Language & Travel Hacking

In this episode, I want to share a tip you might not have considered for language learning: your operating system. On phones, I’ve gone from iOS to Android, and Android wins hands down because it supports far more languages, including underrepresented ones like Irish and Esperanto. Simply changing your phone’s interface gives you daily exposure in a very natural way, and that small but constant immersion adds up. For computers, I’ve completely switched to Linux, and I can’t recommend it enough. It used to feel intimidating, but with AI help I got everything set up in a weekend. Now I have a smooth, beautiful system that supports any language you can imagine, and I can even set different apps in different languages. On top of that, Linux pairs perfectly with free, open source alternatives to expensive software, which keeps me flexible and travel-ready. If you’ve never thought of your OS as part of your language learning toolkit, it’s worth giving it a try. If you need one-on-one language guidance, schedule a consultation session with Benny at languagehacking.com/chat. And don’t forget to check out the Fluent in 3 Months Bootcamp here! Or you can follow me on all Social Media channels: Instagram: @irishpolyglot Thread: @irishpolyglot TikTok: @irishpolyglot

Over the past month, I reached my 44th state, Colorado, which I’d been looking forward to visiting for a long time. I gave myself a whole month there to truly experience it—running races, hiking in the mountains, exploring towns like Boulder and Denver, and meeting many wonderful people, including opportunities to practice my American Sign Language. Now, I’m ready for the next stage of my US states project. I’ll fly to Chicago, not a new state for me since I lived there years ago while learning Klingon for a Star Trek convention, but it’s the perfect hub to start this leg of the trip. From there, I’ll drive to Iowa, my 45th state, to explore Des Moines and the bridges of Madison County, then head to Minnesota (state 46) to spend a week in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. After that, I’ll continue to Wisconsin, my 47th state, where I’ll spend over a month. I’ll start in Milwaukee, then settle into Madison, a city I’ve heard is walkable and perfect for my European-style preferences. By the time I finish Wisconsin, I’ll only have one state left in the contiguous US Michigan which I’ll visit before returning my rental car to Chicago in October. Along the way, I’m prioritizing meeting people, practicing languages, and especially improving my ASL by connecting with deaf communities. This next month will be all about deep experiences in these four new states before the big finale of my 48-state journey. If you need one-on-one language guidance, schedule a consultation session with Benny at languagehacking.com/chat. And don’t forget to check out the Fluent in 3 Months Bootcamp here! Or you can follow me on all Social Media channels: Instagram: @irishpolyglot Thread: @irishpolyglot TikTok: @irishpolyglot

In this episode, I talk about something that keeps coming up in my own projects: the trap of comparing yourself to others. When I first started learning Spanish, I’d constantly compare myself to other learners and beat myself up over not being as good. That kind of mindset really messed with my confidence. And now, even after all these years of language learning, I’ve found myself doing the same thing—but this time with running. I’ve been training for a bunch of half marathons, and every time I open up Strava, I see people running faster, longer, and more consistently. It’s easy to start feeling like a failure all over again. But what I’ve learned—both with languages and now with running—is that comparison is a losing game. Everyone has a different starting point, different challenges, and different goals. You can’t compare apples to oranges. Instead, I’ve found it way more productive to focus on my own progress. Whether I’m improving my pace with running or reaching the next level in a language, the goal is just to be a little better than I was yesterday. I share how I’ve learned to let go of perfectionism and stop chasing the impossible standard of being the “best.” The truth is, no matter how far you go, there will always be someone ahead of you. But that doesn’t mean you’re not doing great. If you stay consistent, you will see improvement—and that’s what really counts. So whatever project you’re working on, whether it’s language learning or something totally different, I hope this episode gives you a bit of encouragement to focus on your own journey and feel proud of how far you’ve come. If you need one-on-one language guidance, schedule a consultation session with Benny at languagehacking.com/chat. And don’t forget to check out the Fluent in 3 Months Bootcamp here! Or you can follow me on all Social Media channels: Instagram: @irishpolyglot Thread: @irishpolyglot TikTok: @irishpolyglot

In this episode of the Language and Travel Hacking Podcast, I share how I find meetups and make meaningful friendships while traveling solo. Back when I started my nomadic journey over 22 years ago, it was surprisingly easy—I relied on just a few websites like Couchsurfing and Meetup, and that was enough to connect with interesting people wherever I went. Nowadays, things are more complicated. Oversaturation and generic events make it harder to find truly like-minded people. I still go to general meetups, but I focus on connecting with a few individuals and asking them about local resources—like WhatsApp groups, niche websites, or interest-based communities that aren’t easily found online. My current strategy involves using meetups as a gateway to discover more private or targeted groups. For example, in Bali I found a great language exchange through a platform called Nomio—something I wouldn’t have discovered without asking around. I also lean on tools like AI for deeper research when Google and Facebook Events don’t cut it. Recently in Denver, AI helped me find an ASL meetup I’d never have found otherwise. There’s no one-size-fits-all tool anymore, but if you show up, ask questions, and stay open, you’ll uncover great communities and build genuine friendships wherever you are. If you need one-on-one language guidance, schedule a consultation session with Benny at languagehacking.com/chat. And don’t forget to check out the Fluent in 3 Months Bootcamp here! Or you can follow me on all Social Media channels: Instagram: @irishpolyglot Thread: @irishpolyglot TikTok: @irishpolyglot