Bonus episode #099 – Trail talk

In this episode, Andrew is interviewed about his life in South Korea by Alastair Budge, host of the English for Curious Minds podcast. Andrew discusses his journey from Canada to Korea, his initial experiences teaching English in a small mountain city, and how he handled cultural differences and embraced the unpredictability of life abroad. As you listen to Andrew's interview, you'll gain insights into South Korean culture and the challenges and rewards of living in a foreign country. This episode will help you improve your English in several ways: Vocabulary building: Learn new words and expressions related to interviews, cultural experiences, and teaching abroad. Listening comprehension: Practice understanding spoken English in a natural, conversational setting. Cultural insight: Gain a deeper understanding of South Korean culture and the life of a foreigner who lives there. Pronunciation and intonation: Improve your pronunciation by listening to Andrew's natural speech patterns. Interactive learning: Discuss the episode with other listeners on the Culips Discord server for speaking practice. Study with the interactive transcript: Join the Culips Discord server: Become a Culips member: Bonus episode 54: Click here. Listen to the full interview on Alastair’s Youtube channel:

In this Chatterbox episode, Andrew and Anna are trying out something new – they’re playing a conversation game! The goal of the game is to make deeper conversations, moving beyond small talk. The hosts go through a range of questions, from light-hearted to deep and thought-provoking, and then discuss each other’s responses. As they answer these questions, they share their personal experiences, memories, and take time to reflect on their lives. Make sure to give this episode a listen to find out more and improve your communication skills! What You Will Learn: How to discuss hypothetical situations using conditional sentences. How to effectively participate in a conversation, ask follow-up questions, and express your opinions respectfully. How to make your speech more engaging by using descriptive adjectives, adverbs, and figurative language. How This Episode Will Help You: Grow your vocabulary with vocabulary related to conversation, communication, and relationships. Build your listening skills by following a natural conversation between native English speakers. Learn idiomatic expressions like "think on your feet" and "Goldilocks." Gain a deeper understanding of British and Canadian cultures. Use the study guide and join the member community on Discord to practice asking and answering similar open-ended questions. The best way to learn with this lesson: Culips members get an interactive transcript, helpful study guide, and ad-free audio for this episode. Take your English to the next level by becoming a Culips member. Become a Culips member now: Click here. Members can access the ad-free version here: Click here. Join our Discord community to connect with other learners and get more English practice. Click here to join.

In this episode, Andrew shares a story about going on a picnic with his wife to the Han River Park in Seoul, South Korea. He describes their preparation process, the convenient amenities available at the park, and the awesome time they shared together. As you listen to Andrew's story, you'll learn new vocabulary related to picnics, outdoor activities, and more. Plus, you’ll also improve your listening skills and ability to follow a long-form story in English. This episode will help you improve your English in several ways: Vocabulary: You'll learn new words and phrases about picnics, adventures, and outdoor experiences. This will help you discuss these topics more effectively in English. Listening: By focusing on Andrew's story, you'll practice understanding spoken English and following the main points of a narrative. Speaking: Andrew's picnic experience might inspire you to share your own stories about enjoying outdoor activities with friends and family. You can also practice your English by discussing this episode with other Culips listeners on our Discord server. Pronunciation: Listening to Andrew's natural English will help you improve your own pronunciation and intonation, as you become more familiar with the rhythm and flow of the language. Study with the interactive transcript: Join the Culips Discord server: Become a Culips member:

In this Catch Word episode, Andrew and Kassy will teach you two fun expressions to make your English even better: "spruce up" and "deck out." You will learn how English speakers use these expressions to talk about making something look or work better. For example, you might spruce up your clothes for spring or deck out a game room with cool new gadgets. Get ready to "spruce up" your English and "deck out" your vocabulary with this fun and informative episode! What You Will Learn: The meaning of "spruce up" and "deck out" How to use these expressions in real life Where these expressions come from and why we use them Tips for using "spruce up" and "deck out" in your own English conversations How This Episode Will Help You: Learn two new expressions to make your English more natural Become more fluent by using expressions English speakers use every day Discover how people in the U.S. and Canada "deck out" their houses with lots of lights and decorations for holidays like Halloween and Christmas Practice talking about these topics with our community on Discord Use the study guide to learn even more related expressions, test your knowledge with a quiz, and practice using the new vocabulary in various contexts The best way to learn with this lesson: Culips members get an interactive transcript, helpful study guide, and ad-free audio for this episode. Take your English to the next level by becoming a Culips member. Become a Culips member now: Click here. Members can access the ad-free version here: Click here. Join our Discord community to connect with other learners and get more English practice. Click here to join.

