Jesse: Welcome back to Coffee with Gringos brought to you by Dynamic English. My name is Jesse Andrews Maxwell, and I'm your host today. And I'm joined today by my very good friend, Diego Lorca. So, Diego, thank you for being here.
Diego: Glad to be here. Excited.
Jesse: Excellent. So, as I said before, Diego and I go way back. We're pretty good friends most of the time. But Diego, for our listeners and our viewers. Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Diego: Well, I'm 40 years old and I'm born and raised here in Chile. And I have been, I have a degree in music and, well.
Jesse: Yeah. Now, you got that degree in music by studying in the Netherlands.
Diego: Well, I did study here first. I went to Universidad Catolica, I studied here, and then I went to perfect myself in the Netherlands. And I lived there for a bit more than six years.
Jesse: Okay, so in that six years, what would you say was probably your favorite thing about living in the Netherlands?
Diego: I think biking everywhere was the highlight, I guess. Biking everywhere was really nice. All the distances are really short.
Jesse: Well, the Netherlands is known for being a pretty small country, so.
Diego: Very flat.
Jesse: Right. I think, isn't it true that per capita, there's one more than one bike for every person?
Diego: Oh, definitely, yeah. But not all the bikes are being used up there. There's a lot of people that use, that have two bikes, own two bikes, and there's a lot of bikes that are thrown into the canal by drunk people.
Jesse: I've also noticed that. I remember visiting the Netherlands and I remember leaving a train station and there's a parking garage outside the train station, but it's not a parking garage for automobiles. It was a parking garage for bicycles.
Diego: Oh, definitely. There's a lot of people that don't live in Amsterdam. They live in other cities, and they have a bike in their, in the city where they live in, and they have another bike in Amsterdam to move when they have to work.
Jesse: Interesting. Yeah. Lots and lots of bikes. Now, back on the Netherlands, what would you say, if biking was your favorite thing, what would you say was your least favorite thing about living there?
Diego: Dutch food wasn't my, it wasn't very, wasn't one of my things that, wasn’t one of the things I liked. The Dutch cuisine is not very known to people. It's very ugly.
Jesse: Okay. No, but flavor wise, is it spicy? Is it bland?
Diego: It's very bland. There's nothing special about it now.
Jesse: Because oftentimes, Chilean food is considered to be very bland.
Diego: So, imagine my surprise when I got there and found that very bland.
Jesse: Okay. So if we had to compare the two, you think that the Netherlands food is blander than Chilean?
Diego: Definitely. I actually took a cooking book, Chilean cooking book to the Netherlands, and the food was much better.
Jesse: Interesting. Okay. Because I, apparently, was under the impression that Chile had some of the blandest food.
Diego: There's a fight between the two countries.
Jesse: Oh, okay.
Diego: It's a feud.
Jesse: And the wintertime in Holland, were you not just freezing cold every winter?
Diego: Well, it's winter the whole year.
Jesse: Okay.
Diego: So it rains the whole year. So that's one of the things I, other things that I didn't like. You could live with the rain and the wind. But yeah, during the winter time, the real winter time, it's really, really cold. The canals froze, which was also very pretty at the same time.
Jesse: Right. But whenever those canals freeze, there are people who put on ice skates and travel, correct?
Diego: They use it more for fun and for means of, uh, means of moving themselves, means of transportation.
Jesse: So you don't see a lawyer in his business suit, just ice skating down the canal because he's running late for work?
Diego: No.
Jesse: Okay. Now, in that six years, I know personally, but you learned Dutch, you speak fluent Dutch.
Diego: I do speak Dutch, yes.
Jesse: Okay. So we've got Spanish, English and Dutch.
Diego: Correct.
Jesse: Any other languages?
Diego: No, no. I can understand a lot of French. But I cannot speak it.
Jesse: Okay. And that's from your time with, working with Air France?
Diego: That's, uh. Yeah, I did learn some French in school, and when I was working in Air France, I had a lot of French passengers. So, yeah, you kind of pick up some words here and there and some phrases and you start understanding. Also, French is a romance language, so is Spanish, so it is easier for us to actually learn it.
Jesse: Yeah, I think the only French expression that I really know is like *speaks in French*, which basically means go fuck yourself. So yeah. Now, okay. So. So you're trilingual, we would say. We're going to come back to that Dutch because I'm going to make you speak some Dutch a little later. But I wanted to circle back around music. What instruments do you play?
Diego: Well, I studied recorder and harpsichord.
