LISTEN UP WITH MIKE – Episode 1

Episode 1 - We're Back!

Hello, everyone! Welcome to LISTEN UP WITH MIKE, I’m Mike, and I’ll be your guide through this exciting journey of growth and learning.

I’m so excited to start this journey with you.
If you’re learning English and want to improve your listening skills, expand your vocabulary, and practice real-life conversations, you’re in the right place.

Before we dive into what you can expect from this podcast, let me introduce myself and share a little bit about my story.

I’m 54 years old, I was born in Colombia.

I started studying English in school when I was 13.

Back then, in the 80s, learning English was very different from today.

We didn’t have apps, we didn’t have YouTube, we didn’t have online courses.

For me, music and movies were my tools for learning.

Listening to my favorite bands and watching movies with subtitles helped me a lot, and I found it exciting to connect with the language through culture.

I used to do a lot of shadowing/mirroring, which is the repetition of every word and sentence you are listening to, trying to replicate the sounds the best you can.

Something that really changed my learning experience happened in the 80s.
I became pen pals with a girl in the United States.

It was through a program from Youth For Understanding (YFU), an international educational exchange organization.
If you want to learn more about Youth For Understanding, visit their website at www.yfu.org.

For those of you who might not know, being pen pals means writing letters to someone in another country—and yes, I mean actual letters!

We wrote back and forth for years, and that helped me practice my writing and learn about American culture in a personal way.
We met when I was 16 and we are still friends

Fast forward to 2001: I had the incredible opportunity to travel to the United States.
Being there helped me improve my English so much.

And guess what? I had the chance to finally meet in person with my pen pal!!!

It was an amazing experience.

During the time I stayed in the USA I spoke with native speakers, experienced everyday situations, and realized how much I loved the language.

When I returned home, I knew I wanted to teach English.

But here’s where my story gets a little frustrating. When I took a test to evaluate my level of English, I was expecting to get a high score—maybe even a C1.

But to my surprise, I was graded as B1. I couldn’t believe it. I was fluent, but I wasn’t prepared for the types of questions they asked in the test.

That experience made me reflect on what it really means to know a language.

Teaching isn’t just about speaking fluently—it’s about understanding how the language works and being able to explain it clearly to others.

A few years later, a friend of mine who owns a language school gave me a chance to teach. But when I saw the topic for the class, I realized I didn’t know how to explain it. 

I can remember that day as if it was yesterday, I was so happy and excited about officially teaching English for the first time!

I asked her what the class was supposed to be about and how it was supposed to be structured.
She handed me a piece of paper with 'CONDITIONAL CLAUSES 0 and 1' written on it.

I was CLUELESS!!!! I didn’t know what conditional clauses were!!!!!

I was embarrassed… and I considered myself fluent in English! but I didn’t know about conditional clauses…

The funny thing is although I didn’t have a clue about what conditional clauses were, it was something I used in everyday conversations!

So that’s when I decided to study English more deeply, focusing on teaching methods and grammar.

And guess what?

This boosted my English level and skills in ways I never expected, teaching is another way of learning…

Eventually, I started a YouTube channel where I teach English to people just like you.

And to my surprise, it has grown to over 110,000 subscribers!

It’s been an amazing journey, and I’ve learned so much from the people who watch my videos.

I started learning English 40 years ago and I keep on learning things every day!!!!!

Learning a second language is a lifelong journey

Now, I’m starting this podcast as another way to connect with you.

So, what can you expect from Listen Up with Mike?

In each episode, I’ll focus on helping you practice your English listening skills with real-world topics, slow and clear explanations, and practical examples.

Here’s a sneak peek of what’s coming:

• We will talk about common grammar mistakes and how to avoid them.
• We are gonna learn fun and useful vocabulary for everyday conversations.
• You will get tips for improving pronunciation.
• We will have stories and cultural insights about English-speaking countries.
• And sometimes, I’ll invite guests who will share their experiences learning English or using it in their lives.

This podcast will be like a conversation between friends.

I will explain things in a simple and clear way, so you don’t need to feel overwhelmed.

Whether you’re a beginner, intermediate, or advanced learner, there’s something here for you.

Before we wrap up this first episode, I want to thank you for joining me.

Learning a language takes time and effort, but it’s one of the most rewarding journeys you can take.

Remember: making mistakes is part of the process.

Every word you learn, every sentence you understand—it’s progress.

If you enjoy this podcast, please subscribe so you don’t miss any episodes.

You can also follow me on my YouTube channel Inglés Fácil con Mike for more tips and lessons thoroughly explained in Spanish.

Until next time, keep practicing, stay curious, and remember: you can do this!

Take care, and see you in the next episode of Listen Up with Mike!