This episode is my take on what I think is missing from the education curriculum - the essential skills all students should have in my opinion before they leave school. 
Please let me know in the comments your thoughts!

British English with Maria

Ep 7 - What they don't teach you at school....

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?

English Corner

Dating Study Asks What Behaviors Lead to Second Dates

This short novel tells the story of some farm animals who rebel against their human masters. Orwell uses simple English to appeal to all reading levels and the animals speak in concise, clear sentences: perfect for language learners.

Audiobooks with Pip

Animal Farm by George Orwell: Chapter 1

Listen to me reading a short news extract on why people are forced to leave their homes and seek to move to another country, as part of my Conversational English course 

Listen to English with Pip

Seeking asylum

Does 露马脚 mean showing the horse's feet and what is the origin of this idiom? Come to find out!

Shay的中文小课堂

Idioms and Slangs Episode7-露马脚lù mǎ jiǎo

In todays episode we discuss the Idioms used when visited doctors.

Let's have a chat (Discussions In English) 

Episode 27 : Idioms for visiting a doctor

How To Sound Professional During Job Interviews, At Work, Doing Business?

Tip #1: Slow down

Tip #2: Practise your intonation

Tip #3: Avoid filler words and sounds

Let's dive into them one by one in this podcast to prepare you to sound more professional when communicating in English!

For more tips and suggestions - check my podcasts.



Job Interview Preparation | CEO Interview Strategies From Diverse Business Sectors!

How To Sound Professional During Job Interviews, At Work, Doing Business?

American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald once said the "worst thing in the world is to try to sleep and not to."

Many of us will have experienced this at some point — lying in bed for what feels like hours, trying to fall asleep. But what if there was a way to fall asleep in just five minutes?

Of course, some people take longer to fall asleep than others do. But experts say there are different things we can do to help us fall asleep quicker.

Here are some of them:

Morning light is important
It might sound strange, but according to sleep scientist Russell Foster, getting a good night's sleep starts in the morning. Speaking with The Telegraph, he said it's important to get as much natural light as early as possible.

This can help move our body clock to an earlier time, so that we already feel tired when we get into bed later on.

Don't nap after 4 p.m.
If you've had a long day at work, you may be tempted to have a nap in the afternoon. And while short naps can help us feel less tired during the day, Foster says we shouldn't nap for longer than 20 minutes or less than six hours before going to bed, or we might have difficulty falling asleep later.

Practice mindfulness
"Most people don't have a sleep problem, they have an anxiety problem," Foster says, and he recommends practicing mindfulness as a way to relax before bed.

This means being present with our thoughts, instead of thinking about things that have happened or could happen. You could try reading or doing some breathing exercises as a way to relax, and avoid using your phone.

He adds that important conversations should be saved for when it's light outside, as they could keep your mind active and stop you from falling asleep quickly.

Practice Listening, Reading & Comprehension

Tips for Falling Asleep in Just a Few Minutes

Continuamos aprendiendo vocabulario relacionado a la comida peruana. Esta vez les traigo información sobre la torta (cake).

En otros países hispanohablantes, se le conoce como tarta, pastel o ponqué.
Transcripción disponible en: https://conpedepatria.blog/2022/09/07/la-torta/
¡Gracias por escuchar!