Real English Conversations Podcast | English Fluency For Newcomers And International Professionals

What if the English you've been listening to could actually become the English you speak?
What if you stopped treating podcasts as something you simply listen to…
…and started using them as a complete English-learning system?
That is exactly what Diego Nieto did.
Diego grew up in Cabimas, Zulia, Venezuela, and became fascinated by English as a child. Years later, when he was searching for a way to improve his listening, he discovered the Real English Conversations Podcast.
At first, he couldn't understand everything he heard.
So he created his own system.
He would listen to an episode without looking at the transcription, write down everything he could understand, leave blanks where he couldn't understand the words, and then compare his version with the actual Real English Conversations transcription.
He highlighted what he understood, identified what he missed, learned the vocabulary, listened again, and then used shadowing to imitate the way Curtis and the guests actually spoke.
He wasn't just studying English.
He was training his brain to hear real English, understand real English, reproduce real English, and eventually communicate naturally in English.
Diego says that by doing this consistently—sometimes spending two to three hours a day with the podcast—he built the foundation that eventually allowed him to communicate with international people, work in English, and develop the confidence to use the language in the real world.
And today?
Diego is an English teacher himself.

🌎 From a Young English Learner in Venezuela to an English Teacher
Diego's story began long before he discovered the podcast.
As a child, he became fascinated by English through movies, music, and video games. Without having easy access to formal English courses or even reliable internet at home, he used whatever resources were available—including an English-Spanish dictionary—to figure out words and build his vocabulary.
Eventually, that curiosity became something much bigger.
When Diego finally gained regular internet access, he started searching for ways to improve his listening.
That's when he discovered Real English Conversations.
And something clicked.
He realized that understanding English on paper wasn't enough.
He wanted to understand people when they actually spoke.

🎧 The Real English Conversations Method Diego Used
This is the part of Diego's story every English learner should pay attention to.
He didn't simply press play.
He turned each episode into a learning lesson.
His process looked like this:
1. Listen BEFORE reading the transcription
Diego wanted to train himself to understand English the first time he heard it.
So he deliberately avoided reading the transcript beforehand.
He listened and wrote down what he could actually understand.
Anything he couldn't understand became a blank.
2. Compare his understanding with the real transcript
After listening, Diego opened the transcription and compared it with what he had written.
He could immediately see:
✅ What he understood
❌ What he missed
🧠 Which vocabulary he didn't know
👂 Which sounds he couldn't recognize
That gave him immediate feedback about his listening ability.
3. Learn the missing vocabulary
Instead of simply moving on when he didn't understand something, Diego investigated it.
He looked up words and expressions and began understanding how they were actually being used in natural conversation.
One example was the word "guys."
He learned that although it can have a literal meaning associated with "chicos" or "men," native speakers frequently use it naturally when addressing a group of people.
He wasn't just memorizing vocabulary.
He was learning how English actually works in real communication.
4. Shadow the speakers
Diego then took pieces of the conversations and repeated them.
He tried to reproduce the way Curtis and the other speakers communicated—including pronunciation, rhythm and intonation.
He even developed the idea that:
If I can learn to speak like the people in these conversations, I can learn to communicate confidently too.
He practiced until he started hearing and feeling the difference in his own English.
5. Repeat until it becomes a pattern
This wasn't a one-time exercise.
Diego made it part of his routine.
At one point, he was spending two to three hours a day listening, studying, and working with the podcast.
That consistency became one of the biggest factors in his transformation.

🧠 He Was Secretly Training ALL FOUR English Skills
One of the fascinating discoveries Diego made was that this process wasn't only improving his listening.
He realized he was training:
Listening → hearing authentic English
Writing → writing what he could understand
Reading → studying the transcription
Speaking → shadowing and reproducing the conversations
In other words, one authentic conversation became a multi-skill English lesson.
And this is exactly why authentic English input can become much more powerful when you know how to work with it.

🔥 The Moment English Became REAL
For years, Diego knew English.
But there is a huge difference between:
knowing English
and
being able to use English.
He eventually began interacting with English speakers in real life.
At first, he was nervous.
He describes feeling his heart race when he thought about speaking with foreigners.
But he pushed himself into those uncomfortable situations anyway.
Those real interactions became another important part of building his confidence.
Then something changed.
People started asking him:
"How did you learn English?"
They were surprised by his ability to communicate.
And Diego realized that the years of listening, transcribing, studying, shadowing, and practicing were actually producing something real.

