Language & Travel Hacking

Latest Episodes:

#98 Benny and Shannon on Language Learning When Life Happens May 09, 2022

Show notes

Language Hacking Podcast co-hosts Benny Lewis and Shannon Kennedy catch up and share what their own recent language learning projects, takeaways, and milestones have been, as they approach the 100th episode of the podcast.

Mentioned in this Episode

Episode Overview

Some of the topics brought up during the interview are:

What Shannon and Benny have been working on in the last year
Shannon’s thoughts on consolidation and consistency in language learning
Why Benny needs projects and urgency to find success in language learning
Personal challenges Benny and Shannon have faced and how they worked through them
Shannon and Benny’s plans over the next year

Podcast theme: “A New Beginning” by Shannon Kennedy

Join Our Patreon

Enjoy the podcast? Subscribe to our Patreon to get access to bonus content and monthly exclusives.

#97 Louisa on Learning About Herself Through Italian May 02, 2022

Show notes

Fluent in 3 Months Challenge participant and Italian learner, Louisa, speaks to Benny and Shannon about how she learned as much about herself, as she did about languages, while taking part in the Challenge.

Louisa found as many opportunities to personally develop in the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge as she did as learned Italian.

We guarantee that anyone who completes the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge will have a 15-minute conversation in their new language after 90 days of learning. You can find out more here.

Featured Resources

Mentioned in this Episode

Episode Overview

Some of the topics brought up during the interview are:

Language learning goals
Learning about yourself while learning languages
Starting over with language learning as an adult
Using role play to learn languages
Traveling to Italy and getting to use the language
The struggles and rewards of using a speaking-based approach to learning languages
The importance of breaks
Why language learning apps become “busy work”
Language learning routines during intensive study periods and around everyday life
How to get through moments of self-doubt
Building language islands

Podcast theme: “A New Beginning” by Shannon Kennedy

Join Our Patreon

Enjoy the podcast? Subscribe to our Patreon to get access to bonus content and monthly exclusives.

Ask Benny: What is the Pomodoro Technique? Apr 27, 2022

Show notes

Benny shares how he uses the "Pomodoro Technique" in his language missions,, and explains how you can use it to work or study for longer periods of time. The Pomodoro Technique is a very accessible system of working that requires nothing more than a timer and a little bit of self discipline (but not that much!). Benny has found it really helps him to manage his ADHD, maintain focus, and not give into distractions.

To ask Benny a question, leave a comment on Instagram (@languagehacking) or Twitter (@fi3m), or you can email ask@languagehacking.com

Join Our Patreon

Enjoy the podcast? Subscribe to our Patreon to get access to bonus content and monthly exclusives.

#96 Fiona’s 90-Day Italian Challenge Apr 25, 2022

Show notes

Fluent in 3 Months Challenge winner, Fiona, joins Benny and Elizabeth to talk about her progress learning Italian, the myth of “natural talent”, and how excited she is to speak to family, friends and Italian locals without the need of a translator.

This episode features Fiona, who made significant progress with Italian in just 90 days with the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge.

We guarantee that anyone who completes the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge will have a 15-minute conversation in their new language after 90 days of learning. You can find out more here.

Featured Resources

Fluent in 3 Months Challenge

Mentioned in this Episode

Episode Overview

Some of the topics brought up during the interview are:

Busting the myth of “natural talent”
Getting help with you’re a technophobe
The two-way street of the Challenge community
Overcoming reluctance to create videos
Differences between learning in school and learning with the Challenge
How Fiona learns Italian from her daughter and practises with her husband
Tips for new language learners and first time Challengers
Finding every opportunity you can to talk in your target language
Combining language practise with exercise and building routines
Perseverance as the key to success and parallels with climbing a mountain
Benny’s approach to learning and maintaining multiple languages
How to mindfully approach strangers in their native language
Memorising ice-breaker phrases for striking up conversation, or just barging in!

Podcast theme: “A New Beginning” by Shannon Kennedy

Join Our Patreon

Enjoy the podcast? Subscribe to our Patreon to get access to bonus content and monthly exclusives.

#95 Jeremy Ginsburg on "Beginner's Mind" Apr 18, 2022

Show notes

Business coach and self-proclaimed “VietNomad”, Jeremy Ginsbury, talks with Benny Lewis about his experiences living in Israel, Ghana and Vietnam, and being on reality TV in another language.

Ready to get back into more serious language learning, Jeremy reflects on the bits and pieces of different languages he has picked up throughout his life, and how the positive feedback he has received by locals has been a great source of motivation.

Featured Resources

Speak in a Week

Mentioned in this Episode

Episode Overview

Some of the topics discussed in the interview are:

The impact of using the foreign version of your name when travelling
Studying abroad in Israel and Ghana
Facing depression when living and working abroad
Ways personalities change in different languages and countries
“Beginner’s mind” and the power of naivety
Failing fast and failing often
Knowing yourself being very important for learning
Jeremy’s experience on a Vietnamese reality TV show
Integrating your interests into your language learning - yoga, music, ice bathing
Using communities you’re part of through hobbies, as a way to practise language

Podcast theme: “A New Beginning” by Shannon Kennedy

Join Our Patreon

Enjoy the podcast? Subscribe to our Patreon to get access to bonus content and monthly exclusives.

