Advanced English Conversation Lesson #1: Travel 🛩 🌍 (learn real English w/ subtitles)

Hello, everybody, this is Jack from

tofluency.com along with - Kate - this is my

wife, Kate and we are being quite

ambitious because we have brought our

daughter along with us. So, we are going

to have a conversation in English and

this is going to give you the

opportunity to listen to a real

conversation both in British English and

American English and baby. And baby.

You'll hear some baby noises, no doubt. And

this is going to be on YouTube but we

might upload it as a podcast as well, so

if you are listening to the podcast, go

to tofluency.com/podcast and you'll

be able to get some materials for this

lesson. Now, our hope is not to edit this

video too much, we;re just going to have a

conversation and we are going to talk

about vacations.

Yep. And talk about traveling. Now, we

actually met while I was traveling back

in 2007. So, it's almost 10 years.

Oh my gosh. I can't believe that it's

flown by, hasn't it. It has, yeah. And, erm, we

have been living in America for about

six years now. How many vacations have

been up since we've been here?

Can you remember anything in particular?

That's a really good question. I think a

lot of times we end up traveling for and

visits to family more than we travel for

pleasure or to get away from it all.

Yeah, so because we because we live in

America, my parents are in Europe; my

sisters in Europe; your family is

elsewhere as well, when we tend to travel

we tend to go see family don't. Visit family.

Yeah.

Yeah, we do. Why don't you tell everyone about our

latest vacation? Our latest vacation?

For the holidays this year, we actually

went to Florida and we met up with your

parents and your sister in Florida and

we had more of a beach vacation.

Yeah it was fantastic went somewhere

really warm.

I've got some videos on this, you know,

everyone can take a look at the videos

we made from Florida, but it was great

to go somewhere different and not to go

somewhere cold for Christmas. I know!

Yeah, we've never done that before and it

didn't really feel like Christmas

because usually we associate it with snow

and cold weather and instead we were on

the beach on Christmas Eve.

Yeah, and Christmas Day. There were park rangers passing out

sunglasses.

yeah giving out free sunglasses. Yeah. But

it was fun because people were playing

Christmas music; they were wearing santa

hats and we went to the beach on

Christmas Day.

mhm. Which... it was really strange; it was

really strange to be honest but very

enjoyable.

Yeah it was. Yeah. And then, let's talk

about an ideal vacation now.

Because we are thinking about going

away this summer...

where would your ideal place be? Where

would you like to go? I don't know. I have

always wanted to travel or somewhere

really kind of difference and obviously

somewhere that feels safe especially

with the children where we don't have to

get a lot of vaccines before we go.

That's such a good point. But I would love to visit a

country with some different cultural

traditions and food. I've always wanted

to go to Morocco. Morocco? Very cool!

Yeah, we we nearly went, didn't we, while w we

were living in Spain.

Yeah. But we just never made it there. That was

the time to go when we were, you know,

I mean, I think that once you start a family

family, you realize that the time to go

was any time before you had kids.

Yeah, exactly, and that's why you'll hear

people say and to anyone who's just

about to have kids, you know, take

advantage and this time right now but,

you know, you can do stuff with kids like

make these videos and podcasts... so,

yeah... you say Morocco, anywhere

else? I would love to explore

Australia more

as well, and you have a cousin who

actually lives in Australia.

Yeah. That would.. it would be fun to visit them and

we've been talking a lot with our son

about koala bears and kangaroos and

different animals that live in

Australia, so that would be fun,

yeah, and I would love to travel around

Asia as well. Yeah, I haven't really been

out that way at all.l I haven't been to

anywhere in Asia. I haven't been to Australia,

I think the farthest east I've been is

probably Germany.

Wow. Yeah and that's western Europe, so...

but you have been all the way down to

Patagonia in South America. Yes.

So, you've just traveled in a different

direction. But i feel like I'm so glad

that I have a partner who loves to

travel.

Yeah. That we found each other because we

can go on my adventures and we can maybe

take some trips now while Thomas is

little. But I would love to take him

and Emma, who's chiming in, on some

neat vacations when they get older and

just travel and experience life in

different parts of the world.

