Hey there! This is TOP episode 345. Learn English Through Stories. The Secret of Staying Young at 97
**You read English. You understand English. You’ve been learning for years, but when it’s time to speak your mind just freezes, and the words don’t come out. If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. My name’s Ola, and this is Teacher Ola Podcast. I’m here to help you finally speak out loud. This isn’t about perfect grammar or fancy vocabulary. This is about your voice. Your words. Your real English.
**Today, I want to share a story with you that has stayed with me for years. It’s a story about a woman I meet every summer in Sobieszewo, a small island near Gdańsk. Her name is Maria, and this year she turned 97. But this story is about staying open to people, new experiences, and the world around you. It’s about the idea that learning and discovering new things can happen at any age.
And actually, this is exactly why I love teaching English through stories.
When you learn English through stories, you don’t just learn a phrase, you connect it with a picture, a feeling. And that’s what makes it stay with you. So today, relax, listen to this story, and maybe ask yourself: What keeps me young? What keeps me curious?
**By the way, if you enjoy learning English through real-life examples, I also want to invite you to watch the replay of my lesson about phrasal verbs. We had this lesson live some time ago, but if you couldn’t join us, you can still watch the replay. It’s available until 6th August.
To watch it, simply go to: teacherola.com/chill.
And one more thing — enrolment for my Say It Out Loud course is now open. If you’ve been learning English for years but you still feel that speaking doesn’t come naturally, this course might be exactly what you need. Because Say It Out Loud is about speaking more confidently. Building the habit of expressing yourself.
If you’re not sure whether this course is right for you, you can check it out and fill in the application form. The form will also help you check your level and see whether this is the right moment for you to join. You can find everything here: teacherola.com/test.
And now, let’s get back to today’s story The Secret of Staying Young at 97.
**Every summer, I find my way back to Sobieszewo, a small island near Gdańsk. I’ve been there six times so far. Sometimes there are longer breaks between visits, but somehow this place keeps pulling me back.
For my son, Sobieszewo is a piece of his childhood. Those summers by the sea, walking through the forest to the beach, the familiar house, the same faces every year, these are the kind of memories that stay with you.
We always stay at Mrs Teresa’s place. She used to rent out rooms to holidaymakers, and over the years we started recognising many of the guests. Not because we knew them personally, but because they kept coming back. They were familiar faces. The kind of people you see year after year and think, “Oh, they’re here again.”
**A couple of years ago, Mrs Teresa changed the rules. She closed her guest rooms to new people and decided she would only welcome those she already knew. The people she calls friends. Basically, if you have her phone number, you can come.
And every summer, one question comes up. “Has Mrs Maria arrived yet?” I always ask it with a little bit of anxiety. Because, let’s be honest, every year I wonder if this will be the year when she doesn’t come.
But the answer is always: “Yes, of course she’s coming.”
I first noticed her years ago. She would arrive with her son and her granddaughter. During the day, they walk to the beach, about one and a half kilometres through the forest. It’s not a difficult walk, but it’s not nothing either. And Mrs Maria would do it every day. Then they spend hours by the sea. In the evening, they sit together and play Rummikub.
Mrs Maria used to be a civil engineer. Today, she is retired of course. This year, she turned 97. But if you meet her, her age is probably the last thing you notice. What you notice first is her energy.
She talks to everyone. She is curious about people. She jokes. She laughs. A few years ago, she even had this funny conversation with Mrs Teresa about locking the gate at night. “Do you close the gate in the evening?” she asked. “No, we don’t,” Mrs Teresa replied.
“Well, that’s good,” Mrs Maria said, “because we’re going to Gdańsk. There’s the St Dominic’s Fair. Who knows, maybe we’ll stay longer and come back only in the morning.” That’s Mrs Maria.
A 97-year-old woman making jokes about coming home at dawn after a night out in Gdańsk. And somehow, nobody finds it strange. Because that’s just who she is. She still wants to go places. She still wants to see things. She still wants to meet people. She doesn’t act like someone who is “too old” for things.
**My parents started visiting Sobieszewo too, and they immediately understood why everyone likes Mrs Maria. She has this rare quality, she makes people feel good around her. She is warm. She is open. Of course, she doesn’t have the strength of a younger person anymore. She moves slower. She has different limits. But there is something much stronger than physical strength. Her attitude. The thing that keeps her going is her ability to enjoy life. To be interested in people. To say yes to new experiences.
**Mrs Maria is one of those people who teach you something without trying to teach you anything. She reminds me that staying young has very little to do with your birth date.
You can be 97 and still be curious.
You can be 97 and still laugh.
You can be 97 and still look forward to your next summer by the sea.
For me, the story of Mrs Maria has become one of my warmest memories from Sobieszewo.
Every year, she reminds me: Life doesn’t stop when you get older.
And as long as you stay open to people, places, and little adventures, there is still a lot waiting for you.
I’ll leave you with this story today, and I invite you to repeat the sentences out loud.
So it’s time for you to practice speaking. Listen and repeat out loud these ten sentences:
Every summer, I find my way back to Sobieszewo.
Somehow, this place keeps pulling me back.
These are the kind of memories that stay with you.
Over the years, we started recognising many of the guests.
Every year, I wonder if this will be the year when she doesn’t come.
If you meet her, her age is probably the last thing you notice.
She talks to everyone. She is curious about people.
She still wants to see things and meet new people.
She makes people feel good around her.
She reminds me that staying young has very little to do with your age.
**And before you go, I want to invite you to two things.
First of all, if you missed my live class about phrasal verbs, you can still watch the replay of Chill Out. The replay is available until 6th August, so make sure you watch it before it disappears. You can find it at: teacherola.com/chill
And if you feel that you know a lot of English, but speaking still doesn’t come as easily as you’d like, I’d love to invite you to check out my course Say It Out Loud. If you’re curious whether this course is the right next step for you, go to: teacherola.com/test
Fill in the application form, check your level, and see if Say It Out Loud is a good fit for you.
And now, it’s time to say goodbye. Thank you so much for listening. Stay fearless, take care, and say it out loud. I love you, I believe in you, and I know you are ready to speak English. I’m your teacher, Teacher Ola, and you’ve been listening to Teacher Ola Podcast. Bye for now.