Language Nerds Do Earth

Have you ever wondered to yourself, "Maybe someday for funsies I'll try living in a country run by a fascist government!"? Well today is your lucky day, because we're making it easier for you to try and spot one.

We've talked a lot about learning other languages, but how about teaching them? This week, Patrice and Rachel are joined by special guest Saurabh Anand to discuss the path of teaching English to non-native speakers from three very different experiences.

Do you really think something is beautiful, or is that your culturally-driven ideal? Why do we have these ideals? Do they matter? These are all questions we may or may not explore in this episode.

In this week’s episode, we take a look at native accents in English, German, and Chinese. There are so many varieties of languages, and this great diversity adds incredible depth to any language. While we could spend episodes for each language, this is an overview of some of the many varieties you may find in … Continue reading Episode 56: Accents Within Languages

This week's travel-themed episode is on NOT traveling and what you can do instead, besides watching Netflix and contemplating your navel, which, let's be honest, are also pretty great options compared to getting or spreading CoVid-19.

This week we are coming at you with a mythological creature we all know and love: the dragon. When we say “all,” we mean that (pretty much) literally. It turns out that the dragon is one of the most universal creatures that exists in folklore, and so we will spend some time talking about why, … Continue reading Episode 54: Dragons!

Not so secret anymore, are they, eh? Well, unless you actually want to learn them. No, we are not including Pig Latin, that doesn't count.

Do you like traveling? Do you like hiking? How about doing both at the same time! (mind explosion) Come join our conversation about it. Or just listen to it.

Everything is fine. Really. Boredom is currently a larger threat to our lives than Covid-19. Please send wine.

Tune in for a peek into six different cultures and how they celebrate the age-old union of families. Special guests from Romania, China, and South Africa tell us about fascinating customs from their home cultures.

Tune in with your friends and guess what animals make the sounds in different languages!

Whenever we travel, we like to pay attention to what we can see, and maybe language barriers. But this episode we think about how music can really set the tone for your trip.

Mental illness is something we would normally think of as an internal process, but it is actually an expression of our internal processes reacting with our environment. Naturally, culture plays a role.

Languages change all the time from lots of different forces, and one of those forces is migration! Let's talk about it.

We talk about the importance of German culture and history, and cover everything else from where to go and what to do to food to try and budget tips.

Did you ever think that a sport would involve war ships, goat carcasses, cutting wood, or trying to complete a play in one breath? These are just a few of the crazy things we learned this week.

The Basque culture and language are super unique. After exploring some of the culture, we get a little wild with the language and its grammatical structure.

Traveling with diet restrictions doesn't have to be a bummer. Our resident expert gives advice on how to plan and do it well.

Stay tuned for the bloopers after our outro, guys! Whether you are a Millenial, Boomer, Gen X-er, or even Post-millenial, you are sure to have noticed the tension between Millenials and Baby Boomers. Between these two generations there is a cultural gap, and one that seems larger than many other generational gaps due to rapid … Continue reading Episode 41: Millennials vs. Baby Boomers

(Patrice has a bit of mic trouble around 9 minutes in, but stay tuned — this episode is a doozy!) If you’re anything like us, you had no clue there were over 50 whistling languages! Maybe you don’t even know what is meant by “whistling language,” but don’t fret! In this episode we talk about … Continue reading Episode 40: Whistling Languages

Some people are great packers. We talk about them and try to learn their secrets.

What do people think of exercise? Who exercises? How do they do it? We actually answer all of these when we're not ranting about how expensive bike equipment is.