Jesse: Okay. So I mean, for our viewers and listeners who maybe have never heard of that word harpsichord.
Diego: Well, the harpsichord, it's a keyboard instrument that came before the piano. In the piano, the strings are hammered in the harpsichord, the key, the strings are plucked. So the sound is different.
Jesse: I see. But the keyboard part is basically the same as a piano.
Diego: Well, it looks, it looks the same.
Jesse: It has the same amount of keys.
Diego: No, the keyboard is shorter. The white keys in the piano are black. And the harpsichord and the well, the colors are reversed basically.
Jesse: I see. So, knowing how to play the harpsichord does not necessarily mean you know how to play the piano.
Diego: No, you can’t. As a musician in France said once, I can lie in the piano, but I cannot play it.
Jesse: I see. I like that expression, I can lie. And we normally say “Fake it until you make it.” Yeah. So, with your music experience, I would ask, do you have a favorite composer?
Diego: Well, it's difficult to actually pick one. There's so many composers that you can listen music from. Well, the first one that comes to mind is Bach, one of my favorite composers, and another one is Monteverdi, both from the Baroque era, which is where the harpsichord and the recorder are mostly played.
Jesse: Okay. So, we discussed that you work in the travel industry. So, your degree in music is basically just not being used.
Diego: Oh, yeah, I framed it. I put it in the toilet. Really useful there.
Jesse: Just a nice decorative piece of paper that you spent years and years to acquire this title and then. Okay, nice. So I know you work in the travel industry, but speaking of the travel industry, how, I know that the pandemic definitely affected your industry, but how would you say that the travel industry is now, post-pandemic?
Diego: It did affect us. It was really complicated for people that work there. It turned out to be really boring at some point and there were basically no sales. Right now, it sort of picked up where it left off. So, there's a lot of work, but right now it's much more of a challenge because since the prices of the airlines have risen so bad.
Jesse: So much, uff.
Diego: It is a challenge to actually find a nice airfare for anyone that wants to travel.
Jesse: Yeah, this is true.
Diego: But also, there were a lot of people that were laid off during the pandemic. So, right now I have this challenge of finding good airfares and I'm doing it all by myself because I have, we haven't been, we haven't fully recovered from the pandemic yet.
Jesse: I see. Yeah, that's probably the biggest reason why I haven't traveled recently is because it's just too damn expensive.
Diego: Well, you haven't asked me.
Jesse: All right, maybe that's the reason. Maybe I need to call up the friendly, friendly friend and get some plane tickets booked. So, speaking of travel, though, I know you've traveled to a lot of different places. Of all the places you've traveled, what would you say is your favorite?
Diego: Well, I have to say the Netherlands. It actually feels like home there. I do know the language and how to move there. And it weirdly feels like vacation at home every time I'm there.
Jesse: Okay. Yeah, that's nice. And I mean, I've been there. I've never been there with you, but I have been there. All right. I'm going to ask you just a few more questions, a little off topic. But, Diego, if you go to jail, what crime did you commit?
Diego: Oh, murder.
Jesse: Murder. Okay. So you hear that, folks, if I end up missing this, this is going to be your guy to go to.
Diego: No, you're my accomplice.
Jesse: Oh, okay. Excellent. So, you hear that? Now I have to help hide bodies. Okay, so let's see, if I gave you $1,000,000 right now. What's the first thing you're going to do with that money?
Diego: Oh, pay debts.
Jesse: Okay. Pay debt. Do you have over $1,000,000 in debt?
Diego: No, but that would be the first thing that I do with that.
Jesse: Okay. That's a smart move. Yeah. Pay debt. I'm fortunate, I don't have any debt. So that is a good thing. If you could, I know you work in the travel industry and you’re music major, but if you could have any job, what would your dream job be?
Diego: I don't know. Something in Hollywood I guess.
Jesse: Okay, but something working like as a cameraman or behind the scenes, director, producer, cinematographer?
Diego: I think I would be like a Psychology to the Stars.
Jesse: Oh, interesting. A psychologist to the stars. Yeah, I'm sure that they would keep you busy. Absolutely. I think celebrities and actors, artists in general are some of the most fragile people that you will ever, ever encounter. So speaking of actors and artists, is there an actor or an artist that everyone loves that you can't stand?
Diego: James Corden.
Jesse: Okay, interesting. James Corden I actually like him.
Diego: Maybe good for you.
Jesse: He's not for everyone, I guess. Back to music. I'm curious to know what is the best concert that you have ever been to?