💼 English Changed His Professional Life
Eventually, English became much more than a personal goal.
It became a professional skill.
Diego began working in English, including appointment setting and real estate-related work with international clients.
He was able to communicate with people over the phone, schedule calls, and provide value professionally.
That work became a stepping stone toward a completely different future.
Today, Diego teaches English at a language institute in Venezuela, working with children, teenagers and adults.
He now gives his own students many of the same strategies that helped him learn.
👨‍🏫 From Student to Teacher
This may be the most powerful part of Diego's transformation.
He started as a young Venezuelan who simply wanted to understand English.
He became a learner.
Then a communicator.
Then a bilingual professional.
And now…
He is teaching English to other people.
He understands the frustration of struggling with structures.
He understands the fear of speaking.
He understands what it feels like to know something intellectually but not be able to use it automatically.
And now he can use those experiences to help other learners.

💡 Diego's English-Learning Secrets
Beyond the podcast, Diego shares several habits that helped him continue developing:
🎧 Listening to English consistently
🎵 Learning song lyrics and singing along
🪞 Speaking to himself in the mirror
🧠 Thinking and speaking to himself in English
🗣️ Repeating authentic English
🌎 Talking with foreigners whenever possible
📱 Using language-learning technology
🔁 Creating consistent patterns of practice
And perhaps most importantly:
He didn't stop when he became afraid.
He kept going.

💥 The Biggest Lesson: Confidence Comes From Evidence
One of the biggest misconceptions about English confidence is that you need to feel confident before you start speaking.
Diego's story suggests almost the opposite.
He became confident because he repeatedly gave himself evidence that he could do it.
He listened.
He practiced.
He made mistakes.
He spoke to people.
He survived uncomfortable conversations.
He improved.
Then he did it again.
And again.
Eventually, the person who once worried about speaking English became the person other people were asking:
"How did you learn English so well?"
That is a completely different identity.

🎯 What You'll Learn in This Episode
By listening to Diego's story, you'll discover:
✅ How to turn an English podcast into a structured learning lesson
✅ Why you should listen BEFORE looking at the transcription
✅ How Diego used transcriptions to identify exactly what he wasn't hearing
✅ How to use shadowing to improve pronunciation, rhythm and intonation
✅ How one conversation can train listening, writing, reading and speaking
✅ How to learn vocabulary from real English instead of isolated word lists
✅ How Diego went from understanding English on paper to understanding spoken English
✅ How he overcame his fear of speaking with foreigners
✅ How English became a professional skill that opened new career opportunities
✅ How he went from English learner to English teacher
✅ Why repetition and consistency matter so much
✅ How to build confidence through real-world evidence
✅ What Diego would tell the younger version of himself

🚀 What If You Didn't Have to Do This Alone?
There is something important about Diego's story.
He did an incredible amount of this work by himself.
He found the podcast.
He built his own study system.
He transcribed conversations.
He researched vocabulary.
He shadowed the speakers.
He practiced for hours.
He pushed himself into uncomfortable situations.
And he succeeded.
But Diego also recognizes something important:
Having a coach would have accelerated the process.
When Curtis asked whether working one-on-one with a teacher could have helped him reach his goal faster, Diego immediately answered:
"Faster, way faster."
And that is exactly why the 90-Day Next Level English Challenge exists.
You don't have to spend years trying to figure everything out by yourself.
Instead, you can have:
👨‍🏫 Personal 1-on-1 Coaching with Curtis
Work directly with Curtis Davies, the teacher and confidence coach behind the Real English Conversations Podcast, and get personalized guidance based on YOUR English, YOUR goals, and YOUR communication challenges.
🤖 Your New AI Feedback Coach
The 90-Day Challenge now includes an AI assistant coach designed to provide additional feedback after your lessons and help track strengths and weaknesses as you progress.
🎯 A 90-Day Structure
Instead of randomly consuming more English content and hoping your English improves, you have a structured period of focused practice and coaching.
🗣️ Build the English You Actually Need
The goal isn't simply to know more English.
It's to help you communicate more naturally, clearly, and confidently in real conversations and professional situations.

🔥 PODCAST LISTENER SPECIAL — 50% OFF
If Diego's story made you think:
"I want to finally take my English seriously."
This is your opportunity.
For a limited time, Real English Conversations podcast listeners can get:
50% OFF THE 90-DAY NEXT LEVEL ENGLISH CHALLENGE
Use coupon code:
90DAY50
The discount applies to the available 90-Day Challenge packages.
👉 Join the 90-Day Next Level English Challenge:
https://realenglishconversations.com/memberships/our-courses/90-day-next-level-english/
👉 Not sure if the program is right for you? Start with a Trial Lesson:
https://realenglishconversations.com/memberships/member-plans/fluency-programs/trial-lesson/
Don't struggle alone.
If you've been listening to the podcast for months or even years but still feel like your English isn't matching your intelligence, career ambitions, or potential, the next step may not be another podcast episode.
It may be personalized coaching and consistent accountability.
Diego built an extraordinary level of English by taking authentic English input and turning it into deliberate practice.
Now you can take that same philosophy and add a real teacher, structured coaching and AI-supported feedback to your learning process.
Your next 90 days can be different.

🎙️ About Diego Nieto
Diego Nieto is an English teacher and digital professional from Cabimas, Zulia, Venezuela.
After beginning his English journey as a child, Diego spent years developing his skills independently through movies, music, video games, dictionaries, online content, authentic English conversations, and extensive listening practice.
He discovered the Real English Conversations Podcast and used its conversations and transcriptions as a major part of his English-learning routine.
Today, Diego works as an English teacher and has experience across sales, real estate, video editing, filmmaking and digital work.
His story is a powerful example of how consistent language learning can become much more than learning another language—it can become a pathway to new confidence, professional opportunities, and the ability to help others.

🎙️ Learn English With Curtis Davies
Real English Conversations helps global professionals and English learners communicate clearly, confidently and naturally in workplace, professional, and everyday situations.
🌎 Website:
https://realenglishconversations.com
🎯 90-Day Next Level English Challenge — 50% OFF with code 90DAY50:
https://realenglishconversations.com/memberships/our-courses/90-day-next-level-english/
🎓 Book a Trial Lesson:
https://realenglishconversations.com/memberships/member-plans/fluency-programs/trial-lesson/
🎧 Podcast + Phrasal Verb Audio Course Bundle:
https://courses.realenglishconversations.com/rec-course-bundle
📚 All English Courses:
https://realenglishconversations.com/memberships/our-courses/

🎧 Listen, Watch & Follow
▶️ YouTube:
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🎧 Spotify:
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🍎 Apple Podcasts:
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📸 Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/rec.real.english/
💼 LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/curtis-davies-07928646/

⭐ If Diego's Story Inspired You...
Don't just listen to this episode and say:
"I wish my English were that good."
Ask yourself:
"What could happen if I actually started practicing differently for the next 90 days?"
Listen.
Study.
Repeat.
Speak.
Get feedback.
Build the habits.
And keep going.
Diego's journey started with curiosity.
It became a commitment.
And eventually, that commitment changed his professional life.
Your starting point doesn't have to determine where your English can take you.
👉 Start your 90-Day Next Level English Challenge:
https://realenglishconversations.com/memberships/our-courses/90-day-next-level-english/
Use code 90DAY50 for 50% OFF.

What does it really take to become a trusted and valuable professional on a global team?
In today's workplace, having strong technical skills isn't always enough. If you work remotely for an international company, especially a U.S.-based organization, your ability to communicate proactively, take ownership, solve problems, build trust, and adapt to AI can have a major impact on your professional success.
In this episode of the Real English Conversations Podcast, Curtis talks with Marc Snegg, founder and CEO of Ground Game, about what it really takes to succeed as an international professional on a high-performing global team.
Marc has more than 25 years of experience building businesses and organizations and has participated in more than $200 million in commercial real estate transactions. His work with Ground Game focuses on helping U.S. companies build high-performing global teams across sales, revenue operations, marketing, operations, HR, IT, and customer success.
But Marc's approach isn't simply about outsourcing work to people in other countries.
He believes companies can build fully integrated global teams by combining exceptional talent with strong management, clear systems, shared culture, and meaningful opportunities for professional growth.
In this conversation, Marc shares practical advice about communication across cultures, building trust with managers, being proactive at work, using AI to become more valuable, developing a service mindset, and finding ways to improve the organization around you.
And for international professionals who sometimes hesitate to speak up in meetings or worry about making mistakes, Marc gives a very practical set of actions you can begin using tomorrow.
This is an especially valuable episode for anyone who wants to improve their Business English, workplace communication, confidence, leadership skills, and career opportunities in an international environment.

🌎 What Does It Take to Succeed on a Global Team?
Many international professionals have excellent technical skills, but working successfully with an international company requires more than simply completing your assigned tasks.
Marc explains that communication, ownership, and responsibility are what begin to separate a good employee from someone who becomes highly valuable to an organization.
That includes communicating proactively, asking questions when you're stuck, raising problems early, offering thoughtful recommendations, and trying to understand the bigger context of the organization.
Trust is also built through small, repeated actions: doing what you say you're going to do, consistently showing up and keeping your commitments.

💬 The Communication Mistakes International Professionals Can Make
One of the most valuable sections of this episode focuses on cross-cultural communication.
Marc explains that some professionals may come from cultures where communication with managers is more hierarchical or where people are more reserved about raising problems or asking questions.
In a U.S. workplace, however, Marc says proactive communication can be highly valued.
Instead of waiting until the last minute to tell your manager there's a problem, he recommends communicating early and explaining:
What happened → What you've tried → What the problem is → What you recommend → What you need
This demonstrates that you've already thought about the problem rather than simply handing it to your manager to solve.
💡 An important Business English lesson:
Instead of saying:
"I don't know how to do this. What should I do?"
You can communicate more professionally by saying something like:
"I've been working on this, and I've run into a problem. Here's what I've tried, here's what I think we could do next, and here's what I need to move forward."
That difference can dramatically change how your communication is perceived.

🤝 How Do You Become a Trusted Professional?
Marc explains that trust isn't usually created through one huge achievement.
It's built through small, repetitive actions.
Do what you say you'll do.
Show up.
Communicate.
Raise problems early.
Ask for feedback.
Be coachable.
And don't wait for someone else to tell you how you can improve.
Marc encourages professionals to proactively ask:
"Tell me something I can improve."
That willingness to receive feedback and put it into practice can help build stronger relationships with managers, colleagues, and the organization.

🤖 How AI Can Make You More Valuable at Work
AI is one of the most important themes in this conversation.
Marc's advice isn't simply to be afraid of AI replacing your job.
Instead, he encourages professionals to learn how to work with AI and build with it.
He describes tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini as potential thought partners and intelligent tutors that can help professionals think through problems, learn new information, explore solutions, and improve the way they work.
But Marc takes this one step further.
He believes professionals should not only learn how to use AI — they should learn how to build with AI.
For example, if you're repeatedly doing a manual task at work, you can use AI to explore whether a tool or workflow could automate or simplify part of that process.
The more capable you become at interacting with and building with AI, Marc argues, the more value you can potentially bring to your organization.

🧠 AI + Human Coaching
Ground Game is already using AI as part of its coaching and development systems.
Marc describes a sales coaching system that listens to calls and provides feedback on what someone did well and what they could improve.
That feedback can then become a starting point for live coaching conversations.
Marc explains that combining AI feedback with human coaching has helped people develop their skills more quickly.
This creates an interesting model for the future of professional development:
AI can provide information, analysis, and feedback — while humans provide context, judgment, relationships, and coaching.

💎 The Four Ground Game Core Values
Marc also explains the four principles that guide Ground Game:
Dignity
Every person has inherent value regardless of their country, position or title.
For Marc, dignity means treating people with respect while also being honest and willing to provide direct feedback when something needs to improve.
Service
Leadership is about serving others.
Marc describes service as looking for ways to solve problems, share information, document what you learn, take on new challenges, and make the organization stronger.
Creativity
Don't simply accept:
"That's the way we've always done it."
Creativity means looking for better ways to solve problems, testing new ideas, experimenting with new tools and empowering the people closest to the work to improve it.
Client Focus
The purpose of a business is to solve problems for its clients.
That means listening carefully, understanding the client's needs, communicating clearly, and taking responsibility when something goes wrong.
For Marc, it's not simply about being busy or completing activities — it's about delivering results and creating value.

📈 The Power of Definiteness of Purpose
Ground Game's leadership and mindset curriculum is inspired by the 13 principles from Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich.
Marc focuses particularly on the idea of having a definite purpose.
He explains that rather than having a vague desire for something, you can become much more focused by defining exactly what you want, when you want it, what you're willing to give in exchange for it, and what your plan of action will be.
He also describes the practice of repeatedly reading your goal and visualizing what achieving it would look and feel like.
For Marc, this isn't simply a historical business philosophy — it's something he incorporates into Ground Game's culture and revisits with his team.

🚀 Marc's 3 Practical Actions for International Professionals
Near the end of the conversation, Marc gives listeners a very practical challenge.
If you're an international professional who has strong skills and good English but still hesitates in meetings or doesn't feel completely confident on a global team, Marc recommends several simple actions.
1️⃣ Turn Your Camera On
When you're working remotely, make your presence visible.
Marc believes keeping your camera on demonstrates engagement and helps recreate some of the connection that naturally happens when people work together in person.
2️⃣ Speak at Least Once in Every Meeting
You don't need to dominate the meeting.
Ask a thoughtful question.
Offer an observation.
Summarize something you've heard.
Volunteer for a next step.
Or simply share an idea.
The important thing is to participate.
3️⃣ Send Proactive Updates & Bring One Improvement Idea
Keep your manager informed about:
What you've completed
What you're working on
What's blocking you
What you recommend doing next
And then look for one small thing you can improve.
Maybe the team is losing time, repeating manual work, or making the same mistake.
Use AI to explore a possible solution and bring the idea forward.
You don't need to reinvent the entire company.
Just demonstrate that you're engaged, proactive, and thinking about how to make things better.

🎯 What You'll Learn in This Episode
By listening to this conversation, you'll learn:
✅ What separates a task-completing employee from a highly trusted global professional
✅ Why proactive communication is so important when working remotely
✅ How to communicate problems to your manager without simply handing them the problem
✅ How cultural differences can influence workplace communication
✅ Why honesty and transparency can build professional trust
✅ How to become more coachable and actively seek feedback
✅ How to use ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini as workplace thought partners
✅ Why learning to build with AI could increase your professional value
✅ How human coaching and AI feedback can work together
✅ What Dignity, Service, Creativity and Client Focus look like in practice
✅ How a service mindset can improve leadership and career development
✅ How to apply the principle of definiteness of purpose to your professional goals
✅ Three practical actions you can start using immediately to become more engaged on a global team

💬 Memorable Communication Lesson
One of the clearest lessons from Marc's conversation is:
Don't disappear when there's a problem. Communicate early.
If you don't know something, be honest.
If you're stuck, explain what you've tried.
If you need help, ask.
If you have an idea, share it.
If you make a mistake, take responsibility.
And if you see something that could be improved, raise your hand.
These behaviors don't require perfect English.
They require clarity, courage, preparation, and proactive communication.

👤 About Marc Snegg
Marc Snegg is the founder and CEO of Ground Game, where he helps U.S. companies build high-performing global teams across sales, revenue operations, marketing, operations, HR, IT, and customer success.
Marc is a serial entrepreneur and organization builder with more than 25 years of experience and has participated in more than $200 million in commercial real estate transactions.
His work combines global talent, management systems, culture, professional development, and increasingly AI-powered workflows.
Marc's approach is centered on creating integrated teams where talented international professionals can contribute meaningfully, develop their skills, and create measurable value.

🔗 Connect with Marc Snegg
🌐 Ground Game:
https://www.groundgamesales.com/
🌎 Ground Game Global:
https://www.groundgameglobal.com/
💼 Marc Snegg on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcsnegg/
Marc also mentioned the Ground Game Global Playbook and additional resources for professionals interested in global teams and sales development.

🎙️ Learn with Teacher Curtis & Real English Conversations
Are you working for an international company or living in an English-speaking country?
Do you understand English but still hesitate in meetings, struggle to express your ideas or wish you could communicate more naturally and confidently?
That's exactly what I help professionals work on.
⭐ Book a Trial English Lesson
https://realenglishconversations.com/memberships/member-plans/fluency-programs/trial-lesson/
🚀 90-Day Next Level English Challenge — 50% OFF
Podcast listeners can get 50% OFF the 90-Day Next Level English Challenge.
Use coupon code:
90DAY50
https://realenglishconversations.com/memberships/our-courses/90-day-next-level-english/
This program is designed to help you speak more clearly, confidently, and naturally, reduce hesitation, improve pronunciation and speaking flow, and develop stronger communication habits for professional situations.
📚 Explore My English Courses
https://realenglishconversations.com/memberships/our-courses/
🎧 Podcast + Phrasal Verb Audio Course Bundle
https://courses.realenglishconversations.com/rec-course-bundle
🌐 Real English Conversations
https://realenglishconversations.com

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⭐ If You Enjoyed This Episode...
Don't just listen to this episode — practice what you learned.
The next time you're in an English meeting, try speaking at least once.
The next time you're stuck on a problem, communicate it early instead of waiting.
The next time you complete a task, ask yourself:
"How could I improve this?"
And the next time you use AI, don't just ask it for an answer. Try using it as a thought partner, tutor or builder.
If you enjoyed this conversation with Marc Snegg, follow the Real English Conversations Podcast, leave a review and share this episode with another international professional or English learner who could benefit from it.
Thanks for listening!

