Skip to content
Opens in a new window
221 - Firsts with Elise
24 September 2026

221 - Firsts with Elise

American English Podcast

About
Have you ever noticed how many of your best stories begin with, “The first time I…”?

In today’s episode, I’m joined by my friend Elise to talk all about firsts—first jobs, first driving experiences, first adventures, and those moments when you try something completely new and have no idea what to expect.

Elise has had a particularly interesting path. She went to culinary school in France, worked in restaurants, moved to Hawaii to work on a coffee farm, and picked up plenty of funny and memorable stories along the way. We’ll talk about everything from her first paycheck and failing her first driving test to swimming in the Pacific Ocean and the moment she first realized, “Oh… this is what it feels like to be an adult.”

This episode is also a great opportunity to practice talking about your own first experiences in English, and to naturally use the past perfect to describe what you had or hadn’t done before those moments.

I hope you enjoy getting to know Elise and thinking back on some of your own memorable firsts!

⭐ Check out Elise's business: The French Needle

⭐ Start improving your English today! Learn more about the Academy.

⭐ Take part in our Free 14-Day English Slang and Expression Challenge.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices