So I'm curious: How was attendance today at your chapel, the first Sunday after everything that happened last week? And what was the mood like?
Obviously compared to a normal holiday weekend in the US/Canada and a normal summer weekend in Europe/other places.
My guess would be 90%+ of the before days (losing a few fence-sitters), but I am curious how it played out for everybody.
TLDR: El Abierto de Hoy por Hoy [SER podcasts]
So if you're at all like me, looking over what's required in the DELE C1 test to plan what to study (I don't need the test but want to feel like I can do what's in it) those spoken parts in Prueba 4 are tough--in large part because it's really hard to find native examples of similar materials to use as a resource and guide--it's set up more like a high school debate class than any sort of typical media.
When you do find an "interview show" in Spanish, they tend to have more informal language and everyday topics, rather than the formal language and academic topics on the C1 exam, so I found myself really struggling to put together the right words in the right tone. Even Sastre and Maldonado that I recommended here a few weeks ago seems too informal for the DELE task.
But, by the same SER Podcast Group, I just found "El Abierto de Hoy por Hoy". It's free on Youtube and all the usual places with the ability to turn on closed captions. In their own words: Aprende a saber valorar la información y a desarrollar un juicio crítico gracias a Antón Losada, Mariola Urrea, Eduardo Madina o José María Lasalle, entre otros. La reflexión y la crítica a cargo de los mejores analistas. And they cover the academic-style economics, politics, technology, and social issues that the test covers. They speak very clearly (think NPR but Spanish) and the program has good audio.
I haven't found a better source yet for a model for academic-formal speaking and debate, and I highly recommend it! (Be sure to turn off auto-translate to avoid the AI voice in English on Youtube.)
So when people talk about getting listening practice here, the talented guys at Cotorrisa and at Leyendas Legendarias keep popping up on lists of advanced podcasts (i.e. those designed for native Spanish speakers, but good for learners).
And they are good--though often a bit foul-mouthed and crude for some people, they are well-put together interesting podcasts with good audio quality that are great at teaching you central and northern Mexican slang.
But sometimes you might want something more "proper", both in family-friendly content but also correct grammar, minimal slang, and more diverse topics. To be fair, you don't want to talk to people on the street the way those guys talk to each other.
I just discovered "Sastre and Maldonado". Basically picture two younger college professors chatting over a coffee. One of them is a writer and the other is a humorist. They talk about a lot of different things related to language, current events, movies, growing up, etc...and it's all in a really neutral "correct" Spanish, with great audio quality.
They are from Spain, but they know a large part of their audience is Latin American and they speak in a very clear and neutral accent, with very little slang. Other than distinción (th) and vosotros it's not far from a neutral Latin American accent and dialect, so I'd recommend it even if you are focusing on Mexican or Cuban Spanish--it won't lead you astray. And if you are looking to break into understanding the Spain accent, it's good for that a stepping stool, too.
They're on Youtube and Spotify and probably every other podcast platform, and they won a Premios Ondas Globales award in 2025. You should check them out! On Youtube, you can turn on closed-captioning in Spanish to read along, or auto-translate captions to English if you're at more of an Intermediate level.
I've found them to be interesting, and I hope you do too!