Hear You Go

Sober Curious and the Rise of the Mocktail | Ideas in English for Advance English Listening Practice

Episode 85 concludes 2025 with a bang! 
Before you tune it, would you consider an end of the year "thank you" tip in my tip jar? Hear You Go podcast is a free resource, and your support goes a long way to keeping more episodes in production.  Thank you! 
And now, on with the show:
Are we living in a new era where alcohol is taboo? Is the Mocktail really a trend? Why?
 
With the holiday season fast approaching, I’ve been thinking about the outsized role alcohol plays in our lives: how we talk about it, why we drink it, and why younger generations are seemingly opting to drink less of it. 
 
Have you heard of  "wine o’clock" or "wine Moms”? There's a buzz these days about the creative and colourful world of mocktails - have you read about them? Are you a fan of mocktails?
This episode all explores all this, plus what it means to be sober curious and why this trend is on the up and up.
I’m asking YOU to reflect on your relationship to alcohol, without judgment, just curiosity.
As always, I’ll highlight advanced English language (C1/C2) along the way.
Hear You Go gives intermediate and advanced English learners a space to think, learn, and connect in English.
⏰ To work with me 1:1 add your name to the waitlist.
📥 Do you get my newsletter? It’s really the best way to hear from me.
You can also follow me on Instagram.
🎶 Amos the Transparent provides my theme song. They're an awesome group of talented musicians. Give them some love and check out their music. 
Please share the podcast and spread the knowledge!
 

Why you feel stuck, and what it REALLY takes to advance in English, with Livia Borba | Advanced English Conversation Listening Practice

Curiosity. Motivation. Accepting that it’s a long process.
This episode takes you deep into the real journey from B2 to C1.
Have you ever wondered why so many learners feel stuck at the intermediate plateau? Do YOU wonder why you’re not progressing anymore?
Why is moving from “I can communicate” to “I can express myself precisely and confidently” such a slog?!
In today’s advanced English conversation, episode 84, I speak with English language teacher Lívia Borba, whose winning combo of linguistic insights, teaching experiences, and her personal learning journey makes her the perfect guide to help us decipher this problem and offer solutions.
We discuss:
why progress feels fast at the beginning but seems to slow to a crawl
the subtle differences between B2 and C1
why vocabulary range and noticing skills matter so much
how to deal with frustration and keep going
The Spice Girls! (ya didn’t expect that, did you?)
If you’ve ever felt stuck, or if you teach learners who feel stuck, this episode will help you see the path forward more clearly and help get your mojo back.
🔗 Links to contact Livia
Livia on: Instagram
Livia’s website
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Hear You Go English language listening podcasts aim to give you, the intermediate English language learner and advanced English language learner, a space to practice your English listening so that you can think, learn, and connect in English.
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In this final month of 2025, would you consider a year-end tip to help support Hear You Go podcast? 
If you're a fan of Hear You Go, and if you've 
listened to the podcast and found it valuable for your listening practice, you can say thank you by leaving a tip in my tip jar.
Your support is deeply appreciated. 
************
⏰ To work with me 1:1 add your name to the waitlist.
📥 Do you get my newsletter? It’s really the best way to hear from me.
You can also follow me on Instagram.
🎶 Amos the Transparent provides my theme song. They're an awesome group of talented musicians. Give them some love and check out their music. 
Please share the podcast and spread the knowledge!
 

Is the Dinner Party Dead? | Ideas in English for Advanced English Listening Practice

