Latin America is a melting pot of cultures, as you'll already know - Spanish culture mixing with Amerindian tradition, and with African rituals combining with Aztec, Mayan, British and... Dutch(?) influences, somehow - so you already know that there's going to be very bold and unique ways of perceiving life, death, religion and belief systems in general.

So, it comes as no surprise that the occult features so heavily in Latin American culture, especially in the daily lives of certain sectors of society. Part of this is as mysterious and scary as voodoo, while other traditions, such as Pachamama and Sunday Mass, are considered more harmless.

In this episode of the Learn Spanish with Stories podcast, we explore just exactly what it means to believe in Latin America, and how each individual approaches their connection with the beyond... enjoy!

Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/4769

They say that crisis and pain create great men and women, but life really went a bit too far with Juana Azurduy - first, she lost her parents, and then she would go on to lose her children... but it's what happened in the middle of these things that would mark her remarkable story as a heroine in the fight for Bolivia's independence.

A curious girl during her infancy, she developed a courageous and free-spirited personality that would lead her to great things and make her challenge the preconceptions of life under Spanish rules, pushing her to join the guerrillas in fighting for their country's independence and freedom from colonization.

But tragedy, as I already mentioned, would strike again and again, and as strong as Juana was, her life would end in a somewhat unfortunate way, with even Simón Bolívar making an appearance towards the very end. Find out more about Juana Azurduy in our latest episode of the Learn Spanish with Stories podcast!

Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/4736

As a soldier in Latin America, what happens when you retire? One could think that each state would have a great retirement plan for each soldier who has risked their life for their nation: a decent home, a dignified compensation, health benefits... but this couldn't be further from reality.

The reality is that soldiers are practically discarded - thrown aside, left to fend for themselves in a job market that has no interest in hiring men and women who were trained for violence... and this is where the Cartel steps in.

In this story, the latest episode of the Learn Spanish with Stories podcast, we listen to the story behind Julián Ramírez, a soldier who, after dedicating his life to protecting Colombia from the guerrilla and illegal armed forces, is simply cast aside, shortly before he is tricked into becoming a member of the Cartel in Mexico... and all of the tension, dilemmas and internal chaos that this will soon cause him.

Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/4703