This week, we dive into something a lot of people wonder about: is it really possible to learn a language as an adult? You’ll be surprised to know that, according to researchers at MIT, the answer is yes! We weigh in on language learning apps and give some recommendations, talk about the research, and dish … Continue reading Episode 37: Learning a language as an adult

Have you ever been midway through the delightful TSA experience and thought, “a screaming cat would really make this moment more memorable”? Well, let us assure you: it is DEFINITELY more memorable than your average, run-of-the-mill international flight. In addition to being more memorable, it also adds many layers of complexity to traveling (or moving) … Continue reading Episode 36: Traveling with Pets

The year of the pig will soon be upon us! This year’s Lunar New Year falls on February 5th, and we are helping you to prepare by bringing you traditions from all over Asia. Lunar New Year, otherwise known as Chinese New Year or Spring Festival, is the most important holiday of many cultures that … Continue reading Episode 35: Lunar New Year

To ring in the (solar) new year, we have a special episode for you on endangered languages.

Have you ever gone to a different country and/or culture for the first time and thought, “man, I really know what I’m doing and totally blend in!”* If so, then you either don’t need to listen to this episode, or you were wrong. There are a lot of things we do and don’t think about … Continue reading Episode 33: Travel Faux Pas to Avoid

This week, we listen to a couple friends who have experienced different cultures as gay individuals — China and the West. We really wanted to know how their experiences differed, and what they thought about it. A million thanks to Garry and Haochen for opening up on some topics that aren’t normal conversation in everyday … Continue reading Episode 32: The Queer Experience Across Cultures

This week we have a little fun looking at idioms from around the world! One of our favorite examples: the Swedish “if there’s room in the heart, there’s room for the butt” meaning, basically, “if we like you, we’ll make room for you.” We explore where idioms come from and how they are related to … Continue reading Episode 31: Idioms

This week we have a little advice about how to make your trip the most interesting, personal one you can — by getting off the beaten path! Although covering the famous sights in a travel destination is awesome too, it can be really fun and adventurous to go see things less-traveled. We have some tips … Continue reading Episode 30: Getting Off the Beaten Path

(Patrice had a little mic trouble for the first third of this episode. Please bear with us until about minute 13, when she mysteriously shifts to much better audio quality) “Saving face” is an idea that is very difficult to grasp for people who don’t grow up around it. It is a collectivist, high-context concept … Continue reading Episode 29: Saving Face

Iceland — is it in North America or Europe? Is it a land, or made of ice? Why doesn’t Björk seem to have a last name? These are all questions. Do we answer them? Maybe. But we definitely talk about the Icelandic language: an anomaly among languages, this baby has been consistent for forever (OK, … Continue reading Episode 28: Icelandic

Have you got the long-term travel bug? Have you been considering acting on it? We put our heads together and talk pros and cons of living and working abroad, and what kind of options you have for making it happen. Whether you’re a digital wizard, in the medical world, or have a passion for farming, … Continue reading Episode 27: Traveling Jobs

This week we take a look at some of the fun festivals around the world that celebrate this beautiful time of year! This is a followup of episode 3, when we talked about spring festivals around the world. Today, we start in Mexico with the Day of the Dead, then travel to Argentina’s wine festival, … Continue reading Episode 26: Fall Festivals

It’s time for some heavy nerding-out, y’all. This week is a continuation of one of our most popular episodes (#16), the Evolution of English, Part 1. In Part 2, we look at Shakespearean English: was it really similar to American English? The answer is a bit less straightforward than the rumor-spreaders would have you believe! … Continue reading Episode 25: The Evolution of English, Part 2

The people you’re with (or not with) when you’re traveling can make or break a trip. This week we talk to Jane, who traveled solo for 4 months around Southeast Asia before linking up with a travel buddy. She tells us about her amazing experience, and shares some advice on going solo! A huge thanks … Continue reading Episode 24: To Travel With or Without Others

Hello, wonderful people! Welcome back after our short little break we took due to travel and sickness, and this week we have an extra-special episode to make up for it! Are you someone who always throws salt over their left shoulder, or shudders at the thought of walking under a ladder? Maybe you’re someone who … Continue reading Episode 23: Cultural Superstitions

Disclaimer: this episode is full of four-letter words. They are censored (so we can keep our “clean” rating), but we want to give you a heads up in case your sensibilities are offended by the topic! This week, we put our mouths right into the gutter and talk about swearing. First, why do we swear? … Continue reading Episode 22: Swearing Around the World