Is the dinner party dead, or is it due for a comeback?
I’ve been thinking a lot about hosting meals lately. Maybe it’s the holiday season approaching, maybe it’s a conversation I had with a Brazilian teacher who told me hosting felt too stressful, or maybe it’s hearing chef Samin Nosrat talk about her new book Good Things.
Today, I’m sharing what I’ve learned as I explore whether the dinner party is really “dead”, and why it might be time to bring it back.
Here’s what we'll think about in episode 83:
the rise, fall, and reinvention of hosting people for a meal
how perfectionism (and the pandemic) changed dinner tables
why simple, imperfect, shared meals might be the cure for modern loneliness
what Samin Nosrat teaches us about hospitality, imperfection, and cooking with love
I’m asking YOU to reflect on your own relationship to hosting.
When was the last time you gathered around a table and felt truly present?
As always, I’ll highlight some advanced English language (C1/C2) along the way.
Hear You Go English language listening podcasts aim to give you, the intermediate and advanced English learner, a space to think, learn, and connect in English.
❤️‍🔥 Are you a fan of Hear You Go?
🎧 Have you listened to the podcast and found it valuable for your listening practice? 
🫙 You can say thank you by leaving a tip in my tip jar.
Your support is deeply appreciated. 
Catherine 🤗
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⏰  To work with me 1:1, add your name to the waitlist.
To join the next edition of WILDE (in 2026), my conversation course based on podcasts, add your name here.
📥 Do you get my newsletter? It’s really the best way to hear from me, and it’s where you can find a link to episode transcripts.
You can also follow me on Instagram.
🎶 Amos the Transparent provides my theme song. They're an awesome group of talented musicians. Give them some love and check out their music. 
Please share the podcast and spread the knowledge!
 
 

The Profound Impact of an Immersive Language Retreat with Valeria | Advanced English Language Conversations

I’m joined in this episode by a very special guest, my Italian teacher, Valeria, founder of Vita Semplice in Italia, a project that goes beyond language learning to cultural immersion, and small-scale travel in several locations in Italy, but primarily in Valeria’s hometown in Sicily.
In a first for both me and Valeria, our conversation takes place in English, not Italian! We get into what it really means to immerse yourself in another language, and how meaningful, intentional and thoughtful travel can become a part of that process.
Valeria shares her story, a story that begins with her hearing her grandmother switch seamlessly between English, Italian, and Sicilian dialect, to creating intimate language retreats that bring learners into contact with local people, food, and traditions.
Also explored in our chat:
* Why connection and curiosity matter more than perfection (you hear this a lot on Hear You Go, don’t you?)* The value of small-scale, ethical travel, and how to avoid adding to the problem of overtourism* What to look for if you’re hoping to participate in a language retreat experience, OR creating one for your learners
If you’ve ever wondered how travel can deepen your language learning, or how to travel more thoughtfully and connect with local communities, give this episode a listen. I hope it inspires you to slow down, listen, and savour the experience.
“You might come for the language,” Valeria says, “but you leave with connection.”
Valeria on Instagram:
Vita Semplice website
Vita Semplice newsletter on Substack: https://valeriapao.substack.com/
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Hear You Go English language listening podcasts aim to give you, the intermediate English language learner and advanced English language learner, a space to practice your English listening so that you can think, learn, and connect in English.
⏰ To work with me 1:1 add your name to the waitlist.
📥 Do you get my newsletter? It’s really the best way to hear from me.
You can also follow me on Instagram.
🎶 Amos the Transparent provides my theme song. They're an awesome group of talented musicians. Give them some love and check out their music. 
Please share the podcast and spread the knowledge!

Do You Speak Emoji? | Ideas in English for Advanced Listening Practice.

Emoji: cute, colourful, easy to use, OR malevolent, dangerous, prone to offend.
I’ve been thinking about emoji a lot lately. I’m confused by them, troubled by them, and eager to learn more about them. But they also entice me, persuading me to add some colour and imagery to my texts.
Today I’m going to share what I’ve learned in my quest to be less ignorant about emoji, and either feel better or worse about using them!
I’ll define them and present their somewhat recent history
I’ll consider if they are a language 
And I’ll look at the potential for miscommunication given our world’s diversity of languages, cultures and therefore, interpretation of meaning
I’m asking YOU too to reflect on your use of emoji, how you think about emoji as a language, and if you too are worried about miscommunicating something when using them. 
Maybe I’m just being silly and overly cautious. Have a listen and share your thoughts.
As always, I’ll note some useful advanced English language (C1/C2 Intermediate & Advanced English) along the way.
Hear You Go English language listening podcasts aim to give you, the intermediate English language learner and advanced English language learner, a space to practice your English listening so that you can think, learn, and connect in English.
********************
⏰ To work with me 1:1 add your name to the waitlist.
📥 Do you get my newsletter? It’s really the best way to hear from me.
You can also follow me on Instagram.
🎶 Amos the Transparent provides my theme song. They're an awesome group of talented musicians. Give them some love and check out their music. 
Please share the podcast and spread the knowledge!
 

