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What are public holidays really like in the UK?

In this episode, we explore British holidays throughout the year, from Pancake Day and Easter to Halloween, Bonfire Night, Christmas, and even Wales’ national day. You’ll learn about the traditions, the strange history behind some of them, and why so many UK celebrations seem to involve sweets and junk food.

This episode is completely unscripted, so you’ll hear natural, everyday British English. At the end, we focus on 5 useful phrasal verbs with “up” that you can start using immediately.

Key Phrasal Verbs:

-fry up: to cook something quickly in oil

-use up: to finish something completely

-give up: to stop doing something

-set up: to organise or arrange something

-box up: to put things into boxes

If you want to learn more with the full version of this lesson, follow this link to The Podcast Course. Every time a new episode comes out, a new lesson is added with vocabulary, grammar, and listening practice 👉 https://englishwithrhys.com/courses/the-podcast-course/

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In this episode, we talk about:

-Why Pancake Day is linked to Lent

-How Easter is celebrated in the UK (chocolate everywhere)

-The dark history behind Bonfire Night

-Why Halloween feels different today

-What Boxing Day actually means (or maybe doesn’t!)

-Bank holidays and British drinking culture

-Welsh culture and St David’s Day

Leave a comment and tell me: What’s a holiday in your country that might seem strange to foreigners?

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Start The Podcast Course 👉 https://englishwithrhys.com/courses/the-podcast-course/Become a member 👉 https://englishwithrhys.com/membership-levels/What are the invisible forces shaping your thoughts, habits, and feelings?In this episode, we explore the idea of “the water we’re swimming in”. This is the everyday things around us that feel normal, but quietly influence who we are. From technology and food to weather, culture, language, and the places we live, we look at how environment shapes behaviour without us even noticing.This episode is unscripted, so you’ll hear natural, real English. The kind native speakers actually use. Afterwards, we break down key phrases to help you understand and use them yourself.Key Phrases:what I'm getting at: the main point I'm trying to explainto shape: to strongly influenceto go broader / wider: to look at a topic in a more general wayon the other end of the spectrum: the complete opposite situationcome around: arrive or happen againIf you want to learn more with the full version of this lesson, follow this link to The Podcast Course. Every time a new episode comes out, a new lesson is added with vocabulary, grammar, and listening practice 👉 https://englishwithrhys.com/courses/the-podcast-course/Become a member 👉 https://englishwithrhys.com/membership-levels/In this episode, we talk about:– The famous “two fish” story and what it teaches us– Why normal things are often the hardest to see– How food, air, climate, and culture affect your mood and behaviour– City life vs countryside life and how environment changes people– Why travel, reading, and experience help you see your own culture clearlyLeave a comment and tell me: what’s one “normal” thing in your life that you’ve started to question?Subscribe for more English learning content.#english #learnenglish #englishpodcast #vocabulary #culture #thinking #environment #englishteacher

Start The Podcast Course 👉 https://englishwithrhys.com/courses/the-podcast-course/Become a member 👉 https://englishwithrhys.com/membership-levels/

What are we losing when we let technology guide our lives? In this episode, we explore how smartphones, social media, and AI change the way we think, focus, and even feel.

Along the way, you’ll improve your English with real phrases native speakers actually use.

Key Phrases:

trade-off: giving up one thing to get another

distract / distraction: something that stops your attention

intentional: done on purpose, with thought

novelty: something new or unusual

middle ground: a compromise between two extremes

If you want to learn more with the full version of this lesson, follow this link to The Podcast Course. Every time a new episode comes out, a new lesson is added with vocabulary, grammar, and listening practice 👉 https://englishwithrhys.com/courses/the-podcast-course/

Become a member 👉 https://englishwithrhys.com/membership-levels/

In this episode, we talk about:

– How modern technology changes the way we think and act

– The design tricks behind infinite scroll and endless notifications

– Why attention has become a valuable, and fragile, resource

– What we can learn from the Amish about using technology intentionally

– How to think about the trade-offs between convenience and skills

Leave a comment and tell me: which technology do you think affects your life the most?

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#english #learnenglish #englishpodcast #vocabulary #attention #technology #englishteacher