In this episode you will learn about the history of Memorial Day and how it is observed these days. Memorial Day is a day of remembrance. It is a time to honor American military personnel who died in the line of duty, serving their country. Pod

EFN 77: Spring Cleaning

May 24th, 2021 15m 7s

In this episode I discuss spring cleaning. Spring is a time when many people deep clean, declutter, and organize their homes. You will learn many useful words and phrases to talk about this topic. To purchase the Lesson Guide, visit www.english

EFN 76: Massage

Apr 30th, 2021 23m 20s

In this episode I talk about the different types of massage you can get at various places in the U.S. You will learn useful vocabulary related to massage so you can discuss the differences, know how to book a massage, and know what to expect wh

EFN 75: Hobby Farms

Apr 19th, 2021 16m 44s

In this episode I discuss hobby farms. Now that more and more people are working from home, people are choosing to move out of cities and live in the country. They are starting hobby farms, raising animals, growing food, and becoming more self-

EFN 74: Joshua Tree

Apr 9th, 2021 17m 48s

In this episode I tell you about my recent trip to Joshua Tree National Park and Palm Springs. You will learn a little about this area of Southern California and what types of things you can do if you visit. Named after the unique Joshua Tree,

EFN 73: CA Universities

Mar 30th, 2021 27m 20s

In this episode I explain what American high school students and foreigners need to do to plan for college, and what the four options are in California. California has community colleges, the California State University system, the University o

EFN 72: Credit Cards

Mar 22nd, 2021 23m 31s

In this episode I am talking about credit cards. What are they? Why do we use them? What are the pros and cons? How do you get one? Find out all about how credit cards work so you can be able to understand and speak about this topic in English.

EFN 71: Popular Diets

Mar 14th, 2021 18m 16s

In this episode you will learn about a variety of diets that have become quite popular in the U.S. in the past few decades. These diets include vegetarian, vegan, low-car, keto, paleo, and carnivore. Each diet has numerous proponents and follow

EFN 70: First Job

Mar 7th, 2021 20m 47s

In the U.S., many teens get their first job between the ages of 14 and 18. Listen to this episode to find out which types of businesses hire teens, how much money they make, and the types of work they do. You will also learn about the minimum w

EFN 69: Black History Month

Mar 1st, 2021 25m 21s

Black History Month is celebrated each year during the month of February. It is an opportunity for Americans to learn about the contributions of black Americans in all areas of life: business, leadership, music, art, movies, writing, science, i

EFN 68: Clubhouse

Feb 21st, 2021 21m 25s

Have you been invited to Clubhouse? This is a new and exciting way to interact with people around the world, and a great way to improve your English listening and speaking skills. Find out all about Clubhouse in this episode. Learn how to use t

EFN 67: Mask Debate

Feb 14th, 2021 17m 15s

The mask debate has divided Americans for nearly a year. Some people believe masks are common sense strategies for fighting the coronavirus. Those who disagree believe they are ineffective and infringe on a citizen's freedom. Listen to the podc

EFN 66: Route 66

Feb 7th, 2021 15m 56s

In this episode you will learn about the iconic American highway Route 66. Built in 1926, Route 66 was the first American highway that connected Chicago to Los Angeles, winding its way through states such as Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma

EFN 65: Short Squeeze

Feb 1st, 2021 17m 21s

In this episode, I talk about the epic Short Squeeze that happened in the U.S. Stock Market the week ending January 29, 2021. Learn about how the stock market works, what a short squeeze is, and how a group of Reddit investors got their revenge

EFN 64: Trump

May 11th, 2016 18m 37s

In this episode, I talk about Donald Trump and the fact that he is now the presumptive nominee for the Republican Party. He has been winning primary after primary, but he remains a controversial figure. Many Americans are shocked that he has ga

EFN 63: Party Nominating Process

Jan 24th, 2016 18m 43s

This year we will elect a new president. Who will it be? On February 1, 2016, the primary elections and party caucuses will begin throughout the 50 States and Territories. In this episode, I explain how this works with regards to the top two pa

EFN 62: Dude Ranches

Jan 10th, 2016 11m

In episode 62, I talk about my trip to a dude ranch in Mexico. You will learn about what a dude ranch is, what you can do there and a bit about the history of the dude ranch. This episode is full of great descriptive words that you can use in y

EFN 61: Broadway

Dec 14th, 2015 14m 55s

In episode 61, I talk about my recent trip to New York City and the four Broadway shows that I saw. I talk about how to get to Broadway, how to purchase tickets, and how to access information about the shows on the show's websites. Going to Bro

EFN 60: Water Parks

Sep 14th, 2015 17m 21s

Water Parks are a great place to have fun with your family and friends during the summer. This summer I visited a park called Wild Waves here in Washington and it was really fun. In this episode, you will learn what water parks are like here in

EFN 59: Small Town Festivals

Jun 8th, 2015 14m 37s

Small Town Festivals are taking place all across the U.S. right now. Just this past month we celebrated the Rhody Festival in my town. In this episode, you will learn all about the Rhody Festival and what it's like to participate in a small tow

EFN 58: Household Budget

May 8th, 2015 15m 58s

In this episode I talk about the typical expenses that are included in a household budget: a mortgage, property taxes, utilities and insurance. Beyond these fixed expenses, you will have to spend money on groceries, health insurance, car insura

EFN 57: Junie B. Jones

Apr 21st, 2015 15m 22s

Reading easy chapter books is a great way to improve your understanding of everyday English and help you learn more about the American culture. In this episode, I introduce you to the international bestselling series from American author Barbar

EFN 56: Neuroplasticity and Brain Games

Apr 5th, 2015 18m 31s

In this episode, I talk about three books that I've read recently related to the idea of neuroplasticity. You will learn lots of new vocabulary words related to the brain, improving intelligence and overcoming learning disabilities. You will al

EFN 55: Talking About Your Day

Mar 15th, 2015 10m 38s

Talking about your day is a very common thing you need to be able to do in English. Why? Because people ask you all the time things like: What did you do today? What did you do this weekend? What did you have for dinner last night? When do you

EFN 54: Talent is Overrated

Feb 19th, 2015 16m 45s

A lot of people think that world-class peformers have special genes, that they are just born with talent, but recent research proves that this isn't true. Certainly some people are born with interests or they develop a passion for something as