Episodes
In this episode, Benny dives into the exciting Black Friday deals for language learners. As the year winds down, it's a perfect time to prepare for your 2025 language goals while taking advantage of massive discounts! Click here to get to our main Black Friday page Other deals mentioned in this episode:Olly Richards’ Uncovered Courses Innovative Language Mondly Exclusive Lifetime MembershipMosalingua Fluency Bundle Rocket Languages
Published 11/25/24
Published 11/25/24
In this episode of the Language and Travel Hacking Podcast, host Benny Lewis dives into part two of his guide to preparing for a potential move abroad. Building on the previous episode's core tips, Benny emphasizes the importance of considering how to financially sustain oneself while living in a new country. He discusses the challenges of finding local employment due to high competition and language barriers, recommending remote work as an alternative. Benny suggests securing online work...
Published 11/18/24
In this episode of the Language and Travel Hacking podcast, Benny Lewis dives into the essentials of planning a move abroad. Inspired by recent conversations with listeners and current events, Benny shares his insights on creating a solid foundation before relocating. He emphasizes the importance of careful planning, listing pros and cons of potential destinations, and considering personal connections or cultural ties to a place. His approach encourages listeners to plan not only where but...
Published 11/11/24
In this episode, Benny shares a unique approach to language learning while traveling: enrolling in local classes for non-language subjects. Benny explains that by taking lessons in activities like dancing, cooking, or even martial arts, he gets valuable language exposure in real-world settings. He has experienced this firsthand, having learned salsa in Colombia, tango in Argentina, and hip-hop in the U.S., often entirely in the local language.  Benny points out that even beginners can...
Published 11/04/24
In this episode of the Language and Travel Hacking Podcast, Benny dives into tools for sharing travel itineraries, inspired by his friend Derek Sivers. Benny discusses why sharing travel plans can be useful for friends and followers who want to stay updated on your whereabouts. He highlights simple tools like Google Docs for basic details and more advanced platforms, such as Nomads for city lists, and TripIt for detailed itineraries synced to Google Calendar, which he uses for real-time...
Published 10/28/24
In this episode, Benny shares his inspiring journey of losing 20kg (44lbs) through travel. After reaching 120kg (265lbs) and feeling stuck in unhealthy habits, Benny chose to reset his routine by traveling to the remote beach town of Jericoacoara in Brazil. There, he found himself walking daily, avoiding food delivery apps, and engaging in physical activities like windsurfing. Benny discusses how simple lifestyle changes, like walking instead of relying on delivery apps, allowed him to break...
Published 10/21/24
In this episode of the Language and Travel Hacking Podcast, Benny revisits the story of how he became a polyglot. He shares his early struggles with maintaining multiple languages, especially during his time learning Spanish, Italian, and French. Benny explains how his breakthrough came in 2006, during his stay in Florianópolis, Brazil, where the international environment allowed him to practice switching between languages with ease. He emphasizes the value of events like Couchsurfing meetups...
Published 10/15/24
In this episode of the Language and Travel Hacking Podcast, host Benny Lewis dives into the challenges of staying healthy while traveling. Drawing from 21 years of travel experience, Benny shares his personal stories of getting sick on the road, from a severe illness in Egypt to dealing with the smoke from burning rainforests in Brazil. He emphasizes the importance of being prepared for health issues that might arise during travel, offering practical tips such as staying informed about local...
Published 10/09/24
In this episode, Benny Lewis shares a personal story about the misconception that travel can cure depression. Reflecting on his own struggles with divorce, clinical depression, and burnout in 2019, Benny explains how he attempted to heal by traveling, only to find that it made things worse. He emphasizes that travel is not a solution for depression and stresses the importance of seeking therapy and building healthy routines instead. Benny also shares how, after working on his mental health,...
Published 10/02/24
In this episode, Benny shares two stories of his experiences trying to extend his stay in Brazil, one in 2006 and the other more recently. The first time, things didn’t go so well. Benny, still new to traveling, didn’t do his research and approached the process with a lot of impatience and arrogance. After waiting in line for hours without eating, he ended up being rude to the federal officer handling his request. She, in turn, denied his extension, and after some unfortunate comments made in...
Published 09/27/24
In this episode, Benny explores how knowing area codes can enhance travel experiences and even improve social interactions. When traveling, recognizing phone numbers based on area codes, particularly on apps like WhatsApp, helps you identify where people are from, making conversations flow more naturally. Benny also shares a personal hack for avoiding spam calls in the U.S. by getting a phone number from an unfamiliar location. Benny highlights the logical patterns of area codes in countries...
Published 09/20/24
Benny dives into how travel has changed over his 21 years as a digital nomad. Reflecting on his early travels in the 2000s, Benny shares how meeting people and finding affordable accommodation used to be easier, with tools like Orkut and Couchsurfing at their prime, and the days of finding hidden gems through newspaper ads. Today, platforms like Airbnb have driven up prices, and connecting with others on the road has become more challenging. Despite the changes, Benny remains optimistic,...
