Show summary
This week we cover a mishmash of topics ranging from the slow death of bilingualism in Canada to discovering the secret recipe of Jasmin’s special breakfast. Also, did you know that marshmallows were eaten by ancient Egyptians to sooth sore throats, and that there are some countries where divorce is still illegal? Open up another tin of your favourite Surströmming and get ready to learn something new.

Show notes
- “As a kid, I always thought it would be impossible for me to learn another language”

- “This is verb conjugation... memorize it, and you can speak French!”

- Bilingualism in Canada is dying... Those who learn French in schools can’t actually speak it

- Learning languages in German schools vs. in Canadian schools

- Bilingual kindergartens in Germany

- “Remember, remember the fifth of November...” (Listen to a reading of the poem)

- “That’s what the Anonymous mask is based on” (V for Vendetta the film)

- Most Europeans think you can speak French if you’re from Canada

- “Force feeding yourself French vocabulary” (Great website for learning vocabulary for almost any language)

- Tips on how to improve the teaching of French in Canadian schools

- Throwback to episode 4 (Practising French with a chatbot)

- How was it to learn German?

- Overcoming my biggest language barrier... me

- Learning German slang... “It’s sausage!”

- The advantages of Romance language roommates (Romance languages)

- One of the last countries in the world that might legalize divorce: Philippines (YouTube link)

- Who initiates divorce more often, men or women? (Research article)

- The big five personality traits in psychology (Wikipedia article)

- Some personality traits may influence who initiates divorce first (Research article)

- Is it a good idea to marry your best friend?

- Jasmin’s special breakfast

- Be satiated... when you eat more fat, you tend to eat fewer carbohydrates, sugars, etc.

- Alternatives to yogurt: Skyr and Kefir (Corrections: Skyr is not fermented and Kefir is not traditionally Icelandic or Mongolian. It originates from the Caucasus region. Kumis is similar to Kefir, but originates from the Central Asian steppes.)

- Fermented Baltic herring from Sweden (Surströmming) is claimed to be the smelliest food in the world (Watch people trying to eat Surströmming)

- Probably the unhealthiest breakfast in the world: Pop-Tarts

- People have been eating marshmallows for thousands of years; the original marshmallows came from a mallow plant found in marshes (Clip from SciShow about the origins of marshmallows 2:25 to 4:38)

- Kids in South Carolina being sent to “simulated” jail (YouTube link)

- Statistics about growing up in a single-parent home

- What is a telomere?

- Children become biologically stressed when they lose their father (Research article)