Show notes
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to experience another country as a local rather than as a tourist? In this special episode from the archives, Curtis and Former co-host Amy talk about their incredible three-month experience in Colombia. They traveled to Barranquilla on Colombia's Caribbean coast to experience Carnival, but instead of simply staying in hotels and visiting tourist attractions, they stayed with friends and their families. That allowed them to experience Colombian culture from the inside—from everyday social activities and local food to music, dancing, street parties, and Carnival celebrations. They even had the opportunity to learn cumbia with a group preparing for the Carnival parades and were invited to participate in the festivities. But this episode isn't only about travel. It's also a fantastic English listening lesson. You'll hear Curtis and Former co-host Amy naturally describing experiences, telling stories, asking questions, expressing opinions, comparing cultures, and explaining things to each other—all without the scripted language you normally find in English textbooks. And near the end of the conversation, they discuss one of the most interesting questions for language learners: Does living in another country automatically make you fluent in the language? Former Co-host Amy shares her honest experience of spending time in full Spanish immersion and explains why simply being surrounded by a language wasn't enough to produce the level of improvement she expected. She realized that additional input—such as reading, studying, and getting more exposure to the language—was necessary to maximize the benefits of immersion. That's an important lesson for anyone learning English today. 🎯 In This Episode You'll Learn: ✅ How to improve your English listening through real travel conversations ✅ How native speakers describe travel experiences and tell stories naturally ✅ Vocabulary and expressions connected to travel, culture and everyday life ✅ How to talk about cultural differences and experiences ✅ Why staying with local people can create a very different travel experience ✅ How to describe festivals, music, dancing and local traditions in English ✅ How to use English to explain personal experiences and memorable moments ✅ What happens when you spend extended time immersed in another language ✅ Why language immersion alone may not be enough to achieve fluency ✅ Why reading, studying, and additional exposure can make immersion much more effective Colombia, Carnival & Cultural Immersion Curtis and Former Co-host Amy traveled to Barranquilla because they wanted to experience its famous Carnival, described in the conversation as the world's second-largest carnival after Rio de Janeiro. But arriving early and staying with local friends allowed them to experience much more than the Carnival itself. They talk about: 🎵 The incredible amount of music throughout Barranquilla 🍕 Going out with local friends for movies, pizza, and drinks 🍳 Trying traditional Colombian arepas 💃 Learning cumbia with a Carnival group 🥁 Experiencing local music and dance 🎉 Street parties and Carnival celebrations 🔊 Massive sound systems and DJs playing in the streets 🏖️ Spending time in Santa Marta 🌅 Enjoying the beaches and sunsets 🏛️ Their short visit to Cartagena One of the biggest lessons from the trip was that some of their most memorable experiences came from living like locals rather than simply visiting tourist attractions. 💬 English Learning Lesson: Immersion Doesn't Automatically Create Fluency One of the most valuable parts of this conversation for language learners comes near the end. Curtis asks Former Co-Host Amy what effect three months in a Spanish-speaking environment had on her language learning. Her answer is surprisingly honest. She explains that during the periods when she was staying with Spanish-speaking families, she was communicating in Spanish throughout the day. This helped her become much more comfortable using the grammar and vocabulary she already knew. However, she realized afterward that she needed additional input—such as reading, studying, and getting more exposure—to continue learning and expanding her language skills. The lesson for English learners: Don't rely on conversation alone. A powerful learning routine combines: Listening + Speaking + Reading + Vocabulary + Study + Real-world Practice That's how you turn the English you recognize into English you can actually use. 📚 English Vocabulary & Expressions From the Conversation Listen carefully for natural expressions and vocabulary related to: get to know a city hang out language exchange day-to-day living typical food shenanigans part of the culture participate in turn something down full commitment in the spirit of get revenge block party street vendors spectator full immersion language barrier input exposure fluency These are the kinds of words and expressions that help you move beyond textbook English and understand how English is actually used in everyday conversation. 💡 A Powerful English Learning Lesson Don't just study English. Experience it. Real conversations give you something textbooks often can't: context. When you hear vocabulary inside a story, you can understand not only what a word means, but also how, when, and why native speakers use it. Curtis explains that these conversations are designed to help listeners improve their listening skills and learn the vocabulary and phrases native speakers use in real everyday life. So don't worry if you don't understand every single word the first time. Listen once for the overall story. Then listen again and focus on: 👉 vocabulary 👉 pronunciation 👉 expressions 👉 sentence structure 👉 how the speakers connect their ideas That's how you can turn a podcast episode into an actual English lesson. 🎙️ Learn English with Teacher Curtis & Real English Conversations If you're serious about becoming more fluent, confident, and natural in English, I can help you take the next step. ⭐ Book a Trial English Lesson Start with a personalized lesson focused on your specific English goals: https://realenglishconversations.com/memberships/member-plans/fluency-programs/trial-lesson/ 🚀 90-Day Next Level English Challenge — 50% OFF If you're ready for serious one-on-one support, you can join my 90-Day Next Level English Challenge. Use coupon code: 90DAY50 for 50% OFF. https://realenglishconversations.com/memberships/our-courses/90-day-next-level-english/ 📚 Explore My English Courses https://realenglishconversations.com/memberships/our-courses/ 🎧 Podcast + Phrasal Verb Audio Course Bundle https://courses.realenglishconversations.com/rec-course-bundle 🌐 Real English Conversations https://realenglishconversations.com 🎧 Listen to the Podcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/76ihNoEcjms6485Vt1ng5q Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/real-english-conversations-podcast-real-english-for/id977345837 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@realenglishconversations 📱 Follow Real English Conversations Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rec.real.english/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RealEnglishConversationsOnline LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/curtis-davies-07928646/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/RealEnglishConversationsPodcast ⭐ If You Enjoyed This Episode... Don't just listen—use the episode to improve your English. Listen again, write down 5 new expressions, repeat some of the sentences out loud, and try using the new vocabulary in your own conversations. And if you enjoyed the episode, please follow the podcast, leave a review, and share it with another English learner who could benefit from authentic English listening practice. Thanks for listening to the Real English Conversations Podcast! — Teacher Curtis