I can’t hear you! | Ideas in English for Advanced English Language Listening Practice

About six months ago, I noticed I couldn’t hear my gym instructors clearly. At first, I chalked it up to the loud music, but then I realized it wasn’t the background noise, it was me.
In this episode, I’ll share:
What hearing loss is, and how it often changes as we age
Why hearing aids feel so different from reading glasses, and why that hit different for me
What we can do to protect our hearing, reduce the risks of dementia, and adapt when hearing loss happens to us as individuals, teachers, or learners
As always, I’ll also point out some advanced English expressions like to chalk it up, the rub, and to chide yourself, among others.
Listen now, and test out your listening skills in this intermediate English and advanced English language podcast episode.
Hear You Go English language listening podcasts aim to give you, the intermediate English language learner and advanced English language learner, a space to practice your English listening so that you can think, learn, and connect in English.
⏰ To work with me 1:1 add your name to the waitlist.
📥 Do you get my newsletter? It’s really the best way to hear from me.
You can also follow me on Instagram.
🎶 Amos the Transparent provides my theme song. They're an awesome group of talented musicians. Give them some love and check out their music. 
Please share the podcast and spread the knowledge!
 

It takes two to tango, with Lisa Wood | Advanced English Language Conversation

It Takes Two to Tango: A Conversation with Lisa Wood | Advanced English Conversations (E79)
In this episode of Hear You Go, I speak with English teacher and neuro-language coach Lisa Wood about the importance of being an active, kind, gentle listener in the dance that is a conversation.
Our chat is perfect for advanced English learners, English teachers, and anyone interested in mindset, confidence, and how listening shapes communication. You’ll hear how Lisa sees language learning as a dance between speaker and listener (it always takes two to tango!), and why connection—not perfection—is the real goal of fluency.
🎧 You’ll hear:
What The CALM Way is and how it supports learners
Why listening is never passive, but always active
How mindset influences confidence and fluency
Encouragement to show up and communicate, even if it’s not “perfect”
As always, I’ll note some useful intermediate/advanced language (B1/C1 Intermediate & Advanced English) along the way.
🔗 Follow Lisa here: 
https://yourenglishself.com
lisa@yourenglishself.com
Instagram: @your.english.self
🎙 Hear You Go English language listening podcasts aim to give you, the intermediate and advanced English language learner, a space to practice your English listening so that you can think, learn, and connect in English.
⏰  To work with me 1:1 add your name to the waitlist.
📥  Do you get my newsletter? It’s really the best way to hear from me.
You can also follow me on Instagram.
🎶 Amos the Transparent provides my theme song. They're an awesome group of talented musicians. Give them some love and check out their music. 
Please share the podcast and spread the knowledge!

We all tell stories, but what stories do we tell? | Ideas in English for Advanced Listening Practice.

