Decide! Take action. 
There’s no right or wrong answer when you’re choosing between two positive routes or outcomes. Wait too long and the decision will be made for you.

Short Stories with Rose 

The Story of the Fig Tree

** This story contains graphic and explicit material it is not recommended for children. For mature audiences only. ** 18+
The Parrot and the Potbellied Pig from Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk by David Sedaris Illustrations by Ian Falconer
Read by me Teacher Alyse. Listen and follow along.
Send me a message me for your free pdf copy of this book.
https://www.italki.com/en/teacher/13365914
The way the pig is labeled based on his Vietnamese heritage, despite being born in the U.S., mirrors the real-world experiences of many immigrants and their descendants. Even when someone identifies as fully American, they can still be seen as "other" because of their background. The parrot's insistence on framing the pig's identity through an ethnic lens—rather than his actual achievements—reflects how media narratives and public discourse can shape (and sometimes distort) the way individuals are perceived.
This is especially important now, given the ongoing discussions about immigration in the U.S. Many immigrants and first-generation Americans face similar struggles with identity, belonging, and how they're portrayed in society. The story also highlights how insecurities—whether about identity, appearance, or status—can be exacerbated by external judgments.
Themes and Interpretation
•	Identity and Stereotyping: The pig’s frustration highlights how labels—whether about ethnicity or body image—can shape and limit a person’s self-perception.
•	Media Manipulation: The parrot, representing a journalist, distorts facts for a sensationalized story, raising questions about bias and ethics in reporting.
•	Self-Perception and Insecurity: The pig’s struggles with his body image illustrate how external judgments can create deep-seated insecurities.
•	Cultural Commentary: The story subtly critiques societal assumptions about identity and heritage, showing how people (or animals) can be boxed in by others’ perceptions.

Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk ( Adult 18+) 

The Parrot and the Potbellied Pig

Students regularly ask me, "How do I know what comes after a verb?" If a verb takes another verb as a complement, it is usually either a full infinitive or a gerund (e.g., "to do" or "doing").  Bare infinitives (e.g., "do") can only be complements for a small number of verbs, but these verbs are very common.  In this article, I take a look at some verbs that take bare infinitives as complements.  

To access the full text of this podcast, please go to https://www.difficultenglishexplained.com/what-comes-after-verb-2/.

Be sure that you read the first post in this series!  You can find it at: https://www.difficultenglishexplained.com/what-comes-after-a-verb-to-do-do-or-doing-part-1/

Difficult English Explained

What comes after a verb? "To do", "do," or "doing"? (Part 2)

In the second episode of No Such Thing as a Synonym, we explore a common pair of adverbs: "nearly" and "almost".   

When you look up these words in a dictionary you’ll find they have virtually identical definitions. However, I want to let you in on a secret – the dictionary isn’t telling you the whole story.

In this episode, we’ll explore the pragmatic and subtle differences between the two words, including the difference between "nearly perfect" and "almost perfect" and why we don’t usually use "nearly" with emotions, as in "I felt nearly giddy with excitement".

Listen along to learn something new!

No Such Thing as a Synonym

02: Nearly & Almost

Alistamos las ventajas, te van a encantar!

Escuchanos, estamos acá con MARTÍN, en un nuevo episodio!
https://www.italki.com/teacher/5211013 (perfil de Martín, profe en Italki)

Dale Play al Español

Aprender un nuevo idioma: BENEFICIOS

【键盘侠】
这种人在现实生活中对周边的人或者事物冷漠不关心，喜欢用手机或者电脑在网络上对他人进行批评、侮辱、道德谴责等等。
 比如，现实中，如果遇到一个人被欺负，键盘侠会假装看不见，然后悄悄离开，但是，如果在网络上看到有人被欺负的新闻，键盘侠会立马写评论指责他人为什么不帮助那个受害者。这就是键盘侠。

If there are some Chinese characters you don't understand,  contact me please

Lily-Buzzwords/Idioms/Slang-【Lily-中国 Italki Id:8877492 Chinese Tutor】

第1集-键盘侠【keyboard man】-with Lily-Chinese Internet buzzwords

Olá, tudo bem? Seja muito bem-vindo a mais um episódio do podcast Aprenda português. 
Neste episódio vamos falar sobre outro temperamento, o melancólico. Será que este é o seu? Vamos descobrir!
Segue o link para acessar o texto com a transcrição do episódio:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Gn3C3xBOJysfT24oP4VPj9mYJe6jUdSh/view?usp=sharing
Venha aprender português comigo!
Até a próxima!