Published 09/12/24
In this episode of the Language Hacking Podcast, Benny shares updates from his latest travel adventures. After completing a bus journey across South America, he's now traveling down the Amazon River and visiting all 26 Brazilian states, with only six left to go. Benny talks about his experience on the Amazon, from navigating the triple border of Peru, Colombia, and Brazil, to spending three days on a boat where he enjoyed stunning views and practiced Italian with fellow travelers. He also...
Published 08/07/24
In this episode of the Language Hacking Podcast, host Benny shares his travel plans and projects for the year, all centered around South America. He discusses three major travel projects: visiting all Brazilian states, traveling from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean entirely by bus, and navigating the entire Amazon River by boat. Benny explains his motivations for these journeys, emphasizing his desire to explore new places with minimal carbon footprint. Benny also mentions the...
Published 03/11/24
In this episode of the Language Hacking Podcast, Benny explores the game-changing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into language learning. Breaking away from his previous skepticism, Benny unveils a cutting-edge tool where users can engage with an AI teacher for unlimited language practice at a fraction of the cost of traditional lessons. Highlighting benefits such as affordability and personalized learning, Benny invites listeners to join the exciting journey into the future of...
Published 03/04/24
In this episode of the Language Hacking Podcast, Benny discusses the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI) in language learning. He acknowledges the potential of AI to revolutionize language education, including the possibility of replacing human teachers with AI-powered systems. However, Benny expresses skepticism about the current effectiveness of such systems, citing limitations in conversation depth and the tendency for some to exaggerate their AI capabilities. Despite recognizing...
Published 02/26/24
Benny Lewis discusses strategies to avoid standing out as an obvious foreigner when speaking a new language, drawing from his experiences in Brazil. Academic choices of written words, like or simply saying things that are just illogical, can make you stand out more. Follow Benny on our YouTube channel, and don’t forget to check out the Fluent in 3 Months Bootcamp. To ask Benny a question, leave a comment on Instagram (@‌languagehacking), X (@‌fi3m), Tiktok (@irishpolyglot), or you can email...
Published 02/05/24
Benny shares his insights on how to engage in conversations as a beginner or intermediate language learner. He emphasizes the importance of having interesting things to say, such as sharing personal skills, stories, or tricks, to keep the other person engaged and patient. Follow Benny on our YouTube channel, and don’t forget to check out the Fluent in 3 Months Bootcamp. To ask Benny a question, leave a comment on Instagram (@‌languagehacking), X (@‌fi3m), Tiktok (@irishpolyglot), or you can...
Published 01/29/24
Benny Lewis expresses his enthusiasm for the unique opportunity of being the first foreigner many Brazilians will ever meet during his travels off the beaten path. He encourages language learners to explore less touristy areas, underlining the special privilege of representing the world to those he encounters. Benny highlights the crucial role of language skills, specifically speaking the local language, in creating these one-of-a-kind connections. He reflects on the significance of leaving...
Published 01/22/24
Benny Lewis shares his experience with a recent intensive Korean language project after a 10-year gap. He reflects on personal challenges, emphasizing the importance of considering mental health during language learning. Benny encourages listeners to go easy on themselves, focus on progress, and find a balance between ambition and self-care. Watch the full uncut video of Benny speaking Korean after his language mission here: Benny's Korean: Final conversation to demonstrate basic...
Published 01/15/24
In this podcast episode, Benny shares his language learning plans for the year, focusing on Portuguese and exploring the diverse dialects in Brazil. He offers practical advice, suggesting starting with the standard version of the language before delving into specific dialects. Benny shares tips on finding resources, emphasizing the importance of searching in the language itself for better results. Drawing from his own experiences, Benny discusses reaching out to native speakers through...
Published 01/08/24
In the first Language Hacking Podcast episode of 2024, Benny discusses effective language learning strategies for New Year's resolutions. Instead of vague goals, Benny advocates for SMART goals—Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. Drawing from his Fluent in 3 Months philosophy, Benny emphasizes public accountability, community involvement, and aligning methods with language goals. Follow Benny on our YouTube channel, and don’t forget to check out the Fluent in 3 Months...
Published 01/01/24
In this festive episode of the Language Hacking Podcast, Benny Lewis brings a unique twist, stepping away from traditional language learning to share an exhilarating passion – geography. As the world celebrates Christmas, Benny takes you on an exciting journey into his downtime adventures, fueled by a fascination with countries, capitals, and flags. Forget stamp collecting or video games – Benny introduces you to the thrill of Geoguesser, a game that transports you to random locations...
Published 12/25/23
In this episode of the Language Hacking podcast, Benny Lewis tackles a question that language enthusiasts often ponder: When is the right time to move on to the next language in your polyglot journey? Benny dismisses the common notion that polyglots must juggle multiple languages simultaneously and introduces a compelling alternative—focusing on one language until achieving a solid B2 proficiency level. Benny delves into the pitfalls of trying to learn several languages at once, including...
Published 12/18/23