Language & Travel Hacking

I’ve just returned from an Irish immersion course that I first attended 20 years ago, and it gave me a fresh perspective on where my Irish stands today. I was surprised to find myself in the highest-level class, not as...

I’m heading to one of Ireland’s Gaeltacht regions for an Irish immersion week, and this time I’m deliberately putting myself in the most challenging class available. Even though I know I’ll probably be the weakest...

After spending years helping others learn languages, I've decided it's finally time to give my own native language the attention it deserves. In this episode, I share why Irish has become my main focus this summer, how...

This week marks 23 years since I first began speaking from day one, and as I celebrate my 44th birthday, I'm reflecting on just how far that simple idea has taken me. Today I can communicate confidently in eight...

In this episode, I explore the surprising benefits of learning languages in tourist hotspots. While I usually encourage travelers to get off the beaten track, I explain why busy destinations can be great places to find...

In this episode, I share why having a terrible memory has never stopped me from learning languages. In fact, I believe it's one of the reasons I've become successful at it. I explain why natural memory isn't the key to...

In this episode, I reflect on conversations at a language exchange event in Guadalajara, where I met learners who were communicating successfully in their target languages but still apologised for their mistakes. One...

In this episode, I share how learning a language can instantly connect you with people wherever you travel. While staying in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, a simple breakfast at a small local café turned into meaningful...

In this episode, I explain why worrying about learning the “right” dialect is one of the least important problems for language learners. Whether it’s Mexican Spanish, Castilian Spanish, or another regional variation, I...

In this episode of the Language and Travel Hacking Podcast, I share a discussion from my language Bootcamp about using AI for language learning while travelling through Mexico. I praise creative uses of AI, such as...

In this episode, I share a moment I had during a dinner in Monterrey where I suddenly realised I’d stopped consciously thinking about speaking Spanish. Instead of translating or checking my words, I was simply part of...

In this episode, I talk about my next big travel project as I prepare to head to Mexico for over two months. After recent language missions in Malaysia and Taiwan, I am now focusing on deep travel using Spanish, one of...

In this episode, I explore whether it is better to stay in major cities or travel more deeply into lesser-visited places. From my recent time in Taiwan, I reflect on how cities like Taipei make life easier, especially...

In this episode, I give an update on my Mandarin progress after spending a month in Taiwan. I explain how I quickly regained enough confidence to handle everyday conversations, although my first social speaking attempt...

I shared how reactivating my Mandarin has put me in an unusual stage of language learning: I am far beyond beginner level, but still rusty enough that real social situations can feel overwhelming. At one language...