Ask Benny: What's Your Favourite Language App? Apr 13, 2022

Show notes

In this episode, Benny talks about why, after many years of using it, Anki is still his favourite app for language learning. Anki is a free flashcard app that utilises spaced repetition theory to help you learn vocabulary that you input yourself. While some people may find Anki a bit bland, Benny explains how the simplicity of the software not only makes learning more efficient and focussed, but also has a lot of specific benefits for someone with ADHD.

Benny guides you through the key features of Anki and the process of importing your own vocabulary lists, so you can make sure you're learning words that are relevant to you.

You can find a more detailed guide to using Anki here: https://www.fluentin3months.com/anki-cards/

To ask Benny a question, leave a comment on Instagram (@languagehacking) or Twitter (@fi3m), or you can email ask@languagehacking.com

Join Our Patreon

Enjoy the podcast? Subscribe to our Patreon to get access to bonus content and monthly exclusives.

#94 Sam on Comedy and Humor in Language Learning Apr 11, 2022

Show notes

Fluent in 3 Months Challenge participant, Sam, joins Shannon and Benny to talk about how the Challenge changed the way he learned languages and helped him find consistency and discover new language learning methods.

This episode features Sam, who made significant progress in many languages in just 90 days with the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge.

We guarantee that anyone who completes the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge will have a 15-minute conversation in their new language after 90 days of learning. You can find out more here.

Featured Resources

Mentioned in this Episode

Episode Overview

Some of the topics discussed in the interview are:

Hating languages in school and going on to love them later in life
Discovering your learning style and how it leads to success
How the Challenge changed the way Sam learned languages
How to work through roadblocks in your learning
Why “done” is better than perfect
Using comedy as a language learning tool
Combining writing with shadowing as a learning method
How novelty and newness can keep you engaged and excited about your languages
Stick-with-it-ness and the power of consistency

Podcast theme: “A New Beginning” by Shannon Kennedy

Join Our Patreon

Enjoy the podcast? Subscribe to our Patreon to get access to bonus content and monthly exclusives.

#93 Laetitia on How to Find a Great Language Tutor Apr 04, 2022

Show notes

Fluent in 3 Months Challenge coach, Laetitia, joins Benny and Elizabeth to talk about her varied experience learning or dabbling in many languages: English, German, Russian, Japanese, Korean, Dutch and Vietnamese.

This episode features Laetitia, who made significant progress with several language in just 90 days with the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge.

We guarantee that anyone who completes the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge will have a 15-minute conversation in their new language after 90 days of learning. You can find out more here.

Featured Resources

Mentioned in this Episode

Episode Overview

Some of the topics brought up during the interview are:

The importance of having an inspirational tutor
Things to consider when looking for a tutor
Finding your tribe with the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge
The pitfall of expecting learning to be passive
Why you should take the time to find out which methods and resources work for you
Being as nice to yourself as you would be to a friend
The pointlessness and dangers of comparisons and perfectionism
Remember, you don’t know every word in your native language!
How technology can be a great tool for learning, so don’t be scared of it
Reading to maintain languages and being happy to understand 60%
Culture shock and learning “on the job” in Japan - a little goes a long way
How to create an effective language exchange

Podcast theme: “A New Beginning” by Shannon Kennedy

Join Our Patreon

Enjoy the podcast? Subscribe to our Patreon to get access to bonus content and monthly exclusives.

Ask Benny: Does Daily Duolingo Really Help? Mar 30, 2022

Show notes

For this episode, Benny shares his opinions and experience of the Duolingo app. Getting points and maintaining a streak may be great motivators, but does it really work if you want to speak the language? Benny explains how gamified apps can be a valuable part of your language learning, but to be successful, there is another important element that should be central to your practise.

To ask Benny a question, leave a comment on Instagram (@languagehacking) or Twitter (@fi3m), or you can email ask@languagehacking.com

Join Our Patreon

Enjoy the podcast? Subscribe to our Patreon to get access to bonus content and monthly exclusives.

#92 Tom O’Neill on Language Learning for Introverts Mar 28, 2022

Show notes

Fluent in 3 Months Challenge participant and coach, Tom, joins Shannon and Benny to talk about his building confidence and courage as an introverted language learner as a part of the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge.

This episode features Tom, who made significant progress in many languages in just 90 days with the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge.

We guarantee that anyone who completes the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge will have a 15-minute conversation in their new language after 90 days of learning. You can find out more here.

Featured Resources

Mentioned in this Episode

Episode Overview

Some of the topics discussed in the interview are:

Learning new writing systems and Asian languages
Using scripts to get ahead in your conversations in another language
Why you sometimes need to do things that are outside your comfort zone, like videos, to get ahead in your learning
How introversion impacts your language studies - both good and bad
How to pick the right language tutor
How to build confidence and courage in yourself and your language skills
Maintaining motivation when life throws curveballs at you
Tips for avoiding the comparison trap
Choosing things to talk about in another language
How to get through moments in conversations where you don’t understand
Why it’s important to celebrate success - whether big or small
Juggling multiple languages as a hobbyist

Podcast theme: “A New Beginning” by Shannon Kennedy

Join Our Patreon

Enjoy the podcast? Subscribe to our Patreon to get access to bonus content and monthly exclusives.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected