Would you use AI to write a birthday message to your best friend? What about a condolence note when someone loses a parent? Inspired by this Guardian article, Andrew and Indiana share their honest opinions on a question a lot of people are asking: is it ever OK to let AI speak for you in your personal life? You’ll learn some useful expressions along the way and probably finish with a stronger opinion than you started with.

Listening to real conversations between native speakers is one of the best ways to build your fluency and feel more confident in English.

The Best Way to Learn with This Episode:

• Culips members get an interactive transcript, helpful study guide, and ad-free audio for this episode. Take your English to the next level by becoming a Culips member. Become a Culips member now: Click here:
• Members can access the ad-free version here: Click here.
• Join our Discord community to connect with other learners and get more English practice. Click here to join:

What is it like to travel to Japan for a quick getaway? In this week’s bonus episode, Andrew shares stories from his recent 4-day trip to Fukuoka, Japan with his wife. They explored record stores, enjoyed incredible food, and visited a beautiful art museum. Andrew also tells you about an unexpected running adventure at a local park that turned into a secret competition with a stranger. Listening to this story will help you improve your English fluency. You will also learn useful, everyday words about travel, shopping, food, and city life.

Important links:

• Become a Culips member
• Join the Culips Discord server
• Mona Hatoum’s “+ and -” at the Fukuoka Art Museum
• Ohori Park, Fukuoka
• Homachiame Coffee, Fukuoka

In this Catch Word lesson, Andrew and Indiana teach you two useful English idioms: “stick to your guns” and “double down.” Both expressions describe a person who refuses to change their mind, even when they face pressure or criticism. They discuss the small differences between these idioms, explaining why one is often seen as a sign of respect while the other is usually considered stubborn.

By listening to their conversation, you will learn how to use these idioms naturally in your own everyday speaking.

The Best Way to Learn with This Episode:

• Culips members get an interactive transcript, helpful study guide, and ad-free audio for this episode. Take your English to the next level by becoming a Culips member. Become a Culips member now: Click here.
• Members can access the ad-free version here: Click here.
• Join our Discord community to connect with other learners and get more English practice. Click here to join.

Fan Fact:

Many popular English idioms actually come from the world of gambling and card games. For example, the phrase “double down” comes from the game of Blackjack, where a player can double their bet in exchange for one more card. Another common expression mentioned in this episode is “to fold,” which comes from Poker. In Poker, if you have a weak hand and don’t want to keep betting, you fold your cards and give up on that round.

Expression list:

• to stick to one’s guns
• to double down
• to have one’s mind made up
• [Even] in the face of
• Peer pressure
• To back down