Shadowing Practice: Talking About Traveling Alone in English | Easy English Podcast for Beginners - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
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Hello everyone, and welcome back to Everyday English Academy,
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Hello everyone, and welcome back to Everyday English Academy,
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where we make English simple and enjoyable.
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I'm Sarah.
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And I'm Mike.
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Hello to all of our wonderful listeners,
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wherever you are in the world right now.
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So, Mike, you look happy today.
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What's going on?
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I am happy, Sarah.
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I just booked a trip.
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Oh, exciting!
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Where are you going?
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Italy.
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Two weeks.
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Rome.
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Florence.
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The food.
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The coffee.
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That sounds amazing.
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Who are you going with?
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Your brother?
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A friend?
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Nobody.
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Nobody?
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Nope.
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Just me.
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Solo.
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Wait.
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You're going to Italy alone?
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Yes.
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And I can't wait.
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Mike, are you okay?
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What?
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Why are you looking at me like that?
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Because that sounds a little bit scary.
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Two weeks in another country all by yourself?
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What if something goes wrong?
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What if you get lonely?
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What if… Sarah, relax.
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Millions of people travel solo every year.
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It's completely normal.
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Solo means alone, right?
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By yourself.
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Exactly.
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Solo travel is when you go on a trip without other people, just you.
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Hmm.
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I don't know, Mike.
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I've never traveled alone.
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The idea makes me nervous.
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And that is exactly what we're going to talk about today.
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Yes.
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Today, we're talking about traveling alone,
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or solo travel in English.
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And honestly, I think this is going to be a really fun conversation,
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because Mike and I clearly have very different opinions about this.
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We do.
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And for everyone listening, have you ever traveled alone?
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Or is it something you want to do but you're a little scared?
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Tell us in the comments.
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Yes, please.
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We want to hear your stories.
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Even one short sentence is great practice.
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Okay, Sarah, let me ask you something.
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Why does solo travel scare you?
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Honestly, I think the idea of doing everything on my own is a bit nerve-wracking.
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Nerve-wracking.
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Good word.
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That means something that makes you feel really nervous or stressed, right?
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Yes.
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Like, imagine you're at a train station in a country where you don't speak the language
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and you have to find your platform on your own.
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On your own just means by yourself, without anyone helping you.
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Exactly.
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No friend next to you saying,
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oh, it's Platform 5, let's go.
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You have to do everything yourself.
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But see, that's actually the best part.
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The best part?
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Yes, because when you do things on your own,
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you feel so proud after.
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Like, wow, I actually pulled that off.
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Pulled that off.
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What does that mean?
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To pull something off means to succeed at doing something that was difficult or challenging.
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Like, I was so nervous about the trip,
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but I pulled it off.
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Hmm, okay.
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I can see that.
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But Mike, what about eating alone?
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At a restaurant?
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Doesn't that feel weird?
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Why would it be weird?
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Because everyone around you is with friends or family,
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and you're just sitting there, alone, with your pasta.
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First of all, pasta is great company.
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And second, I actually love eating alone.
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You do not.
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I do.
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You sit down, you order what you want,
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you eat slowly, you enjoy the food,
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nobody is talking, nobody's rushing you.
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Rushing means making you go faster, right?
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Like, hurry up, finish your food.
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Exactly.
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When you eat alone, nobody rushes you.
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You can sit there for an hour if you want.
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Hmm, okay, that part sounds nice.
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But I would still feel awkward just sitting there.
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Awkward means uncomfortable, like you don't know what to do with yourself.
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Yes.
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Like, do I look at my phone?
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Do I stare at the wall?
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Where do I put my hands?
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You're overthinking it.
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Just enjoy the food.
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Okay, I have to disagree.
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For me, eating alone in a restaurant sounds terrible.
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I would feel so awkward just sitting there.
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And I would feel totally relaxed.
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So, listeners, who do you agree with?
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Is eating alone at a restaurant comfortable or awkward?
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Tell us in the comments.
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I want to know.
