Harriet Rich moved to Valladolid, Mexico from the US, when she retired, about 15 years ago. I stayed at the Airbnb she has there, in 2023. It feels like a blessing to say we’ve been friends ever since. 

These days, we’re playing around with podcasting. Here we are, talking about writing and publishing and more!

Hear and There

10. An interview with Harriet Rich, a self-published fiction writer 

It describes the link between teenagers addiction to short videos (such as those on TikTok, Instagram and Youtube) and issues with sleep and social anxiety.

English Corner

Short Video Addiction Linked to Poor Sleep, Anxiety part 2

Short Video Addiction Linked to Poor Sleep, Anxiety part 1

Did you know that complex speech likely existed over 150,000 years ago?  Imagine our early ancestors crafting words to share ideas and build societies!  Learning a language allows you to connect with that rich history of human communication.

Unveiling the Fascinating World of Language Learning

1. Have you ever been on a blind date? How did it go?
2. Have you been on any boring or awkward dates?
3. Do you know any couples who met online? Have they been together long?
4. What are the most romantic places to go on a date in your town or city?

Dating Study Asks What Behaviors Lead to Second Dates

Throughout the 20th century, many scientists believed that bilingual children would have trouble concentrating and learning in school. In the last decade, however, studies have proved just the opposite.

People that speak more than one language often perform better on tests that measure problem solving, concentration, mental flexibility and multitasking.

Basically, speaking more than one language keeps your brain fit!

Over half of the world’s population speak more than one language, and most countries have more than one official language. Native English speakers usually only grow up speaking one language.

Young children learn language easily, but that’s because they’re constantly surrounded by native speakers! Unfortunately, adults don’t have that luxury.

Bilingual brains have more grey matter. This part of the brain controls our muscles, sight, hearing, emotions, speech, and decision making. Learning another language makes our brains work harder and builds up our grey matter.

Some schools in the U.K. and America have started conducting lessons in one language in the morning and switching to a different language for lessons in the afternoon. Teachers say that the children concentrate much better and have more self-esteem.

For adults, it’s sometimes hard to stay motivated when learning another language, so make sure it’s always an enjoyable experience! Be sure to set goals for yourself, try a lot of different learning activities and talk to native speakers as much as you can.

Don’t worry about the mistakes you make, after all, the reward for all that hard work is well worth it!