Episode description: In this episode, Andrew interviews Jesús Florez, a Culips listener originally from Colombia. Jesús talks about his journey of becoming a highly proficient English speaker with an American-like accent. He discusses his background story of meeting his wife online and moving from Colombia to the United States. He tells Andrew all about the intensive work he did to improve his pronunciation and the resources he used to achieve fluency, plus he shares some valuable tips with English learners! If you want to know how to become a fluent English speaker and perfect your pronunciation, this episode is for you! What you'll learn in this episode: Effective strategies for mastering an American-like accent. The importance of input (listening) in working on pronunciation. Helpful tips for improving pronunciation in a foreign language. Benefits of learning from both native and non-native English teachers. The importance of the visual aspect of pronunciation. How this episode will help improve your English: Expand your vocabulary related to language learning Improve listening skills by following a natural unscripted conversation. Learn useful expressions like "get [something] off the ground" and "take precedence". Improve speaking by discussing your own language learning journey using the study guide questions. The best way to learn with this lesson: Culips members get an interactive transcript, helpful study guide, and ad-free audio for this episode. Take your English to the next level by becoming a Culips member. Become a Culips member now: Click here. Members can access the ad-free version here: Click here. Join our Discord community to connect with other learners and get more English practice. Click here to join.

Episode description In this very special episode, we celebrate hitting the 100-episode milestone of the bonus series. And we do so by flipping the script. Instead of hearing Andrew share a story with you, you'll get to listen to stories sent in by Culips listeners from around the world. Tune in to hear them share funny moments, discuss their English study routines, and talk about how they've leveled up their language skills with Culips. A huge thank you to everyone who participated in the creation of this episode. Without our amazing community, Culips wouldn't exist. We hope you enjoy this special edition of the bonus series, and here's to many more episodes to come! Study with the interactive transcript: Click here. Join the Culips Discord server: Become a Culips member: Chapters: [00:00:00] Introduction - Andrew explains the special 100th bonus episode [00:05:51] Story from Sodam about moving to the U.S. [00:06:51] Story from Sandra about an extraordinary experience at the Musée d'Orsay [00:08:09] Story from Ray about learning English through Pokémon and practicing shadowing [00:10:04] Story from Jin about discovering Culips and using the interactive transcript [00:12:54] Story from Shun about the power of shadowing [00:17:16] Story from Mery about a trip to London with her boyfriend [00:20:44] Story from Edit about sleep talking [00:25:23] Story from Pijon about why pronunciation is important [00:27:41] Story from Navid about improving his English after immigrating to Canada [00:30:44] Story from Suhavi about being forced to listen to Culips by her mom [00:35:07] Story from WangJae about becoming a father [00:37:58] Story from Grimes about learning English with Culips [00:39:29] Story from Kalléu about improving English skills through Culips [00:39:29] Story from Dominika about a Czech tradition [00:42:53] Story from Jiwoo and Chloe about their mom's passion for Culips [00:44:33] Story from Sarah comparing school life in two different countries [00:46:50] Story from Usako about decluttering and playing table tennis [00:48:52] Story from Kelvin about his English learning journey [00:50:24] Story from Mina about returning to work after maternity leave [00:52:33] Story from Sergey about Culips in his daily routine [00:53:38] Story from Muhammed about learning with Culips [00:54:32] Story from Anthony about improving his English for business [00:58:04] Story from Zahra about finding Culips during the pandemic [00:58:56] Story from Diana about mistaking chrysanthemum tubers for ginger [01:02:51] Story from Darkhan about a blessing in disguise [01:04:19] Story from Thea Yang about learning languages every day