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to experience another country as a local rather than as a tourist?
In this special episode from the archives, Curtis and Former co-host Amy talk about their incredible three-month experience in Colombia.
They traveled to Barranquilla on Colombia's Caribbean coast to experience Carnival, but instead of simply staying in hotels and visiting tourist attractions, they stayed with friends and their families.
That allowed them to experience Colombian culture from the inside—from everyday social activities and local food to music, dancing, street parties, and Carnival celebrations.
They even had the opportunity to learn cumbia with a group preparing for the Carnival parades and were invited to participate in the festivities.
But this episode isn't only about travel.
It's also a fantastic English listening lesson.
You'll hear Curtis and Former co-host Amy naturally describing experiences, telling stories, asking questions, expressing opinions, comparing cultures, and explaining things to each other—all without the scripted language you normally find in English textbooks.
And near the end of the conversation, they discuss one of the most interesting questions for language learners:
Does living in another country automatically make you fluent in the language?
Former Co-host Amy shares her honest experience of spending time in full Spanish immersion and explains why simply being surrounded by a language wasn't enough to produce the level of improvement she expected. She realized that additional input—such as reading, studying, and getting more exposure to the language—was necessary to maximize the benefits of immersion.
That's an important lesson for anyone learning English today.
🎯 In This Episode You'll Learn:
✅ How to improve your English listening through real travel conversations
✅ How native speakers describe travel experiences and tell stories naturally
✅ Vocabulary and expressions connected to travel, culture and everyday life
✅ How to talk about cultural differences and experiences
✅ Why staying with local people can create a very different travel experience
✅ How to describe festivals, music, dancing and local traditions in English
✅ How to use English to explain personal experiences and memorable moments
✅ What happens when you spend extended time immersed in another language
✅ Why language immersion alone may not be enough to achieve fluency
✅ Why reading, studying, and additional exposure can make immersion much more effective 
Colombia, Carnival & Cultural Immersion
Curtis and Former Co-host Amy traveled to Barranquilla because they wanted to experience its famous Carnival, described in the conversation as the world's second-largest carnival after Rio de Janeiro.
But arriving early and staying with local friends allowed them to experience much more than the Carnival itself.
They talk about:
🎵 The incredible amount of music throughout Barranquilla
🍕 Going out with local friends for movies, pizza, and drinks
🍳 Trying traditional Colombian arepas
💃 Learning cumbia with a Carnival group
🥁 Experiencing local music and dance
🎉 Street parties and Carnival celebrations
🔊 Massive sound systems and DJs playing in the streets
🏖️ Spending time in Santa Marta
🌅 Enjoying the beaches and sunsets
🏛️ Their short visit to Cartagena
One of the biggest lessons from the trip was that some of their most memorable experiences came from living like locals rather than simply visiting tourist attractions.
💬 English Learning Lesson: Immersion Doesn't Automatically Create Fluency
One of the most valuable parts of this conversation for language learners comes near the end.
Curtis asks Former Co-Host Amy what effect three months in a Spanish-speaking environment had on her language learning.
Her answer is surprisingly honest.
She explains that during the periods when she was staying with Spanish-speaking families, she was communicating in Spanish throughout the day. This helped her become much more comfortable using the grammar and vocabulary she already knew.
However, she realized afterward that she needed additional input—such as reading, studying, and getting more exposure—to continue learning and expanding her language skills.
The lesson for English learners:
Don't rely on conversation alone.
A powerful learning routine combines:
Listening + Speaking + Reading + Vocabulary + Study + Real-world Practice
That's how you turn the English you recognize into English you can actually use.
📚 English Vocabulary & Expressions From the Conversation
Listen carefully for natural expressions and vocabulary related to:
get to know a city
hang out
language exchange
day-to-day living
typical food
shenanigans
part of the culture
participate in
turn something down
full commitment
in the spirit of
get revenge
block party
street vendors
spectator
full immersion
language barrier
input
exposure
fluency
These are the kinds of words and expressions that help you move beyond textbook English and understand how English is actually used in everyday conversation.
💡 A Powerful English Learning Lesson
Don't just study English. Experience it.
Real conversations give you something textbooks often can't: context.
When you hear vocabulary inside a story, you can understand not only what a word means, but also how, when, and why native speakers use it.
Curtis explains that these conversations are designed to help listeners improve their listening skills and learn the vocabulary and phrases native speakers use in real everyday life.
So don't worry if you don't understand every single word the first time.
Listen once for the overall story.
Then listen again and focus on:
👉 vocabulary
👉 pronunciation
👉 expressions
👉 sentence structure
👉 how the speakers connect their ideas
That's how you can turn a podcast episode into an actual English lesson.

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⭐ If You Enjoyed This Episode...
Don't just listen—use the episode to improve your English.
Listen again, write down 5 new expressions, repeat some of the sentences out loud, and try using the new vocabulary in your own conversations.
And if you enjoyed the episode, please follow the podcast, leave a review, and share it with another English learner who could benefit from authentic English listening practice.
Thanks for listening to the Real English Conversations Podcast!
— Teacher Curtis