Yeah, it's a strange time for us because

it seems like we're just dealing with,

you know, emergency situations when we

travel and this year, though, when we went

to Florida, Thomas was excited about it.

We could show him pictures and we could

talk about it in terms of what we were

going to do and he got excited about

that.

Yeah. And he talks about it now. He's

developing those memories and we took

some great photos while we were there too.

Yeah, so, yeah. And I think, as the

children get older,

we're going to have great times and we can

do very specific things, and they'll get those

memories - they will have those memories.

Yes. Where did you travel when you

were a little? Do you have memories of

traveling? We went to France a lot and we

went to Spain a lot and and well, you

know, my memories when I was young - you

always make fun of me because I talk

about my memories all the time.

Yeah, by the way, Jack has an incredible

memory - you

well kind of well. When was your

earliest memory from? how old were you?

I don't really know to be honest...

no, there was that memory where I

remember being in my mom's arms when I

was six months old or I had to be six

months old because they were in their old house.

I remember seeing our neighbor and my

mom was talking to the neighbor.

Yeah. And I remember... I remember that

little ,you know, snippet - that tiny bit of

memory but it's not that clear. I know, but

six months old, that's incredible. I think

that'll mean that Emma will start to

remember life, potentially, in just a

couple of months because she's almost

four-months-old. Yeah, she is. Emma, are

you gonna remember this? Today? She might

remember this. Or at least, she'll have the video

to look back on. We always

went to France; we went to Spain a

lot and when I think I was about 11 or

12 when, maybe younger, when we got

a caravan. So. it used to take us three days

to get to the south of France and we

would spend about two weeks there. We went to

place called Canet Plage, which is near

Toulouse and we went there every

summer for about five years, I think.

And we've met the same people, it

is really cool because as a kid you want

to be around other kids

and there were a bunch of a children there who we

could play with. They had a great pool;

they had sports going on. The beach was

really close by. My sister liked it

because she was getting to the age where

she could go out and it was that kind of

place but, you know, it was

safe - it was great.

We really enjoyed it. How was it

traveling with your family, especially

as you got to be older in such a

small vehicle and sleeping in it.

I remember one trip especially when

... there was a big heat wave in France

and we we just poured water over our

heads because we didn't have air

conditioning

in the car - super hot and the other thing

France at that time and I don't know

if that's changed - but they didn't have proper

toilets. They had like holes in the floor.

I bet that that has changed. I imagine it has.

You know, that's what I

remember about it.

And then one year, we went down with

another family.

And a friend - one of my sister's friends

came as well and I went in the car with

the other family they had a conditioning. And it

was such a big difference. Yeah, I

can imagine that's something that we

take for granted, I think. Yeah, no one in

the UK had air conditioning in a car

it was very very rare.

Wow. It must be... because it doesn't get that hot.

So, people don't feel like they need it.

Yeah. Okay, we're back and I just asked a

question about.. what you did for vacation.

Where did you go when you were when you

were a kid? When I was a kid we actually

took a family beach vacation every

summer. My family and family friends

would rent a house on an island called

Block Island which is an island the coast of

Rhode Island and New England and we

would drive and take a ferry to the

island and we just had a great time. We

would go to the beach every day; we would

grill seafood at night.

Yeah, it was a really special memory

for me. And was not like every

summer?

Yeah, it was every summer for probably

five or ten years. Oh, really? Yeah, my mom

actually grew up going there when she

was a kid too, so she had memories of the

place and all the different areas to

go and it was just a really neat... (thing to to do) When

was the first time you went abroad?

Do you remember? The first time that I went

abroad, I was probably about 10 years

old. My dad decided to start working for

an airline because he really wanted to

show us the world

and so he was working for a British

airline and he got a free ticket

- all right, that's fantastic - every year

So, he took he took my sister and I

both on a trip to England. Did you go to Scotland

too? We did. Was that the same trip?

I think so.

