AIRPORT

The Baxters’ Mexican vacation begins! Join Michael and his family as they arrive at the airport in Mexico City and meet the driver they hired to take them to their hotel. They discuss the flight they had, their experience passing through customs and other travel related topics.

STREET FOOD

The Baxter family is venturing out in search of authentic street tacos. Join us as we explore the traditions and culture behind Mexico's delicious street food scene.

COFFEE SHOP

The Baxter family stops in a trendy coffee house in Mexico City to sample a delicious cup of Mexican coffee. In the bonus discussion, we talk about Mexico’s coffee culture, delve into the Mexican slang word güey, and much more.
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HOTEL CHECK-IN

Michael and his family check into their hotel in Mexico and work with the receptionist to upgrade their room to a suite with a better view. In this episode, we cover useful vocabulary for hotel travel and look at the translation of several other travel related Spanish expressions as well.

STREET MARKET

Michael attempts to show off his Spanish negotiating skills by haggling with a vendor at a local street market, or tianguis. In this episode, Paulina helps us sharpen our negotiating vocabulary and tells us about the culture behind haggling prices in Mexican flea markets.

ASKING FOR DIRECTIONS

Even with a GPS app on every smart phone, tourists in Latin America may still need to ask a local for directions. In this episode, Michael gets directions to a restaurant from a vendor at a Mexican flea market and we review common ways people give directions in Spanish.

RESTAURANT

The Baxter family sits down to lunch at a sidewalk patio cafe in Mexico City. In this episode, we’ll study several different, natural-sounding ways to order food in Spanish. We'll also discuss other restaurant related topics, such as tipping, how to ask for substitutions on the menu, and how to ask for the check!

SHOPPING

Julie and Danielle are out window shopping and stumble onto a sale at a trendy boutique in Mexico City. We’ll get a chance to talk about the different ways people in Latin America talk about sales, discounts, how items of clothing fit and much more.
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TAXI IN MEXICO

The Baxter family is taking a taxi to a local restaurant and chat with the driver about various topics along the way. Afterward, Paulina explains various expressions and terms from the dialogue and addresses the customs and common safety concerns about taxis in Mexico.

PHARMACY

Julie comes down with a bad case of Montezuma’s Revenge, so the family heads to a local pharmacy in search of a remedy. Did she get sick from drinking the water? We’ll find out when Paulina addresses a lot of the facts and myths about Montezuma’s Revenge and drinking the water in Mexico.

ASKING TO TAKE A PICTURE

While visiting the ancient Mayan pyramids in Chiapas, Mexico, the Baxter family asks a local teenager to take their picture and Dani ends up making a new friend. Afterward, we’ll explore a lot of interesting language contained in the dialogue, such as the many ways the verb picar is used in Latin America.

MEXICAN SLANG / LA FIESTA

Danielle’s new friend Licha is a chavita (young girl) from Mexico who invites the Baxter family to a party at her family’s restaurant. We’ll get a chance to eavesdrop on two teenagers having a youthful conversation in Spanish which is full of colloquial phrases and Mexican slang expressions.

SPANISH CURSE WORDS

Michael has a lively discussion with a couple of loose-lipped party goers who drop a wide range of Spanish swear words at each other. In our round table discussion, we have a fun time translating some of the more colorful expressions from the dialogue, and Paulina helps us distinguish the mild curses from the vulgar ones. Join us on this unique exploration of the Spanish language

VACATION RENTAL IN MEXICO

For their stay in Cancun, the Baxters opt for a short-term vacation rental in a high-rise condo complex rather than a hotel. Michael and Julie tour the flat with a local agente de bienes raíces (real estate agent). Afterward, we talk about some of the vocabulary that is typical in Mexican households and how they differ from words typically heard in Spain.

TALKING WITH THE CLEANING LADY

The Baxters hire a local cleaning lady to clean their condo in Cancun. Today’s dialogue is filled with useful vocabulary related to the home and general house cleaning. Afterward, we’ll examine some of the more interesting expressions and grammar from the conversation, such as the different ways you can say “mess” in Spanish and other challenging phrases.

DATING AND RELATIONSHIPS

Julie strikes up a conversation with a friendly patron at a local bar in Cancun. We'll get to hear details about her relationships with men and about the dating scene where she lives. Afterward, we have a lot of fun discussing how to use the Spanish language to talk about our relationships.

A DAY AT THE BEACH

On their way to the beach in Cancun, the Baxter family stops into a local shop for beach supplies and ask the shopkeeper for items on their list. Afterward, Paulina addresses the phenomenon of “Spring Breakers” at Mexican beaches, plus we dive into more vocabulary from the dialogue.

RENTING A CAR IN MEXICO

The Baxter family wants to see more of the Mexican Riviera so they head to a car rental agency and choose a Jeep for the road trip. In the round table discussion, we talk about some of the common driving challenges for tourists in Mexico, and the differences between Mexican and American drivers.

TAKING THE METRO

The Baxters venture underground to ride on the Mexico City Metro, one of the largest and busiest subway transit systems in the world. Afterward, Paulina shares some of her experiences of riding on the Metro and we discuss the challenge of pickpockets, the crushing crowd, rush hour and much more.

A VISIT TO THE DOCTOR

Michael suffers a mild injury while on vacation and Julie insists that he see a local doctor in Mexico City. In the consultation, the doctor does his best to provide a remedy. During the platica with Michael and Julie, Paulina discusses some of the options tourists have if they get injured while traveling in Mexico.

TOUR OF MEXICO CITY

The Baxters hire a driver for a tour through trendy neighborhoods within the sprawling metropolis of Mexico City. During the round table discussion, Paulina addresses the myths and realities about tourist safety in Mexico and talks about her experiences of living in both American and Mexican cities.

PULLED OVER BY POLICE IN MEXICO

In our last episode of this series, the Baxter family is pulled over by a police car in Mexico. Concerned that Michael may try to bribe his way out of a ticket, Julie attempts to take matters into her own hands. Enjoy our fun exploration of the myths and truths behind what some people call the most corrupt police force in North America, la policía de México.