Traveling is one of the most rewarding things you can do, but it often comes with dangers. At best, it’s an annoying little part of your trip (and a good story afterward), but at worst, it can be devastating financially or in other ways. This week we talk about what’s happened to us in the … Continue reading Episode 21: Travel Scams

Have you ever thought about why some cultures put higher values on different aspects of society than others? For example, what is it that makes some groups (like Koreans and Spaniards) less likely to move far away from home, or others (like Germans and Swedes) more likely to be proactive about taking care of their … Continue reading Episode 20: How Cultural Values Differ

Let’s get grammatical! Have you ever thought about punctuation and how it helps save lives? For example, the difference between “Let’s eat Grandma!” and “Let’s eat, Grandma!” makes a really big difference! One is cannibalism, the other a friendly invitation to dinner! In this episode, we look at some hilarious comma fails (like those concerning … Continue reading Episode 19: Punctuation

Wanna travel? Not a millionaire? We’ve gathered some fantastic insider’s tips on how to enjoy yourself on vacation but not break the bank! There’s a lot of advice in this episode so here’s a basic outline with as many links as possible: (p.s. these are not affiliate links! Just stuff we’ve found or had experience … Continue reading Episode 18: Getting the Most Bang for Your Travel Buck

This week, we are joined by a special guest Peter, who has heard this question far too often: where are you FROM? Imagine you are raised straddling two totally opposite cultures, and decide to embrace one of them. But whenever you tell people that’s who you are, they don’t believe you. Peter was born in … Continue reading Episode 17: Yeah, But Where Are You Really From?

Have you ever stopped to think about the bizarre rules, spelling, and theft of words that make up the English language? If you are an English learner, you have no doubt agonized over wacky spelling, the lack of a phonetic writing system, and phrasal verbs (combinations of a verb and participle that change the meaning … Continue reading Episode 16: The Evolution of English, Part I

  With a more globalized and interconnected world, it’s no surprise that the number of people moving abroad has increased. In this episode we dive into this choice and the lifestyle that comes with it, hearing from two very special guests, Zaher in Spain and Patti in Thailand. They give us their insights into the … Continue reading Episode 15: The Expat Lifestyle

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you need to go to the hospital while you’ve been traveling outside of your home country? We certainly have! Join us for a discussion of hospitals abroad and what you can expect in the scary case that you end up needing medical attention. Also, ever wondered … Continue reading Episode 14: Getting Sick While Traveling

This week, we interviewed two very unique guests whose stories are as different from one another as they are from anyone else’s. However, they are similar to each other in one key aspect: they are created from a mixing of cultures. These guests are what are called “Third Culture Kids,” or TCKs, which is a … Continue reading Episode 13: Third Culture Kids

In this episode, we really let our inner language nerds shine as we talk about mistranslations! After sharing some personal encounters with bad translations on the metro, in restaurants, and in stores, we go on to talk about why good translation is so difficult to achieve. We even find out that poor translation has actually … Continue reading Episode 12: Translation Fails

This topic is long overdue. We’re not really sure why it took 11 whole episodes to get there, alas here we are. In this episode we share some of our favorite mouth-watering dishes we’ve tried in our travels around the world. From pho in Vietnam to burek in the Balkans, come along for this virtual … Continue reading Episode 11: The Joys of Eating and Traveling

What is Ramadan? This week Patrice and Rachel interviewed two of our Muslim friends, Abdullah from Saudi Arabia and Kareemah from Louisiana. We picked their brains, and they told us all about the surprisingly fun time they have while they eat and drink very little for 27 days straight! They take us inside the holiday … Continue reading Episode 10: Going Inside Ramadan

Caught the love bug for an exotic foreigner? You’re not alone! The number of cross-cultural relationships has been rising as the world grows more and more connected. This week Rachel and Patrice talk cross-cultural love and romance. We explore areas where there can be problems (like visa issues and language barriers) as well as tips … Continue reading Episode 9: Cross-Cultural Romance