Well, no. That was a different trip. That

was a trip that we took

all as a family together, but my

father actually passed away when I was

in collage, so the fact that we had

that trip together just meant so much. It

was just a special special thing to have

done with him. Great, and do you

remember the journey? I do. What was

that... because going to the UK or anywhere in Europe

you're doing the overnight flight.

from America. That is challenging. uh-huh

Do you remember that? I think, I mean, I'm sure

that I was tired but I think it was just

the most exciting thing that had ever

happened to me and just the novelty of

everything - being able to look out an

airplane window; eating pretzels - a

little packet of pretzels like it was

just all magical It was so much fun. I remember

the first time I came to America

because my uncle, you know my uncle used

to work in America? And he

got us on a flight and it was economy class

but we went to the check out and

then went -they just said our last name, Askew?

Askew? We'll see what we can

do because my uncle used to fly back and

forth to the UK and back to America

all the time, so they - my sister didn't

come on that trip - I think was 14. No, this

is second time.

no no - sorry, I'm getting confused - we

came when i was ten and and that's when -

we did - we got bumped up to first class

yeah - and it was just amazing.

I remember it very clearly. I think

because my dad works for the airline too,

we get bumped up - not all the way up to first

class but to premium economy. We were

in business class and it was

an experience. Yeah. Have you seen some of

those recent pictures of the new

like business class on these luxury

jets?

No, but.... they have like, you know. spas

and showers and a circular bar - there's a

lot going on with them now, obviously,

very very expensive, but and I think if

you get - some people I've have seen on

Facebook get on these flights or at least,

you know, getting the first preview...

some YouTubers, and it just looks

incredible. That sounds great.

that would make flying with my children

worth it.

Yeah, no, definitely. It's hard, isn't it,

with small children. Yeah - the flying - it can

be you. It can be hard - you just never know

what you're gonna get,

ever day is different. No, but you know,

it's good. We feel very grateful to be

able to do it, you know. to go on

these vacations.

So, you mentioned Morocco

before as an ideal place to go on

vacation - where is your ideal..

I was gonna...

tell me about it. I was thinking

about this, you know, while we've been

having this discussion but i think

probably...

Australia. I think it would be Australia or

Japan. I think somewhere in Asia maybe -the

the problem is when I start to think

about these like ideal vacations then I

think about the practical side of things -

with children, you know, because

it is completely different. When I went

travelling I was on my own I had a tiny

backpack and I went away for nine months

and, you know, I could go on a bus for 42

hours. It was fine - kind of - you know, but

it's something I could do, but now it's

thinking about those things -

forgetting about children, is it easier

to travel on your own with me? Oh,

so much easier on my own.

I was worried that you were going to say that.

Explain!

Well, when you're on your own

you... you have your stuff and that's

it.

If you feel tired and down, you know,

or if you're like, you just don't talk to

someone, you can

just do that and. If you wanna be...

if you wanna be outgoing, then you can, you

know, just just meet other people and

then you just make your own decisions

but, yeah, it's more fun traveling

with someone. It is. That's the other thing.

'Cause you get to share your experiences

and just talk to somebody about what's

going on.

Yeah, definitely. Well, cool. Well, shall we

wrap it up?

Yeah, let's wrap it up. Do you have a question for the

audience about vacations?

Yeah, I mean - I've put you on the spot - absolutely

I always have questions, you know that. Okay, so give

everyone a question that they can answer

either if you're watching on YouTube

leave a comment below and if you're

watching or listening to the podcast

then just go to tofluency.com/

podcast and find this episode. What's your

question? Now I have to pick just one question. Okay, here's

my question: if you could travel to

anywhere in the world, where would it be?

And what is your number one bucket-list

destination?

Yeah, you're number one place to go. And

also i'll ask question too just as, you know, a

bonus one. When you go travelling do you

prefer to take a lot of stuff or do you prefer to

travel light?

Oh, it's a good one. Even though you wouldn't think it, I

prefer to travel light?

Yeah. Like almost dangerously light.

It's so much better.

You always take clothes that you don't

need - but what about you guys? Let us

know. So, yeah if you have enjoyed this video

please share it with your friends, please

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go to the description - i'll give you some

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lesson and subscribe if you're new. If you're listening to

the podcast, toflency.com/

podcast and check out the lesson notes.

So, thank you for watching or listening, speak

to you soon!

Yeah, thank you, it was great to be here

and to introduce y'all to Emma who was

not born yet last time that I had a

conversation like this with Jack. No,

yeah, time goes quickly. Okay, bye everyone!

Bye!