Why are some professionals able to communicate an idea and immediately make people listen, connect, and remember it—while others struggle to get their message across?
In this powerful episode of the Real English Conversations Podcast, Curtis Davies sits down with Emmy-nominated filmmaker, author, keynote speaker, story strategy consultant, and Chief Storytelling Officer Rain Bennett to explore one of the most important skills for today's global professionals: storytelling.
Rain has conducted more than 1,000 interviews and spent more than 20 years working with stories, filmmaking, communication, and human connection. Through those experiences, he has discovered a powerful truth: stories have incredible power to connect and influence people—but only when we understand how to deliver the right story to the right audience.
This is especially important for international professionals communicating in English.
Whether you're giving a presentation, participating in a business meeting, interviewing for a job, networking, leading a team, selling an idea, or simply trying to communicate more naturally in English, storytelling can help you move beyond simply "speaking English" and start creating genuine connections with the people you're communicating with.
Rain explains why effective communication isn't just about what YOU want to say. It's about understanding the person receiving your message, finding common ground, and creating alignment.
You'll also discover how storytelling goes far beyond marketing. Rain explains his concept of a "narrative operating system" and how organizations can create a consistent story that influences everything from hiring and sales to leadership, partnerships, products, and company culture.
🎯 In This Episode You'll Learn:
✅ Why storytelling is one of the most powerful communication skills for professionals
✅ How storytelling can help international professionals communicate more naturally in English
✅ Why knowing what to say isn't enough—you also need to know how to deliver it
✅ How to find powerful stories hidden inside your everyday experiences
✅ The simple practice that can help you build a personal "bank" of stories
✅ Why the best stories focus on transformation rather than simply describing what happened
✅ How to find "connective tissue" with people who have completely different experiences from you
✅ Why curiosity is one of the most important skills in communication
✅ How storytelling can help you stand out during job interviews and professional conversations
✅ Why businesses need a consistent narrative across departments and communication channels
✅ How storytelling builds trust with employees, customers, partners, and other stakeholders
✅ Why trying to say too much can actually make your communication less effective
💡 A Powerful Communication Lesson
One of Rain's key messages throughout the conversation is that effective communication begins with the listener.
Instead of simply telling people how great you, your company, your product, or your skills are, look for the point of connection. What matters to the person you're speaking with? What experiences, interests, goals, or challenges can create alignment?
This approach can completely change the way you communicate in English—especially in professional situations such as interviews, networking, presentations, and meetings.
📖 About Rain Bennett
Rain Bennett is an Emmy-nominated filmmaker, author, keynote speaker, story strategy consultant, and Chief Storytelling Officer at Elemmir.
He hosts The Storytelling Lab, a weekly podcast featuring tips, insights, and success stories from some of the world's top storytellers.
After conducting more than 1,000 interviews and spending more than two decades working with stories, Rain has developed a deep understanding of how stories influence human connection and communication.
His latest book, The Chief Storytelling Officer, explores how organizations can build a narrative operating system that weaves storytelling throughout every department of a business—not just marketing and communications.
As Rain explains, every interaction inside and outside an organization contributes to the overall story a company is telling.
📚 Get Rain's New Book
The Chief Storytelling Officer
Learn how storytelling can become an essential part of your organization's culture, communication, leadership, and business strategy.
🌐 Rain Bennett
https://www.rainbennett.com
🎙️ The Storytelling Lab Podcast
https://thestorytellinglabpodcast.com
💼 LinkedIn
https://linkedin.com/feed/in/rainbennett
📸 Instagram
https://instagram.com/rainbennett
🎥 TikTok
https://www.tiktok.com/@chiefstorytellingofficer
🎙️ Learn with Teacher Curtis & Real English Conversations
💬 Want to improve your English for professional success?
Work directly with Curtis through personalized coaching designed to help you communicate clearly, confidently, and naturally in real-world professional situations.
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🎧 Spotify
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🎧 Apple Podcasts
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/real-english-conversations-podcast-real-english-for/id977345837
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📸 Instagram
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📘 Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/RealEnglishConversationsOnline
💼 LinkedIn — Curtis Davies
https://www.linkedin.com/in/curtis-davies-07928646/
💖 Support the Podcast on Patreon
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⭐ If You Enjoyed This Episode...
Follow the Real English Conversations Podcast on your favorite podcast platform.
Leave a review—it helps more international professionals and English learners discover the show.
And share this episode with someone who wants to become a more confident, natural, and effective communicator in English.
Remember: You don't just need better English.
You need a better way to connect.