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I know most people will agree with me.
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We'll see about that.
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Okay, but seriously, let's talk about the good things about solo travel,
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because I know there are good things, even if I'm scared.
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There are so many good things.
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The biggest one for me is freedom.
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Freedom?
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Yes.
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When you travel alone, you decide everything.
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You want to wake up late?
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Fine.
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You want to visit three museums in one day?
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Go ahead.
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You want to sit in a cafe for two hours and do nothing.
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Nobody will complain.
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OK.
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That does sound nice.
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No waiting for other people to get ready.
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No arguing about where to eat.
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No one saying, I'm tired,
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let's go back to the hotel.
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Exactly.
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You go with the flow of your day.
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Go with the flow.
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I like that phrase.
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It means you relax and just accept what happens, right?
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You don't stress about having a perfect plan.
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Right.
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So maybe you're walking down a street and you see a beautiful little market.
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You stop, you look around, you buy something.
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There's no schedule.
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You just go with the flow.
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That actually sounds really refreshing.
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Refreshing, yes, and that's another great word.
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Refreshing means something that feels new and good,
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and it gives you energy,
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like a cold drink on a hot day, but for your mind.
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I like that.
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Solo travel is refreshing because you forget about your normal life for a while.
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Yes, you leave your routine behind and suddenly everything feels new again.
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I think that's what a lot of people need, actually.
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A break from the same thing every day.
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Totally.
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And here's another amazing thing about solo travel.
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You meet more people, not less.
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Wait, really?
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How?
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Think about it.
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When you're with a friend,
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you talk to your friend.
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You don't really need to talk to strangers.
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But when you're alone, you're more open.
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Oh, so you branch out more.
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Yes!
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To branch out means to try new things or connect with new people.
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When you're solo, you naturally branch out because you don't have your comfort group with you.
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That makes sense.
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So you might start talking to someone at a hostel or at a cafe or on a tour.
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Exactly.
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Some of the best conversations I've ever had were with strangers during solo trips.
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I can imagine.
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And I think for English learners,
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this is actually a huge benefit.
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If you travel solo to an English-speaking country,
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you have to speak English.
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There's nobody to translate for you,
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nobody to speak for you.
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That's such a good point.
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It's like forced practice.
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Yes.
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best kind of practice.
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You order food in English,
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you ask for directions in English,
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you make small talk in English.
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And small talk is just light,
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casual conversation, like talking about the weather,
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your trip, where you're from.
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Exactly!
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When you're alone, you do so much more small talk because you don't have a travel buddy to hide behind.
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A travel buddy is just the person you travel with.
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Your friend, your partner, your family member.
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Right.
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And without a travel buddy,
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you are the one who has to figure everything out.
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Which is scary, but also kind of exciting?
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See?
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You're starting to get it.
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Okay, okay, you're starting to convince me,
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but I'm not fully convinced yet.
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Because there is a scary side, right?
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Like, what about feeling homesick?
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Oh, homesick.
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That's an important word.
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Homesick means you miss your home when you're away.
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You miss your family, your friends, your bed, your routine.
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Yes.
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And I think when you travel alone,
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that feeling can be stronger because you don't have a friend with you to distract you.
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That's true.
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I've felt homesick on solo trips before, especially at night.
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During the day, you're busy, you're exploring, you're excited.
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But at night, when you're back in your hotel room alone,
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sometimes you think, I wish someone was here.
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See?
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That is what scares me.
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But here's the thing, Sarah.
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That feeling doesn't last forever.
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And actually, something happened to me on my first solo trip that I'll never forget.
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Ooh, what happened?
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I'll tell you in a minute.
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First, let me finish my point.
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You always do this.
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The point is, being homesick is normal.
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Even people who love solo travel feel it sometimes.
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But it teaches you something.
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What does it teach you?
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It teaches you that you're stronger than you think.
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You feel lonely for a moment,
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and then the next morning you wake up,
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you go outside, and the world is beautiful again.
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Okay, that's actually really nice.