Episode description: In this Simplified Speech episode, Andrew and Kassy share their experiences attending live sporting events in various countries, including Canada, the USA, Korea, Thailand, and Taiwan. They discuss the exciting atmosphere, food options, ticket prices, and cultural differences between watching sports in different parts of the world. By listening to this episode, you will gain a better understanding of how to talk about sports and live events in English. You'll also pick up new vocabulary words and learn about cultural differences in an engaging and easy-to-follow discussion. Join Andrew and Kassy as they share their passion for sports and help you improve your English skills along the way! What you will learn Vocabulary related to sports and live events, such as "seeded," "concession," and "jumbotron" Insights into the sports culture and fan experiences in different countries Comparisons between the cost and availability of food and drinks at stadiums around the world Opinions on watching sports on TV versus attending live events How you will improve your English with this episode Expand your vocabulary with sports-related terms and expressions Learn to discuss and compare cultural experiences using clear language Improve your listening skills by following a natural conversation between two native English speakers Improve your communication skills by discussing this episode with other Culips listeners on our Discord server The best way to learn with this lesson: Culips members get an interactive transcript, helpful study guide, and ad-free audio for this episode. Take your English to the next level by becoming a Culips member. Become a Culips member now: Click here. Members can access the ad-free version here: Click here. Join our Discord community to connect with other learners and get more English practice. Click here to join.

In this episode, Andrew talks about running a trail race in Jangsu, a small village in South Korea. He describes the challenges of running on mountain paths, the beautiful scenery he saw, and the great feeling of finishing the race. As you listen to Andrew's story, you'll learn new vocabulary about running, nature, and facing difficulties. You'll also improve your listening skills and ability to understand a story in English.  Study with the interactive transcript: Join the Culips Discord server: Get the comprehension quiz:

Episode description: In this episode, Andrew and Anna discuss the concept of digital modesty – the idea of being mindful about how much personal information you share online. They explore the benefits and drawbacks of sharing on social media and the importance of setting boundaries to protect your privacy. What you'll learn in this episode: The meaning of digital modesty and why it's an important topic Different perspectives on sharing personal information online The potential risks of oversharing on social media The importance of setting personal boundaries and limits for online sharing How cultural differences can influence what is considered modest or acceptable to share How this episode will improve your English: Expand your vocabulary with words and phrases related to online behavior and social media, such as: digital modesty, non-negotiables,off-putting, oversharing, and boundaries. Improve your listening comprehension by following a natural, unscripted conversation between native English speakers. Learn idiomatic expressions like strike a chord and play devil's advocate. Gain insight into cultural differences and how they can impact online behavior Improve your speaking and communication skills by using the study guide and connecting with the member community to practice speaking about digital modesty in English. The best way to learn with this lesson: Culips members get an interactive transcript, helpful study guide, and ad-free audio for this episode. Take your English to the next level by becoming a Culips member. Become a Culips member now: Click here. Members can access the ad-free version here: Click here. Join our Discord community to connect with other learners and get more English practice. Click here to join. Episode references: Mary Harrington interviewed on the Modern Wisdom podcast: Click here. The geography game Andrew mentioned, GeoGuesser: Click here. The story of the missing van lifer: Click here. Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Music Credit: Something Elated by Broke for Free Image: Kaique Rocha (pexels.com)

In this episode, Andrew shares a simple yet powerful change he made to his daily routine that has left him feeling more rested, productive, and less stressed. He explains how keeping his phone away from his bed at night and reading a book first thing in the morning has made a big difference to his well-being. Andrew also talks about the Korean book he's currently reading and the inspiring journey of its translator. This episode will help improve your English communication skills in several ways: You'll get great practice listening to and understanding natural, conversational English as Andrew shares a personal story. You'll learn useful vocabulary related to daily routines, reading habits, sleep, productivity, and language learning. By listening to Andrew’s story, you'll build your ability to understand spoken English and grasp main ideas. The topic of making positive changes might inspire you to think about your own habits and discuss them with others in English. Study with the interactive transcript: Join the Culips Discord server: Try the comprehension quiz: