This is an All Ears English podcast episode 2280.
Where were you when?
How to connect over historical events in English.
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Where were you when the pandemic hit?
In today's episode, learn a common question that native speakers use in conversation and speeches to connect with people who have witnessed the same historical events.
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Hey, Michelle, how are you today?
Good, Lindsay, how are you?
Well, good, I'm excited for this topic today.
I have an important question to ask you.
Are you ready? Yes.
All right, so Michelle, do you remember where you were when Barack Obama was elected President of the United States?
Mm, good question. I remember, yes.
I was at a watch party.
I was in London, actually.
That's when I was studying abroad in London.
And so there was this huge watch party and people were watching the results come through and celebrating and it was really fun.
And I remember then the next day talking to, because I had an internship there and I still remember talking to the guy who worked at the door and he was so excited and it was like a little party, just a good feeling all around.
Do you remember where you were?
Yeah, it was in New York and I think I had, it must have been really late for you in London because I feel like in New York it was late, it was like 10 or 11, maybe midnight.
I don't know, it must have been - Yes, it was a late night party.
Wow, really late night, okay, all right.
I think I was back home so I think I had been at a bar watching with friends and then I think I came home and by the time they actually announced that he had won, I remember being in my room in my New York apartment but the key is we remember exactly where - That was a huge, and I remember crying and I
think you cried too and it's like just feeling very emotional.
I imagine you cried, I don't know.
Or just sort of got emotional.
I don't know if I cried but I was very, very excited.
Very excited. I can't remember if I cried or not but that's one thing I don't remember.
I guess we all just kind of intuitively knew this is a big step forward and the whole world knew it and so when I think, like I'll never forget where I was, right, and it doesn't matter whether you're just on the subway or it doesn't have to be some fancy place.
We remember where we were when important events happened and it's not like it's relevant to the world where we were.
That's why I always kind of find this expression a little strange because it's like, it doesn't really matter where you were but it does matter for you in your life.
So it comes up a lot.
Yeah, because it evokes this feeling of that event and you can probably count these events.
There aren't that many, I think, that stick with you forever about where you were when but I think that this is good because it's a, first of all, it's a very common conversation topic.
This does come up and it is a great connection skill to be able to share this because then other stories can come out of it.
You know, I'm telling you about my experience in London so I was abroad when this happened.
And that can lead to lots of other things and it's just, I think people like talking about this because there's some place in your heart that it evokes some emotion whether it's a positive emotion, a negative emotion, whatever it is, it feels nice to get it out 100%.
And it's also, as you get to be older, it's kind of a portrait of life, right?
So these are the events of your life, right?
If I think about what mom would answer to this it would be when JFK was shot.
She remembers where she was.
Did we already get to that part in the notes because I wrote about that.
This is in our notes.
Okay, let's move into the episode.
No, no, no, no, no, but no, I was asking that.
No, no, no, I'm glad it came up naturally because I wasn't even looking at the notes because I was enjoying the conversation so much.
But yes, that's what my parents always talk about.
Oh, you know, exactly.
The JFK assassination, they still talk about where they were and when it came up.
Right, right, right.
So that was 11, 22, 63.
So when it came up, you know, and it was the 50 year anniversary remember, it was very meaningful to my parents.
Yeah, or even things a little like lower level.
I mean, assassinations, deaths are the big ones or elections, but things like scandals, like the Watergate scandal with Nixon.
I think our parents would probably say they remember where they were when they heard about it, but it's usually more precise moments when something happened, right?
Scandals can last for years or months in the news.
So it's more so about the moment of something extremely dramatic.
But yeah, it's a portrait of a life.
9 -11, well, okay, I think we're gonna get to these things.
Let's get into it, Michelle.
I want to make sure our listeners know that the way to take the next level with allers English, go to the next level is to listen with the app.
Michelle, we just launched some very new features in the app.
What are they? Well, this is really cool.
Well, number one, with the transcripts, you can listen along and you can slow down the episode to granular speeds, okay?
You can have it very, very granular.
So you can listen, you know, any speed that makes you feel comfortable, you can change it up, whatever it is, but this is a really exciting new feature.
And then also we have weekly recaps with a role play, right, Lindsay?
Yeah, we just started doing this and this is now in the premium feed for our listeners that are members in the app.
We now come in once a week and we recap all of the keywords that you learned in the app that week.
And we do a special role play that encapsulates the entire week.
Plus those are transcribed or captioned.
So really good stuff over in the app guys.
Go over to allengenglish .com slash app, become a premium member, do your seven day free trial.
See what it looks like.
See if you like it.
I think the most important feature there is those transcripts, right?
It's kind of awesome that you can see every word we say, human transcripts, tap on words, save them.
It's a very cool way to listen to the show, all right?
Yeah, good. Love it.
All right, so another thing is to head on over.
We did episode 2271.
That was happened to or happened with.
How to know the difference.
And I think, yeah, and that skill would probably tie in nicely into this skill, right?
Something happened to someone, right?
Something happened to someone.
I remember where I was when that happened to that person.
Right, exactly, exactly.
So it's in that one.