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Now tell me the story.
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Okay, okay.
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So, my first solo trip was to Portugal.
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I was 24.
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I was sitting alone at a small restaurant,
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feeling a little bit lonely, eating my soup.
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Alone with your soup.
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Don't laugh.
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And then the man at the table next to me said,
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is that the fish soup?
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Is it good?
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And we started talking.
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His name was Carlos.
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He was a local teacher.
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We talked for three hours.
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Three hours?
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With a stranger?
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Yes.
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He told me about his city,
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his life, his favorite places.
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He even drew me a little map on a napkin of places I should visit.
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That's so sweet!
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And that conversation?
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That would never have happened if I was traveling with a friend.
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I would have been talking to my friend, not to Carlos.
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Wow.
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Okay, I think I understand now.
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Solo travel opens doors that group travel doesn't.
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Exactly.
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Alright, let's talk about some practical things.
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If someone listening is thinking,
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OK, maybe I want to try solo travel.
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What advice would you give them?
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Good question.
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First, start small.
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You don't have to fly to the other side of the world for your first solo trip.
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Right.
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Maybe just take a weekend trip to a nearby city.
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Exactly.
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Somewhere close, somewhere safe, somewhere easy.
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Just to try the feeling.
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That's smart.
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And I think another good tip is wander around.
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Oh, I love wandering around.
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To wander around means to walk without a specific plan.
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You just walk and see what you find.
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No map, no schedule, no stress.
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I spent the whole afternoon wandering around the old town.
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That's one of the best things you can do when you travel.
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And you can do it at your own pace.
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Fast, slow, stopping every five minutes to take a photo.
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Nobody cares.
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Nobody is waiting for you.
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But here's something important.
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When you wander around alone,
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you should stay aware of your surroundings.
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Surroundings means everything around you.
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The streets, the people, the area you're in.
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Right.
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So be aware of your surroundings means pay attention to what's happening around you.
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Don't walk into a dark alley at midnight while looking at your phone.
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Good advice for life in general, not just solo travel.
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Exactly.
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Being safe is important.
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But that doesn't mean being scared all the time.
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There's a big difference.
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Yes.
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You can feel safe and have an adventure.
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Just use common sense.
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Common sense.
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That means basic, practical thinking that most people have.
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Like, don't leave your bag open in a crowded place.
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You'd be surprised how many people forget that.
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Now here's another tip.
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Actually, this is one tip that changed everything for me when I finally tried a short solo trip.
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Oh, what was it?
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Learn a few basic words in the local language.
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even just hello, thank you, and excuse me.
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People love it when you try to speak their language.
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Even badly.
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That is so true.
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When I said obrigado in Portugal,
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which means thank you, people smiled so big.
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It opens hearts, and for someone traveling alone,
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those small connections are everything.
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Yes, and one more thing.
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You have to take the plunge.
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Take the plunge?
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What does that mean?
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To take the plunge means to finally decide to do something you are nervous about.
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You stop thinking, you stop worrying,
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and you just do it.
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Like jumping into a swimming pool?
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Yes.
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I was scared of solo travel for years,
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but finally I took the plunge and booked a flight to Japan.
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I love that.
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Sometimes you just have to stop overthinking and take the plunge.
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Exactly.
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Overthinking kills the adventure before it starts.
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Overthinking means thinking too much about something,
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usually in a negative way, until you feel stuck.
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Yes.
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And solo travel is the perfect cure for overthinking,
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because when you're in a new place,
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alone, your brain is too busy experiencing things to worry.
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You know what, Mike?
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I think solo travel is really about trusting yourself.
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That's beautiful, Sarah.
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And it's true.
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Like trusting that you can handle things on your own,
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that you can eat alone,
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navigate alone, solve problems alone.
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And once you do it,
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you carry that confidence back home with you.
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It changes how you see yourself.
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Okay, I think you've actually changed my mind a little bit.
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A little bit?
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Okay, a lot.
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I'm actually thinking about maybe,
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possibly, trying a short solo trip this year.
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Yes, do it, Sarah.
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Maybe just a weekend, somewhere not too far.
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That's perfect.
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Take the plunge.
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I'll try.
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Okay, before we finish, let's do a quick review of the words we talked about today.
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Great idea.
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So solo means alone, by yourself.
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She went on a solo trip to Greece.
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Nerve-wracking means something that makes you feel very nervous or stressed.
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The first day alone was nerve-wracking.
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On your own means by yourself, without help.
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I had to find the hotel on my own.
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Pull something off means to succeed at something difficult.
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I can't believe I pulled off a two-week trip alone.
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Go with the flow means to relax and accept whatever happens.
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I didn't have a plan.
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I just went with the flow.
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Refreshing means something that feels new and gives you energy.
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Traveling alone is so refreshing.
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Branch out means to try new things or meet new people.
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Solo travel helped me branch out and talk to strangers.
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Homesick means missing your home when you're away.
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I felt a little homesick on the third night.
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Wander around means to walk without a plan.
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I love to wander around new cities.
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And take the plunge means to finally do something you were scared about.
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Stop thinking and just take the plunge.
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Beautiful.
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Those are really useful words for talking about travel,
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and honestly, about life in general.
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They really are.
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Now, listeners, we have a question for you.
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Yes.
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We want to know, what is the one place in the world you would love to visit alone, And why?
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Write it in the comments.
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Even one sentence is amazing practice.
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For example, I would love to visit Japan alone
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because I want to go with the flow and explore at my own pace.
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Or, I would love to wander around Paris alone because it sounds so refreshing.
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See?
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Use the words from today.
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We read every comment.
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Seriously, it makes our day.
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And if you enjoyed this episode,
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please subscribe to Everyday English Academy and give us a like.
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Share this with a friend who loves traveling,
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or who needs a little push to take the plunge.
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Perfect!
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Thank you so much for spending time with us today.
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Keep practicing, keep learning, and maybe start planning your first solo adventure.
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Stay curious, stay brave, and we'll see you in the next episode.
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Bye, everyone.
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Goodbye.
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And Mike, send me a postcard from Italy.
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I will.
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Bye.
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About This Lesson
In this lesson, you will learn to discuss the exciting yet sometimes daunting experience of traveling alone in English. As Sarah and Mike engage in conversation about solo travel, you’ll practice listening and speaking skills by exploring common phrases and vocabulary used while discussing travel. This session is perfect for beginners who want to enhance their English skills and gain confidence in expressing personal experiences and feelings related to solitary adventures.
Key Vocabulary & Phrases
- Solo travel – Traveling alone, without companions.
- Exciting – Causing great enthusiasm and eagerness.
- Scary – Causing fear or anxiety.
- Nervous – Feeling worried or anxious.
- Trip – A journey or voyage for pleasure.
- Book a trip – To arrange and purchase travel plans in advance.
- What if? – A phrase used to express concern or uncertainty about a situation.
Practice Tips
To maximize your learning from this lesson, consider using a shadow speech technique while you listen to the dialogue between Sarah and Mike. This involves repeating what you hear, mimicking their pronunciation, intonation, and speed. Since the conversation in this video is friendly and conversational, it provides an excellent opportunity for shadow speaking practice.
As you listen, use a shadowing app or even simple recording tools to capture your voice. Listening to your own recordings while comparing them to the original dialogue can significantly improve your pronunciation and fluency. Focus specifically on the emotional tones that Sarah and Mike convey, particularly Mike’s enthusiastic excitement about traveling alone, as well as Sarah’s nervousness. Such nuances are crucial in everyday conversations.
Remember, incorporating this shadowing practice into your routine, especially when preparing for important assessments like the IELTS speaking practice, can help build your confidence and fluency in English. Don’t hesitate to pause the video to repeat phrases or reflect on your thoughts about traveling alone. Utilize the shadowspeak method regularly to transform your speaking skills and deepen your understanding of the English language.
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.
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