During my commute, I've been listening to this podcast called "News in Slow Spanish." (I think they also have News in Slow French.) They speak Spanish about half the normal speed, so it's much easier to understand if you're less-than-fluent. There are two people talking and after each news segment they have a conversation about it. In the second half of the podcast, they also have sections on grammar ("una sección fascinante y estimulante!"), common phrases, and myths and legends from Latin America.
I learned that "abeja" means "bee." I was so confused because they joked that a spelling bee winner had "worked hard like a little [abeja]" and went on to say other things about "abejas" but I thought they said "oveja" which means sheep. I kept listening to that part, trying to understand it. Now I know: abeja, oveja. Not the same.
There was also an interesting story on the myths and legends part called "La Sagrada Hoja de Coca" (the sacred coca leaf). The Sun God couldn't stop a tribe in the Andes from getting invaded by the Spanish conquistadors, but he did give them the gift of the coca leaf to alleviate their pain and give them peace. It was a gift that the conquistadors could not take away because it would have the opposite effect on them.
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