Intermediate · Conversation

Intermediate 36: Porque el optimismo nos parece simplón

We talk about a recent El País article (link in transcription) which discusses why we tend to perceive pessimism as intelligent, and optimism as simplistic. Is this right? And, how do we view ourselves?

LisColombianaRobInglés
17 min79 lines16 notesPreview
Episode 36
00:00Full episode · free to listen16:55

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Lis

Muy buenos días, muy buenos días, Rob.

Very good morning, very good morning, Rob.

Rob

Hola, Lis.

Hello, Lis.

Lis

Hola, hola. Bienvenidos a nuestro podcast número 36 del nivel intermedio. Si estoy bien.

Hello, hello. Welcome to our 36th intermediate podcast. If I'm right

Rob

Así es.

That's right.

Lis

Bien. Bueno, hoy queríamos compartir un tema muy interesante. De hecho, fue un artículo que encontré y lo publiqué en nuestra comunidad Pro, pero está de verdad que me cautivó y y me hizo pensar mucho. Entonces la compartimos allí y ahora decidimos hacer un podcast acerca de este tema, que es...

Ok. Well, today we wanted to share a very interesting topic. It was actually an article that I found and I posted it in our Pro community, but this one really captivated me and it really got to me, it really got to me and made me think a lot. So we shared it there and now we decided to do a podcast about this topic, which is...

Rob

Pues, ser optimista o pesimista. Y cuál es como la mejor manera de ver el mundo más o menos se trataba así

Well, being an optimist or a pessimist. And what's like the best way to see the world, that's more or less what this article was about.

Lis

Sí, sí, sí, exactamente. Y por lo menos a mí me hizo pensar qué soy.

Yes, yes, yes, yes, exactly. And at least it made me think about what I am.

Rob

¿Qué crees que eres? ¿Optimista o pesimista?

What do you think you are, an optimist or a pessimist?

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Contents

Intermediate 1

Hola, and welcome to Spanish Obsessed Intermediate! Here, we introduce ourselves: who we are, where we come from, what we do, and what we like to do.

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Intermediate 2

Lis interviews Rob, and finds out what it is that drives him to learn Spanish, and what makes him “Spanish Obsessed”. Apologies for a little fuzziness in this recording – at this early stage we were still trying to figure out how best to record!

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Intermediate 3: Plastic surgery

Would you consider getting plastic surgery? What part of your body would you reduce/tighten up/enlarge? We talk about “la cirugía plástica,” which is particularly popular in certain parts of Colombia, which brings people from all around the world. In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • Different (and interesting!) parts of the body
  • Why neither Liz nor Rob would want plastic surgery
  • That Rob “tiene mucha hambre” (sorry about that!)
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Intermediate 4: Alcohol

Rob and Liz discuss a recent night of “juerga”, and the unfortunate consequences the next day! Spanish conversation around our experiences with alcohol, particularly the Colombian favourite “Aguardiente”… If you want to learn all of the vocabulary around drinking and its consequences (both good and bad), this is the podcast for you! We discuss:

  • A recent night out involving sumptuous quantities of “aguardiente”
  • How we felt the next day (hint: “resaca” and “guayavo”)
  • The drinking culture in UK and South America
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Intermediate 5: TV

Liz explains why TV is such a central part of a Latin American’s lifestyle! We cover “telenovelas” such as “Betty La Fea” (Ugly Betty), morning shows, reality TV, and the cult of celebrity. Somos adictos a la tele!

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Intermediate 6: White lies

We discuss las mentiras piadosas – white lies! A mentira piadosa literally means a “merciful” or “compassionate” lie, but do we usually end up in a red de mentiras (web of lies)? Lis gives us a couple of stories from her experiences with white lies, and the lessons she’s learnt from those. Of course, Rob never lies…

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Intermediate 7: Fashion

What is fashion? Is it about wearing and showing off expensive brands, or about combining your clothes with style? Well, I (Rob) don’t proclaim to know much about fashion, but that doesn’t stop me from having an opinion! One thing I noticed about fashion based Spanish vocabulary is how many of the words are borrowed from English (not all official – some you won’t find in the dictionary) – perhaps it sounds fashionable to use English when you speak Spanish!

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Intermediate 8: Sleep

How many hours do you sleep? Lots of people complain about and suffer from poor sleep, and we are no exception! We talk about our sleeping habits, and how these are affected by our jornadas laborales. Are you a madrugador, and does dios le ayuda? Learn these phrases and many more in our podcast devoted to sleep! Qué duermas con los angelitos

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Intermediate 9: Coffee

We talk about the most popular drug in the world, not just Colombia! I’m talking, of course, about el café – coffee! We’re coffee addicts, and we’re not the only ones – we talk about other coffee addicts around the world, and the recent coffee aficionados. Would you like a flat white, frapuccino, or skinny latte?

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Intermediate 11: Money

The grease that keeps our capitalist wheels turning, we talk about a topic which is more important for some people than others… What are some different ways you can talk about money? Liz tells us a few cool alternatives to plain old dinero, and we talk about a crazy Ponzi scheme in Colombia. You have to hear it to believe it!

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Intermediate 12: Markets

We recently started to shop in markets, rather than supermarkets, and have really come to appreciate them. We talk about the day we went shopping in our local market, and how it compares to the same experience in Colombia!

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Intermediate 13: Pastimes

We talk about our hobbies, pasatiempos, y aficiones – do you know the difference? Do you have any hobbies or pastimes? Or, did you used to have some, but now regret dropping them?

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Intermediate 17: Vivir con los padres

According to recent statistics, 55% of Spanish people between 25-29 live at home with their parents – part of an increasing trend around Europe. Here, we talk about our experiences living with parents, as well as the pros and cons.

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Intermediate 20: El viaje

We took some holidays recently (again – we do work sometimes, honest!), starting with a wedding in Toulouse, France. Here, we talk about our experience in a French (and Colombian) wedding.

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Intermediate 25: Birthdays

We talk about birthdays, and how these are celebrated in Hispanic cultures. You’ll learn about Lis’s family’s birthday songs and traditions, why Rob is sick of birthday cake, and we talk about who exactly is responsible for planning your birthday!

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Intermediate 34: Volver de compras

The shops are finally open again, and Rob and Lis are let loose to go shopping. Hear about their experiences in retail therapy, and learn about “window shopping” in the Spanish-speaking world!

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Intermediate 37: De tú y usted…

Tú and usted… We learn in our first Spanish class how to use these two pronouns, but it seems that native speakers don’t follow the rulebook. We explore the different shades of meaning of usted and tú, and when to really use which.

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Intermediate 38: La “Epa Colombia”

We tell the story of “Epa” Colombia, an internet sensation who became a millionaire in Colombia, all off the back of the most ridiculous videos we’ve ever seen. However, la “Epa” is now facing a possible prison sentence. What happened?

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Last days in London

Rob and Lis talk about the final few days in London before moving to Colombia: saying goodbye to friends and family, eating out of a saucepan, and forgetting passports…

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First days in Bogotá

Rob and Lis talk about their move to Bogotá: arriving at chaotic El Dorado airport, somehow getting picked up, catching covid, and the saga of the apartment.

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Introducing Ana Paz

Rob and Lis discuss he arrival of their daughter, Ana Paz. How were those first days, and do they have any advice for other first time parents?

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