Argentalk: Stories in Argentine Spanish

E68 - Why I Chose Merlo (Part 2): Life, Nature and Hidden Experiences

In this second part, we return to Merlo — a small mountain town in central Argentina that quietly pulls people in. What starts as a peaceful place full of nature and community slowly reveals something deeper: a different rhythm of life, a strong sense of connection… and a whole world of experiences you wouldn’t expect. Together with my friend Jesi, we explore what you can actually do there — and what might end up changing the way you see things. Argentalk is a podcast for intermediate Spanish learners who want to understand Argentine Spanish in context. Through short cultural episodes, you’ll improve your listening skills, pick up real expressions, and expand your vocabulary naturally. --- ✉️ This podcast is just the beginning. If you subscribe to the Argentalk newsletter, you’ll unlock free PDF transcripts for (almost) all past and future episodes, ready to print, each one with a glossary of the hardest words and expressions translated into English. And whenever a new episode comes out, I’ll email you the link and the transcript so you can follow along:👉 ⁠⁠⁠⁠argentalk.com/subscribe-podcast⁠⁠⁠ [https://argentalk.com/subscribe-podcast/]

E67 - From Listener to Speaker: Arndt’s Journey with Argentine Spanish

In this episode, Mariel talks with Arndt, one of the first listeners of Argentalk. Originally from Germany and now living in the United States, Arndt shares how he began learning Spanish during the pandemic and developed a deep connection with Rioplatense Spanish and Argentine culture. Together, they talk about overcoming the fear of speaking, learning through podcasts and daily habits, and what it was like for him to finally travel to Argentina and experience the language in real life. Argentalk is a podcast for intermediate Spanish learners who want to understand Argentine Spanish in context. Through short cultural episodes, you’ll improve your listening skills, pick up real expressions, and expand your vocabulary naturally. --- ✉️ This podcast is just the beginning. If you subscribe to the Argentalk newsletter, you’ll unlock free PDF transcripts for (almost) all past and future episodes, ready to print, each one with a glossary of the hardest words and expressions translated into English. And whenever a new episode comes out, I’ll email you the link and the transcript so you can follow along:👉 ⁠⁠⁠argentalk.com/subscribe-podcast⁠⁠ [https://argentalk.com/subscribe-podcast/]

E66 - How We Each Ended up Living in Merlo (And a Spanish Fluency Hack)

In this episode, I sit down with my friend Jesi to talk about what it really means to start over in Merlo, San Luis — a small mountain town in the heart of Argentina, about 12 hours from Buenos Aires. Jesi shares why she decided to leave her fast-paced life in the big city of Rosario, while I reflect on what it meant to bring my seven-year nomadic journey to an end and choose one place to call home. Together, we explore fear, change, and the courage it takes to build a new chapter. Along the way, you’ll also learn a few surprising things about Rosario and discover a simple but powerful fluency hack to help you speak Argentine Spanish more naturally. Argentalk is a podcast for intermediate Spanish learners who want to understand Argentine Spanish in context. Through short cultural episodes, you’ll improve your listening skills, pick up real expressions, and expand your vocabulary naturally. --- ✉️ This podcast is just the beginning.If you subscribe to the Argentalk newsletter, you’ll unlock free PDF transcripts for (almost) all past and future episodes, ready to print, each one with a glossary of the hardest words and expressions translated into English. And whenever a new episode comes out, I’ll email you the link and the transcript so you can follow along:👉 ⁠⁠argentalk.com/subscribe-podcast⁠ [https://argentalk.com/subscribe-podcast/]

E65 - Argentina by Contrast: The Story Behind Argentalk (ft Rusentino)

In this episode, I’m going a little more personal and taking you behind the scenes of Argentalk—how traveling, culture shock, and unexpected moments abroad made me see Argentina (and myself) in a completely different way. You’ll hear the real story of why this podcast was born, the little details that pulled me back toward my own culture, and the “very Argentine” codes you only understand by contrast: the accent, the hugs, the football passion… and yes, the Córdoba vs. Buenos Aires rivalry. Come listen—this one comes straight from the heart. --- ✉️ This podcast is just the beginning. If you subscribe to the Argentalk newsletter, you’ll unlock free PDF transcripts for (almost) all past and future episodes, ready to print, each one with a glossary of the hardest words and expressions translated into English. And whenever a new episode comes out, I’ll email you the link and the transcript so you can follow along: 👉 argentalk.com/subscribe-podcast [https://argentalk.com/subscribe-podcast/] --- If you want to watch the full video interview, you can go to Rusentino's Youtube channel ⁠over here [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEgf7rPac3c]

E64 - Starting Over in Argentina: A Russian Immigrant in Buenos Aires

In this episode, I sit down in Palermo with Ruslán (“Rusentino”), a Russian immigrant living in Buenos Aires, and he opens up about what it really feels like to start over in Argentina. We talk culture shock, the Russian-speaking community in the city, and how he went from zero Spanish to actually communicating in real life. Just when you think you’ve got the full picture, the conversation takes an unexpected turn… Press play and come with us. --- ✉️ This podcast is just the beginning.If you subscribe to the Argentalk newsletter, you’ll unlock free PDF transcripts for (almost) all past and future episodes, ready to print, each one with a glossary of the hardest words and expressions translated into English. And whenever a new episode comes out, I’ll email you the link and the transcript so you can follow along:👉 ⁠argentalk.com/subscribe-podcast [https://argentalk.com/subscribe-podcast/] --- If you want to watch the full video interview, you can do it here [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEgf7rPac3c]