📚 In this advanced English listening practice episode of Hear You Go, I dive into The Bee Sting by Paul Murray—a Booker Prize–shortlisted novel about an Irish family falling apart, unraveling really, under pressure. Each family member tells their own version of events, showing us how perspective, memory, and emotion shape the stories we carry.
The episode explores:
Why personal narratives matter, both in novels and in our own lives
How different voices and perspectives in The Bee Sting reveal deeper truths
What English language learners can take from the idea of rewriting their own narratives
Useful vocabulary for talking about stories and identity
I invite you to reflect on your narrative. What story do you tell about yourself—and how might you tell it differently?
🎧 Ready to rethink the stories you carry? 
As always, I’ll note some useful advanced English language (C1/C2 Intermediate & Advanced English) along the way.
Hear You Go English language listening podcasts aim to give you, the intermediate English language learner and advanced English language learner, a space to practice your English listening so that you can think, learn, and connect in English. 
*****
❤️‍🔥 Are you a fan of Hear You Go?
🎧 Have you listened to the podcast and found it valuable for your listening practice? 
🫙 You can say thank you by leaving a tip in my tip jar.
Your support is deeply appreciated. 
Catherine 🤗
*****
⏰  To work with me 1:1 add your name to the waitlist.
📥 Do you get my newsletter? It’s really the best way to hear from me, and it’s where you can find a link to episode transcripts.
You can also follow me on Instagram.
🎶 Amos the Transparent provides my theme song. They're an awesome group of talented musicians. Give them some love and check out their music. 
Please share the podcast and spread the knowledge!

Has Everyone Stopped Reading? | Ideas in English for Advanced Listening Practice.

Have you heard the alarm bells too? Are we reading less these days? My friends are all readers, so I find it hard to imagine that people don’t read for enjoyment.
In search of answers, I decided to take a look at the shifting habits around reading for pleasure. Are people (especially young people) actually reading less? What does the data say? And why does it matter?
We’ll explore:
What does it mean to read and be a “reader”
What the data say about reading rates today
What we might lose if the “reading class” keeps shrinking—and what role AI and smartphones play in all this
This is an advanced English language exploration of books, literacy, and attention—but also about empathy, imagination, and the kind of connection that only deep reading can bring. Whether you're an avid reader or someone who’s been meaning to get back into it, I hope this episode gives you something to reflect on.
📖 So… are you still reading for pleasure? Let’s talk about it.
As always, I’ll note some useful advanced English language (C1/C2 Intermediate & Advanced English) along the way.
Hear You Go English language listening podcasts aim to give you, the intermediate English language learner and advanced English language learner, a space to practice your English listening so that you can think, learn, and connect in English. 
Resources to help you delve deeper into this topic are available in the transcript sent with my newsletter.
⏰  To work with me 1:1 add your name to the waitlist.
📥 Do you get my newsletter? It’s really the best way to hear from me, and it’s where you can find a link to episode transcripts.
You can also follow me on Instagram.
🎶 Amos the Transparent provides my theme song. They're an awesome group of talented musicians. Give them some love and check out their music. 
 

Raising Bilingual Kids: A Conversation with Leticia Dalposso | Advanced English Language Listening Practice

Raising Bilingual Kids: A Conversation with English Language Teacher Leticia Dalposso
In this episode of Hear You Go, I speak with Leticia Dalposso, a Brazilian English teacher and mother of two, about how she is raising her children to speak English at home—even though they live in Brazil and English isn’t her first language.
This conversation is perfect for advanced English learners, English teachers, and anyone interested in bilingual parenting, language identity, and real English conversation. You’ll hear how Leticia uses the OPOL (One Parent, One Language) method to support her children’s bilingual development, and how she's stayed motivated despite pressure and questions from people around her.
🎧 You’ll hear:
A real-life example of how to raise bilingual children
Why Leticia chose to speak English to her kids at home
Her favourite ways to make English feel natural and fun
How she responds to doubts and criticism from others
Encouragement for parents and teachers using English in everyday life
As always, I’ll note some useful intermediate/advanced language (B1/C1 Intermediate & Advanced English) for you along the way.
🔗  Follow Leticia here on Instagram
Her podcast is here: Bilingual Coffee podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3wx1exBzfZoRYGWz7PerM6?si=57a05de5043a4116
 
🎙 Hear You Go English language listening podcasts aim to give you, the intermediate English language learner and advanced English language learner, a space to practice your English listening so that you can think, learn, and connect in English. 
⏰  To work with me 1:1 add your name to the waitlist.
📥  Do you get my newsletter? It’s really the best way to hear from me.
You can also follow me on Instagram.
🎶 Amos the Transparent provides my theme song. They're an awesome group of talented musicians. Give them some love and check out their music. 
Please share the podcast and spread the knowledge!