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.
-

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.

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!

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.

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.

MEXICAN SLANG

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.

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.
-

DATING & 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.

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.

VACATION RENTAL

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.

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.

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.

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.

RENTAL CAR

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

The Baxters are 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 behind what some people call the most corrupt police force in North America, la policía de México.

SCHOOL CRUSH

In our first episode of this series, we prepare you for the new season by introducing you to a wide range of popular slang terms after we listen to a group of charismatic teenagers on their drive home from school gossiping about crushes, dating, and their latest high school obsessions.

DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS

The Baxters go to their first Día de los Muertos street festival. With ghostly imagery and colorful symbols of death everywhere, family friend Tatiana guides them through the vibrant festival while relaying information about the traditions behind this beloved Mexican holiday.

FASHION TRENDS

Plunge with us into the rich and descriptive world of contemporary fashion. In this episode, Danielle and her high school friend, Licha, rant and rave about popular fashion trends, and hatch a plan that they hope will allow them buy brand names for less.

THE GREAT OUTDOORS

Learn how to use your Spanish to describe some of the wondrous things you find in nature. In this episode, the Baxters enjoy a day-hike in the wilderness with a Spanish speaking guide who navigates them through the winding trails with information about the nature and wildlife on offer.

THE NANNY

Join us as the Baxter family hires a Spanish speaking babysitter to watch their infant niece for the evening, and Michael gives her instructions on how to care for the baby. Even if you don't have kids, you'll want to tune in to the round table where we focus on the usage of several advanced Spanish verbs.

DIET & WELLNESS

Get your Spanish into shape listening to this spirited conversation about the importance of finding the right diet. Dani’s friend Licha shares her views on the best way to lose weight and why most diets are doomed to failure.

THE HANDYMAN

Use your Spanish to talk your home improvement specialist! This episode features a conversation with a local handyman who comes to give the Baxters a quote to repair the broken and damaged items in their home.

COOKING LESSON

Grab your aprons and get ready because cooking has a whole vocabulary of its own. A pinch of this, a dash of that… In this podcast episode, you’ll get an opportunity to listen to the owner of a Mexican restaurant share her secret family recipe for homemade guacamole!

THE GARDENER

Michael, Julie and their gardener have a conversation about the various landscaping improvements they’d like to make around their home. It’s not just about weeds, sprinklers and squirrels, in this episode we cover a number of very useful Spanish phrases and expressions used in everyday conversation.

SOCCER vs FÚTBOL

Millions of Latin Americans live and die with every win or loss of their favorite soccer team. Listen in as Michael and his work buddy have a lively debate about the traditions, customs and importance of fútbol in Mexico.

THE UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANT

What’s it like to live in the United States without legal status? Find out as a valet attendant tells us a little about the challenges and hardships he faces living in the U.S. as a newly arrived immigrant.

BUSINESS MEETING

In this episode, Michael’s associate pitches a new business strategy. With Mexican Spanish often considered as the standard in international business, this episode is a must for anyone considering doing business in a Spanish speaking country.

CROSSING THE BORDER

What’s it like to cross the Mexican border on foot? Find out as one of the Baxter’s employees tells us about her harrowing journey crossing the border from Mexico into the United States through the Southwestern desert.

MEXICAN FOOD

In season one we taught you how to sound natural when ordering food in Spanish, now we’re going even deeper into the restaurant experience as a Mexican waitress shares stories with us about the rich history behind some of Mexico’s most beloved dishes.

BEING DEPORTED

When Michael and Julie pick up a day laborer to help them with a household project, they get a chance to hear a story of what it was like being deported back to Mexico. This conversation features a lot of colloquial expressions and advanced grammar, but don’t worry if your Spanish isn’t up to the challenge just yet, we review it all in the bonus materials!

THE MECHANIC

The Baxter’s car breaks down and they need to call for roadside assistance. Michael’s mechanic saves the day and gives them some advice on how to get their old car back into shape. In the round table afterward, we get the opportunity to review a few more of Mexico’s most popular colloquial expressions.

MEXICAN ARTS & CRAFTS

The Baxters stop into a store that sells handmade Mexican handicrafts. The shopkeeper tells us about the history and ingenuity behind Mexico’s cherished tradition of handmade arts and crafts.

CAR CRASH

Find out what happens when the Baxters get rear-ended by a Mexican woman who doesn’t have auto insurance. Join as we review the more advance passages in this engaging conversation to help you become better prepared for all kinds of interactions with native Spanish speakers.

THE FRESA STEROTYPE

Fresa is Spanish for strawberry, but it’s also a very colloquial way to refer to certain kinds of stereotypes in Mexico. Find out what’s going on with this fun Spanish slang term as we get a firsthand explanation of what it means to be fresa in Mexico.

TELENOVELAS & MEXICAN CINEMA

Michael’s obsession with telenovelas has his Mexican work buddy, Luis, up in arms. Will Michael dare to turn off the telenovelas and leap with us into the realm of world-class Mexican cinema? Join us and discover some of the most celebrated Spanish language movies of all time!

PETS

Everyone loves to talk about their pets. Listen and learn as the Baxters hire a Spanish speaking pet sitter to take care of their pets. In the round table we go way beyond perros y gatos, we dive into more advanced vocabulary related to the feeding, care and behavior of your favorite pet.

BEAUTY SALON

Julie and Danielle visit Tatiana at the salon to get a makeover. But hang in there guys, it’s not just about hair, nails and makeup, we review a lot of advanced Spanish vocabulary in this episode that can help everyone.