Why do so many intelligent, ambitious professionals know exactly what they should be doing—but still struggle to take action?
In this powerful episode of the Real English Conversations Podcast, Curtis Davies sits down with decorated Army veteran, award-winning international speaker, executive coach, and author Mark Reynolds to explore the connection between confidence, competence, mindset, and taking action.
Mark explains why high achievers can become trapped between constantly trying to "fix their mindset" and searching for the perfect strategy, tactic, or productivity hack—and why lasting change requires both.
Drawing from his military leadership experience, corporate career, coaching work, and book How to Make Every Day GREAT!, Mark shares practical frameworks for overcoming limiting beliefs, developing confidence, performing under pressure, and creating meaningful progress in both your professional and personal life.
The conversation also has a strong connection to English learners and global professionals. Mark and Curtis discuss why real-time feedback, practice, competency, and actually using your skills are essential for building confidence—whether you're learning English, preparing for a presentation, leading a team, interviewing for a job, or stepping into a bigger professional role.
If you've ever felt like you're capable of more but something is holding you back, this episode will give you a practical framework for identifying what's missing and taking your next step.
🎯 In This Episode You'll Learn:
✅ Why high achievers get stuck between mindset work and tactics
✅ The connection between confidence and competence
✅ How limiting beliefs can quietly control your professional decisions
✅ Why you shouldn't confuse your thoughts with facts
✅ How to recognize whether you're facing a clarity, skill, or courage problem
✅ Why real-time feedback is essential for building confidence
✅ How to become more confident by taking smaller, achievable actions
✅ How military leadership principles can be applied to professional life
✅ How to stay calm and effective when you're under pressure
✅ Why you should stop measuring yourself against other people's success
✅ How to turn setbacks and rejection into opportunities
✅ Why rest and energy are essential to high performance
✅ The GREAT framework from Mark's book How to Make Every Day GREAT!
✅ Why your calendar reveals what you truly prioritize
✅ How to create more clarity around the life and career you actually want
💡 The GREAT Framework
One of the key ideas Mark shares from his book is his GREAT framework for creating a better day and a better life:
G — Goals Know what you want to accomplish.
R — Rest Give yourself the recovery necessary to perform at your best.
E — Energy Make sure you have the physical and mental energy to take action.
A — Action Stop waiting for everything to be perfect and do something.
T — Time Make time for the people, priorities, and experiences that matter most.
As Mark explains, if something genuinely matters to you, it should be reflected in how you spend your time.
💬 Memorable Quotes
"Confidence really builds when you have a belief like this is what I want. I know how to do it. And I can figure it out." — Mark Reynolds
"At some point you also still just have to speak it. No amount of reading is going to replace taking action." — Mark Reynolds
And one of the biggest takeaways from the conversation:
If you're not getting the results you want, first figure out whether you lack clarity, competency, or courage.
👤 About Mark Reynolds
Mark Reynolds is a decorated Army veteran, award-winning international speaker, executive coach, and Certified High Performance Coach who helps high achievers build confidence, overcome limiting beliefs, and perform at a higher level.
His approach combines mindset, practical action, leadership, and high-performance principles to help ambitious professionals stop getting stuck and start creating meaningful results.
Mark is also the author of How to Make Every Day GREAT!, a practical framework for creating greater clarity, energy, productivity, and fulfillment in everyday life.
During the conversation, Mark shares how lessons from his military career—including leadership, mentorship, feedback, discipline, and performing under pressure—continue to influence his coaching philosophy today.
🔗 Connect with Mark Reynolds
🌐 Website https://markreynolds.tv/
💼 LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/successauditor/
📚 Mark's Book — How to Make Every Day GREAT! Available on Amazon and wherever books are sold.
🎙️ Learn with Teacher Curtis & Real English Conversations
💬 Want to improve your English for professional success?
Work directly with Curtis through personalized coaching designed to help you communicate clearly, confidently, and naturally in real-world professional situations.
👉 Book your trial session https://realenglishconversations.com/memberships/member-plans/fluency-programs/trial-lesson/
🔥 Join the 90-Day English Challenge 50% OFF with code: 90DAY50 https://realenglishconversations.com/memberships/our-courses/90-day-next-level-english/
🎧 Podcast & Phrasal Verb Audio Course Bundle https://courses.realenglishconversations.com/rec-course-bundle
📚 More English Courses https://realenglishconversations.com/memberships/our-courses/
🌐 Connect with Real English Conversations
🌐 Website https://realenglishconversations.com
🎧 Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/76ihNoEcjms6485Vt1ng5q
🎧 Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/real-english-conversations-podcast-real-english-for/id977345837
📺 YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@realenglishconversations
📸 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/rec.real.english/
📘 Facebook https://www.facebook.com/RealEnglishConversationsOnline
💼 LinkedIn — Curtis Davies https://www.linkedin.com/in/curtis-davies-07928646/
💖 Support the podcast on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/c/RealEnglishConversationsPodcast
⭐ If You Enjoyed This Episode...
⭐ Follow the Real English Conversations Podcast on your favorite platform.
⭐ Leave a review—it helps more global professionals and English learners discover the show.
⭐ Share this episode with someone who knows they're capable of more but needs the confidence and courage to take the next step.
Your English doesn't have to be perfect before you take action. Your confidence grows when you use your skills, get feedback, and keep moving forward.