GuaranÃ, Paraguay's Hidden Heart (GuaranÃes, El Corazón Escondido de Paraguay)
There is a country in South America that is particularly "different" from its neighbors in many ways, but the most interesting is its language and culture: I'm talking about Paraguay.Not only is the only nation where the most-spoken language is an indigenous language (GuaranÃ), but it also has a very strong "mestizo" presence (over 93%), making it one of the most homogeneous demographies in Latin America. But who are the GuaranÃ, and what makes them so special - and more importantly, what does the future hold for this unique culture, language, and Paraguay as the world evolves? Find out the answers and gain more Spanish fluency in the latest episode of the Learn Spanish with Stories podcast!Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/4439
Economic crises are nothing new to us, especially in these times of unpredictability and instability, but Latin America took it to a WHOLE new level in the 1970s.During a particularly wealthy economic period, banks in the US and other rich nations began to lend billions in cash with few conditions (really, all they asked was "pay it later"), with Latin American governments siphoning it all up to modernize their nations and invest in the future... sadly, the prices of raw materials that these countries exported soon fell, and the Federal Reserve decided to raise interest rates.Soon, leaders of these nations started to tremble, and when banks arrived to demand their money and the first of these countries simply said: "We can't pay", all hell broke loose. Find out how it happened and what happened next in this weeks¡ episode of the Learn Spanish with Stories Podcast!Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/4406
Latin America, a region of almost 700 million people, speaks mostly one language (Brazil will have to forgive us for this generalization), but we're not talking of one single Spanish language that everyone understands.In fact, each country has its own dialects, sayings, and differences that can be as crucial as they can be careful - after all, some completely normal words in one nation could sound rude or weird in others. So how do you, as a Spanish learner, avoid making a mistake and/or seeming non-native as soon as you open your mouth?Find out the best sayings in each country, how to use them and sound like you've been there for years, and the differences from one dialect to the next, in the latest Learn Spanish with Stories podcast by Lingo Mastery.Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/4373
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The Thousand Day War (La Guerra de los Mil DÃas)
We rarely hear about the local wars in South America, but some were just as ugly and crude as the historical wars in Europe and the US - and the Thousand Day War (technically, the 1,130 Day War, but the given name sounds catchier) was no different.A conflict that initiated when Colombia's Liberals decided that enough was enough, and that they would not stand for the corruption and impoverishment committed by the Conservatives, and picked up their tools and makeshift weapons to fight.A war that started small but soon lit up across the nation like wildfire, this horrible civil conflict destroyed homes, lands, and families. But who won, and why is this story so linked to the birth of Panama as a nation? Find out in the latest episode of the Learn Spanish with Stories Podcast!Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/4341
Spain, just like Latin America, has been a popular place to visit and move to as an expat, due to its beautiful beaches, modern cities, and great food. However, also like Latin America, it is affected by corruption, a lack of opportunities, and overall, bad policies that are making life harder for its citizens.And while many of its ministers and politicians flock to social media to make claims on how well the country is doing, the youth of the country is questioning if it's worth it to continue living there, with 60% of the younger generation claiming that they don't think their lives will be better than their parents'.In this episode, we do a deep dive on just what is holding Spain back and, ironically, what might gradually turn Spain into a European version of Latin America if they don't make the right fixes now.Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/4076
Learn Spanish with Stories is the number one podcast for upper beginner to intermediate Spanish learners. The main objective of this podcast is to give students fun and interesting stories from Latin America to help students with Spanish immersion. You can read while you listen if you head over to podcast.lingomastery.com to find the transcript.
Ireland