grammar, and then delve into a casual chat where I share my answers to a few questions using these patterns, and I invite you to do the same.

Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast345

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It's great to have goals, but what's the point of having them if we never actually achieve them?

Or maybe you do eventually get there, but wouldn't it be nice if we could get there faster and more efficiently?

In this episode, I talk about SMART goals and give examples of how you can make your goals Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. I give examples from my own goals in life, and also relate it to the example of learning English as a goal.

Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast344

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This is an episode I'm excited for because we'll be looking at a group of words that have gone through a similar history; namely, they have all had quite a drastic change in their meanings over time.

Many words we use today in English such as 'terrific' or 'fond' used to have almost completely opposite meanings! 

In this episode, I explore why these changes took place, share both the old and new meanings, and give examples from my life for each one. I'll invite you to do the same.

Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast343

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Rayhan is back for his second appearance on the podcast since Episode 144, about 4 years ago, to talk about a range of topics from getting better at small talk, self-improvement, the origins of the universe, spirituality, and more! 

Ray teaches on Preply, and you can also find him on Instagram, as well as his course and membership site Elevate English.

Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast342

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As you may know, politeness in English - especially in British English - is a very important thing. Learners often struggle to keep up with the confusing grammar and long sentences, so in this episode, I break down a few key phrases that you can start using today to make your questions and requests sound more polite.

I go through each phrase one by one and explain how we use it, give an example anecdote from my own life where I could use it, and also end each section with a question to get you thinking.

Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast341

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In this episode, I mix a serious topic with some fun where I talk about my reverse culture shock returning to the UK after one year while trying to answer the question why so many people are deciding to leave the UK and move elsewhere in the world.

Despite being British, seeing my own country from the outside gave me some interesting realisations, so I share a lot of them in today's episode. 

This episode might have you thinking about the future and how our countries will look in a few years, but also questioning the habits and culture of your own country.

Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast340

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