Okay, so the idea, as we were saying, is where were you when dot, dot, dot, right?
So again, we said it could be sad things, tragic things or happy things.
But of course, Lindsay, you already mentioned 9 -11.
That's a huge one. Lindsay, where were you on 9 -11?
9 -11, I was on my campus, which by the way, is very close to Washington, DC.
So a lot of parents, I mean, you grew up in that area, Michelle, so you know, a lot of parents of kids in my college worked in the Pentagon and worked in that area.
So there was a dead silence on my campus, just no one talking, and it gives me chills to even think about it now.
I remember walking into the campus center and then seeing on the monitors, watching the buildings and thinking, oh my God, what is happening?
So where were you, Michelle, when you heard about 9 -11, or when 9 -11 happened?
Yeah, I was in French class, and I remember they rolled a TV in, you know, remember it in the olden days when they used to have a TV.
I don't even know what they have now, but they rolled in the big TV.
And I remember there was an announcement on the loudspeaker and then they brought in the TV.
And I remember my French teacher said, oh, this is so sad when things like this happened.
It was after the first one was hit.
She said, it's so sad when accidents like this happened, when they thought it could be an accident.
Yeah, they didn't know.
Yeah, but also, yes, like you said, I grew up in the Washington, D .C.
area, so similar idea.
And I remember you could hear helicopters even outside of my school.
Yes, yeah, it's very dramatic for people that lived in New York or the New York area, Washington, D .C.
area. It's a very different story.
Out here in Colorado, people are not, you know what they're connected to out here?
Columbine, the Columbine shooting.
Oh, yeah. Because I know people that like went to that high school or the neighboring high schools, right?
You do. Yeah, and so that's what that's their big moment of growing up, 9 -11.
Yes, they understand the impact, but when you're not on the East Coast, it's not quite the same from what I understand.
The other thing that's kind of interesting about this structure and this conversation for connection is you can understand age gaps really well.
Right, like if you weren't sure how old someone is or how close in age you are to someone, just saying, hey, where were you when 9 -11 happened?
I was in college, you were probably in high school, Michelle Wright.
You know, you can really start to understand, put their lives in context, right?
It's kind of a way to get to know someone.
Yeah. Or if you don't know how old somebody is and you're really curious, ask them one of these questions.
And then you can start to make some guesses.
Yeah, they say you're not supposed to ask age, so this is one.
Yeah, exactly. Hey, hey, where were you?
Yeah. But another one, I don't know.
Do you remember where you were when Michael Jackson died?
That one, no, I don't.
That one is not quite as impactful for me for whatever reason.
I do remember the OJ Simpson chase.
And I think that's one that people, even though that's not a big moment where someone was assassinated or died, I think we also had the TVs on, I was in middle school.
And I think a lot of people my age remember that chase through LA.
OJ Simpson in the white Bronco.
You'll never forget it.
Yeah, I mean, sorry, I'm clearing my voice.
Yes, so I remember with Michael Jackson, I remember I had, it was right before, no, it was right after I graduated college.
And I had a fellowship in Washington, D .C.
And I took the train in with my friend and we were on the way back.
And I remember, I guess I got signal on my phone and it popped up.
And my friend was like, you look like you just saw a ghost.
And I told her what happened.
And I said, why isn't everybody?
I said, do you, I remember, I still remember.
I said, do you think I should tell everybody?
Do you think anybody knows yet?
And then you can start to see people realize.
Yeah, I mean, it's different the way we learned about these things now because of technology.
Everyone is so dialed in to tag that you know, you might get an alert, something might pop up on your phone.
All of a sudden, everyone's looking at their phone.
So it actually is really interesting.
It might be a very different moment now.
And there will be moments in the future, the way we consume these moments, right?
Because heads down as opposed to heads up looking at a TV screen or actually talking to someone, that's a whole other line of conversation and connection, right, that we could get into at least.
This is a great episode.
I'm loving this episode.
Yeah. Good. Well, but you could also use it not to talk about big historical events.
You can also use it to talk about more personal things.
Maybe where you were when you found out a child in your family was born.
Where were you when you got the call that you got the job that changed your life?
When you got your college acceptance later, whatever it is.
Do you have any of these moments in your life, Lindsay, that stand out?
Oh, sure. I mean, you know, like proposing marriage to your partner.
These are the big moments of life, right?
But I think it's good on a personal level, but I like the previous context because everyone experienced these moments like 9 -11 in one way or the other.
And that's what brings us together kind of sharing.
I would warn though a little bit, like not to go on too, too long about where you were and what you were doing when 9 -11 happened or other of any events, JFK, whatever it was.
Because it is a little, it's emotional, but it's also like, it's exciting to you.
Those details, right?
Right, right, right, right.
In the broad context of who you're connecting with.
A little detail is good, not too much, I think, yeah.
Although I will say that as far as personal life goes, it could be a connection topic if it's something that you know the other person has been through as well.
So for example, like if I said, do you remember where you were when you got your acceptance to college?
And then I could share my story, things like that.
So you could, but I do agree with you that these things are not necessarily as interesting to other people as they are to you.
