Listen and learn how researchers have taught lab rats how to drive cars.

Weird News: 30-second long news episodes to improve your listening and vocabulary

Weird News: Rats Driving Cars

In this week’s episode of the Real English Conversations Podcast, the show that helps global professionals speak clearly and confidently at work, host Curtis Davies welcomes two innovative creators who are transforming how we think about learning, collaboration, and communication.

Joining the show are Maryam Shoja and old high school buddy Matt Gardner, the founding partners behind Mod Hob Cooperative & PlotWeaver: Cards of Creation — a creator-led producers’ cooperative building practical, regenerative systems for learning, collaboration, and community resilience.

Mod Hob (short for Modern Hobbies) brings together educators, designers, technologists, and artists to design systems that replace extractive work with cooperative intelligence — treating people as co-creators rather than users, customers, or resources.

In this conversation, we explore their philosophy, their design process, and how their collaborative storytelling system helps individuals and teams think more clearly, communicate with empathy, and create shared meaning.

Maryam is a Learning Systems Designer, educator, strategist, and English Language coach with 16+ years of experience designing inclusive and neurodivergent-friendly learning environments. Matt went to high school with Curtis & is a user-centered product design strategist, UX researcher, and systems thinker with 20+ years of experience helping cross-functional teams turn complexity into clarity.

Together, they are building tools that make systems thinking, emotional intelligence, and creative collaboration accessible to everyday people — from classrooms to corporate teams.

This episode is especially powerful for educators, leaders, language learners, and global professionals who rely on English to collaborate, present ideas, and build strong relationships at work.

Real English Conversations Podcast

🎙️English Storytelling, with Maryam Shoja & Matt Gardner of Mod Hob Cooperative | Real English Conversations For Global professionals

In this very special episode of the Real English Conversations Podcast, I’m joined by my niece, Hillary Davies, a full-time flight attendant, third-year nursing student, and passionate traveler who speaks English, French, and Italian.

Born in Kamloops, BC, and currently splitting her time between Victoria, BC, and Montreal, QC, Hillary has lived a life full of adventure. She’s been to 20 countries, worked in both Italy and Australia, and learned Italian to a business level mostly through listening and immersion. She’s also adapted her French from “France French” to the unique Quebecois dialect she uses every day at work.

In our conversation, Hillary shares:
✈️ Memorable stories from traveling to 20 countries and working abroad
🛫 The unexpected joys and challenges of life as a flight attendant
🗣 How learning French and Italian changed the way she connects with people
🇮🇹 Tips for learning a new language through immersion and listening
😂 Funny and confusing moments navigating Quebecois French
💡 Real-life examples where language skills made a big difference
💉 Why she’s making the shift from aviation to a career in nursing
🌍 Advice for building fluency and confidence without living abroad
👨‍👩‍👧 How her parents — especially her dad, Kevin (a past guest) — influenced her journey

🎙️Flight Attendant to Nursing Student with My Niece Hillary Davies | Real English Conversations Podcast for Global professionals

In this week’s episode of the Real English Conversations Podcast, host Curtis Davies sits down with Jason Johnson, Emotional Freedom & Transformation Coach and author of Detrimental Kindness: How Not to Lose Yourself While Helping Others.

Jason helps people break free from over-giving, people-pleasing, and self-abandonment disguised as kindness. His work is about reclaiming boundaries, rediscovering your voice, and learning to live with confidence and emotional truth, not guilt or fear.

Through his powerful message and lived experience, Jason shares how to stop betraying yourself in the name of being “nice” and start living a life rooted in authenticity, clarity, and freedom.

✨ In this episode, Jason shares:

💬 What “detrimental kindness” really means — and why it’s so common for high achievers
🧠 How fear of judgment leads to self-silencing in relationships and workplaces
💪 Practical tools to build boundaries and emotional resilience
🌍 How to reconnect with your authentic self and communicate with confidence
💡 Why breaking free from over-helping leads to stronger, healthier connections

Whether you’re a professional who struggles to say “no,” or someone who constantly puts others first, this episode will help you recognize your worth and start setting boundaries that protect your energy and peace.

🎙️Detrimental Kindness with Jason Johnson | Real English Conversations Podcast for Global Professionals

In this episode of the Real English Conversations Podcast, Curtis interviews Shweta Ramkumar, a communication coach and founder of Healthy Dynamics,  who helps healthcare professionals from non-English speaking backgrounds become confident, empathetic communicators in English.

Shweta’s passion for healthcare communication began at home, growing up with a doctor mom. Today, she uses that experience to coach international healthcare workers, blending emotional intelligence, cultural understanding, and real-life clinical scenarios with ESL strategies.

They discuss:

The biggest English communication mistakes healthcare professionals make (and it’s not grammar)

Why miscommunication can create emotional stress for both patients and providers

How empathy, trust, and active listening can improve patient care

The powerful results her clients see through one-on-one coaching

Whether you’re a doctor, nurse, medical student, or ESL professional in healthcare, this episode will help you understand how clear, compassionate English can truly change lives, starting with your own.

Book a Lesson with teacher Curtis on Italki - https://www.italki.com/teacher/4672521/english

🎙️How Shweta Ramkumar Helps Healthcare Professionals Speak English with Empathy & Confidence | English for Medical Communication at Work

For the first time, Curtis takes the guest seat as he’s interviewed by radio and podcast expert Matt Cundill on the You May Also Like Podcast.

In this candid conversation, Curtis shares how his passion for radio in Edmonton eventually led to launching the Real English Conversations Podcast — and building an online coaching business that helps professionals around the world speak English clearly and confidently at work.

They talk about:

The story behind Real English Conversations and its global impact

What makes a podcast grow and connect with international listeners

How Curtis helps professionals become confident English communicators using real conversations—not grammar drills

If you’ve ever wondered about the story behind the mic, or want to hear what it takes to build a meaningful business in the ESL space, this episode delivers insights, real talk, and inspiration.

Book a Lesson with teacher Curtis on Italki - https://www.italki.com/teacher/4672521/english