Genre: Documentary, News
Summary
Radio Ambulante is a branch of NPR, a podcast produced in Spanish and focusing on primarily Latin American and Hispanophone countries' issues. The podcast ranges in topic, covering everything from cuisine to immigration to beauty standards to historic wars.
Mini-Critique
As an NPR junkie, I cannot deny my undying love for this show. Even though my Spanish skills do not allow me to understand around 60% of the dialogue, the 40% that I can understand is undoubtebly fantastic storytelling. The hosts spiral in and out of the big and small picture, and their interview subjects are always relatable and interesting. I have yet to find a dull or tedious episode. Some episodes are available translated into English, so I suggest that even Spanish speakers who have a listening comprehension level lower than ★★★★✩ Tough Cookie try out the podcast.
Difficulty Rating
★★★★✩ Tough Cookie
See our "About" page for an overview of our difficulty ratings!
This one is for all of you Spanish efficionados out there! Personally, the show is too difficult for me, mostly because the dialogue is extremely fast, not because of any detectable accents. Those who have studied or lived in a Spanish speaking country for a short period of time (3-4 months) should be able to follow the show, and those who have studied Spanish intensively for over three years may also be able to follow along. There is no way to lessen the difficulty of the podcast (although some episodes are available in translation), however I still listen to the show in hopes of improving my Spanish comprehension skills and suggest that my fellow Intermediate listeners do the same. Exposure to complicated Spanish dialogue and native speakers will greatly strengthen your comprehension skills - even if you aren't aware of it.
Download Radio Ambulante on your favorite podcatcher!