Like, I remember my story, but if I were to tell it to you right now about college, you'd say, oh, okay, and here's mine.
But at the same time, these still are connection skills and they lead to the next thing.
Yeah, or maybe when you find out you're pregnant or something like that, if someone else has been pregnant, kind of a cool moment to share that story.
I think when you bring it up on the personal level for your personal life events, I think as long as you know, the person has gone through that same thing.
That might be the key there, right?
Right, right. Yeah, so yeah, you don't wanna say, do you remember where you were when you proposed or something and the person is single?
You know? Of course.
Or like, when you found out you're pregnant if they don't have a kid or something like that.
Yeah, exactly. Yeah, you don't wanna.
Yeah. These are connection skills.
But I think it's so important.
That won't quite land, that's not gonna land.
It won't land, that's reference to another episode, but this is extremely common.
And you'll hear this not just in conversations, you know, where were you when, or do you remember where you were when?
You hear it at the top of TED Talks, for example, right?
Speeches, professors in classes.
So it's not just a one -to -one thing.
It could be a speech you might consume, even in a movie, right, so it goes beyond just the one -to -one conversation.
Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
So let's talk about how you can use these things in a conversation.
So what are some phrases you can use?
So we're gonna go over asking and we're gonna go over sharing.
So for asking, you would say, we've already been talking about this, where were you when?
So where were you when you heard that Trump won the election?
Could be something you ask.
Right, and yeah, that's another moment that people remember.
Depending on your political orientation, for better or for worse, I mean, I definitely remember where I was because we were all very dumbfounded.
I mean, we were like, what?
I mean, the polls, from what I understand there was like one poll that predicted the LA Times was really predicting this trend, this event.
Everyone else was sure that Hillary Clinton was gonna take it.
I mean, people were absolutely shocked.
And yeah, I remember sitting in my living room and feeling what just happened.
I was like, wow. I was at the beer garden next to my apartment.
And yep, I was sitting connecting with people.
I was with Dan, but it was everybody was in shock and we were just kind of talking and that was a wild time.
So that one I'll never forget.
Yeah, we could do another episode, another day about how to describe being shocked.
Guys hit the follow button to get that one.
Or here's another way to say it, Michelle, do you remember what you were doing when Whitney Houston died, when they announced that Whitney Houston died?
Oh, so sad. Yeah, yeah.
Do you? Do you remember?
Oh, I'm sorry, I was waiting for the clap.
Oh, you're actually.
I remember I was in Maryland.
I think I was on the couch.
I remember that and they were gonna have the Grammys right after that.
So I do remember. What about you?
I don't actually remember, but that's very impactful, of course, but for some reason at this moment, I don't remember where I was.
You know, sometimes certain moments you remember and you're not sure why and others you don't.
It's interesting, so.
All right. Okay, Michelle, we are getting deep into the episode here.
I think we should skip ahead to the role play.
That's what I think too.
I was gonna say the same thing.
Okay, well, this shows you.
This is a really rich episode with a lot going on and a lot we can use to talk about.
It's a real connection opportunity for our listeners here.
Yeah, it really is.
Maybe we'll come back to this topic one day and do the other side of sharing it, but we can give you some examples here too.
So in this role play, we are talking about high school.
We are friends reminiscing about high school.
All right, here we go.
So we're taking it to the personal level, the community level now.
So here we go. Do you remember what you were doing when the principal announced Ms.
G was having a baby?
Oh man, yes. I remember it like it was yesterday.
I was in class and the announcement came over the loudspeaker.
Everyone started cheering and the teacher gave us candy.
Same. Also, I can still remember the day when I found out Tricia was moving.
Same, it was so sad, I cried.
Me too. All right, so first we started off with, do you remember what you were doing when?
Kind of wordy, but that is one of the constructions that you can use guys to open this up.
All right, yeah. And then just for fun, I said, I remember it like it was yesterday, which is a good expression to use to talk about something that feels so close to you, even though it's so far away.
That is a good one.
Yeah, I remember it like it was yesterday.
And then I said same.
Also, I can still remember the day when I found out Tricia was moving.
And this is now connecting it to today.
That memory is burned in your brain.
It's very strong, right?
Yeah. And I want to point out that this is, yes, this is the more community based one, but in a way because here we obviously went to the same high school, we had the same community.
So we can all relate in this way.
So it's similar to a big historical event just in a smaller pond.
Yeah, for sure. So you can kind of choose the topic depending on who you're around.
I mean, when I get together with my best friend from high school, we go back to these.
I'll ask you these questions.
You remember when this happened, right?
But when I want to go to a party that I know is a very international party, right?
Where people are from all over the world, I would ask a more global question.
Where were you? 9 -11 is kind of a global question, right?
The things that bring us together as global citizens.
So you obviously you choose the context that makes sense, right?
Yes. Choose your own adventure.
Yep. Good stuff. Michelle, well, thanks for bringing this topic.
It's been really good today.
And I hope our listeners take this out into the world and connect.
All right, awesome.
Thanks, Lindsay. Bye guys.
All right, take care.
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