Diego: The best concert I've ever been to was just before the pandemic started.
Jesse: Okay.
Diego: It was early music concert in Teatro del Lago, in Frutillar, where one of the best conductors for early music was presenting himself. He's a journalist gardener, and they did some early baroque music. Just unbelievable. Unbelievable. Definitely one of the best concerts. That's the first that comes to mind, actually.
Jesse: Okay. So we're talking classical music concerts, then. What is your favorite food?
Diego: Mashed potatoes.
Jesse: Mashed potatoes. And were mashed potatoes popular in the Netherlands?
Diego: Yeah, but not the way I like them.
Jesse: Not the way you like them. All right. So, I told you we were going to, we're going to come back. I'm going to ask, what is your favorite curse word in English?
Diego: I think it would have to be “Fuck.”
Jesse: Yeah, I would agree. I think fuck is probably the best curse word. What would your favorite sort of Chilean curse word be?
Diego: Concha su madre.
Jesse: Concha su madre, alright. And how would you say those two things, those two curse words in Dutch?
Diego: There's a sort of nice way to say them, *speaks in Dutch*.
Jesse: We don't want nice here.
Diego: And there's an ugly one that's when you say *speaks in Dutch*.
Jesse: Interesting. Alright. It sounds like a canker sore.
Diego: Yeah, but not that.
Jesse: No. Okay. Alright. Excellent. We're going to finish up here, Diego. But before we go, there's a game that we like to play called Rapid Fire Questions. And you are going to play the game called pick one.
Diego: Okay. All right.
Jesse: So we've put 30 seconds on the clock. You have to pick one preference. There are no passes and there are no skips. So strawberry or raspberry?
Diego: Strawberry.
Jesse: Tequila or vodka?
Diego: Tequila.
Jesse: Star Wars or Star Trek?
Diego: Star Wars.
Jesse: Sugary or salty foods?
Diego: Salty.
Jesse: Because you are, you are salty. He's a salty bitch sometimes.
Diego: Beach or mountains?
Diego: Beach.
Jesse: Forest or desert?
Diego: Forest.
Jesse: Winter or summer?
Diego: Summer.
Jesse: Beer or wine?
Diego: Wine.
Jesse: McDonald's or Burger King?
Diego: McDonald's.
Jesse: Coca-Cola or Pepsi?
Diego: Coca-Cola.
Jesse: Hamburgers or pizza?
Diego: Pizza.
Jesse: Okay. Travel by car or plane?
Diego: Plane.
Jesse: Okay. And do you prefer city life or country life?
Diego: Oh, city life.
Jesse: City life. Yeah. But in the Netherlands, you didn't really have a city life, right?
Diego: Well, it's a big city in the end.
Jesse: Okay. Yeah. But so not living out in the countryside with the tulips and the windmills.
Diego: No, I can see them from afar. They're very beautiful. But yeah, let's keep them there.
Jesse: Okay. Excellent. Do you plan on going back to the Netherlands any time soon?
Diego: Oh, just came back.
Jesse: Oh, yeah. Yeah. So, I guess the flight wasn't too expensive, then.
Diego: Of course not.
Jesse: Yeah, of course. Well, Diego, I want to say thank you for taking the time to join us today. It's been a pleasure having you on the podcast.
Diego: It's been a pleasure being here, and thanks for inviting me.
Jesse: Maybe we can go have a beer.
Diego: Wine.
Jesse: Or wine. You have your wine. I'll have my beer and then we can go to McDonald's. So for all of you watching, thank you. And for all the listening as well. This is Coffee with Gringos. And we will see you back here on the next episode. Take care.
VOCABULARY, PHRASES AND SLANG
Feud (noun) = a long, ongoing fight
Example: There is a feud between the soccer teams in England.
Freeze (verb) = the process of a liquid becoming a solid due to extreme cold
Example: When water freezes, it turns into ice.
Hammer (verb) = the act of hitting something with a hammer
Example: Sally hammered the pictures to the wall.
Pluck (verb) = the act of pulling the string of an instrument to create a vibrating noise
Example: I prefer guitar picking to strumming.
Accomplice (noun) = a person who helps another person to commit a crime
Example: The accomplice was arrested yesterday for helping the bank robber escape.
To be salty (slang, adjective) = used to describe a person who is unreasonably upset.
Example: We’re not talking at the moment because he is being salty.
Afar (adverb) = from a distance
Example: I don’t want to live in the city center, I’d rather appreciate the view from afar.