Transcription
[music] Hello everyone and welcome to another episode of the Dreaming Spanish podcast, a weekly podcast for people learning Spanish. In this podcast, teachers from different Spanish-speaking countries have conversations, we chat about all sorts of topics, but we always speak a little slower, a little clearer, so that you can understand what we're saying. But if you need something a little more difficult, a little more advanced, or something a little easier, a little simpler, then you can visit our website dreamingspanish.com or download our app. I'm Agustina from Argentina and I'm Shell from Colombia. Hi, Shell, how are you? I'm good. And you? Good, good. Pretty happy, pretty content to be here with you for another episode. You're welcome. Thanks. [laughter][gasp] Well, what are we going to talk about today? Well, today we're going to talk about what the day-to-day life is like for a person who works online like us. That's right. We work 100% online, totally online, and I feel that although it's something many people did during the pandemic, after the pandemic, many people returned to in-person work, or there are many jobs that are hybrid, which are like half and half, but we work 100% online and maybe it's not the most common, although there are 100% online jobs, more and more, it's still not the most normal, the most common. And well, [sniffle] we're going to talk not only about the good things, but also the bad things. eh in this video about working online. Well, when I started thinking about what to say in this episode and I started with the good things, the first thing that came to mind, the first thing I thought of is not having to spend time or money on travel. No, no, no, no. Because when people have to go to work, to the office, they not only end up spending a lot of money on transportation, whether public or private, but also time. Here in Buenos Aires, going to the city center, going to the capital in the morning and returning home in the afternoon is something that takes a lot of time. Because it's rush hour, there's a lot of traffic and no, no, no, no, no. I think about doing that and I say, "No." So for me, the best thing, or one of the best things, is that, not spending time or money on travel. I actually put that too, it was the first thing I thought of, no longer having to go out, deal with traffic. I live in Cartagena and it's a pretty small and very poorly managed city. So, things like traffic, terrible, terrible. Even though it's small, it forms there. No, no, no. I used to have to go, I worked in a restaurant and I had to go north, I lived in the south, I had to cross the whole city and take two buses. No, no, no. A terrible thing. But now I'm very happy, very happy. On top of that, not only the traffic, but also the weather, the heat. God. Mm, of course, in your case it would be the heat. Here it depends because, for example, my friends who work in person in the capital now in winter, well, here, at the moment we are recording this, it's winter in Buenos Aires. They have to get up at 5 in the morning to take the bus, to take the bus or to take the train at 5:30, 6. And it's dark and it's very cold. I mean, imagine what it's like to get out of bed at 5 in the morning when it's all dark and it's 2 degrees. No, no, no, no. So I think that for all aspects of the weather, a lot of heat, a lot of cold, rain, etc., all of that is also a complication that we don't have. I love it, honestly, being in my room quietly. My route is from my bed to the computer. Done. I love it. I'm very happy. Very happy. [laughter] Yes. And the second good thing I thought of was flexibility. Well, at least in our case, particularly in our work, it's also good that we don't have very fixed hours. Yes, we have some calls, some meetings, but we organize the rest ourselves and I love that because it allows me to do things during the day, at convenient times, right? Like, I don't know, if I have to go to the doctor, I can go at any time during the day, if I want to go do sports, if I want to go to Pilates, if I want to go, I don't know, get my nails done, go to the hairdresser, whatever, or if I have to do some paperwork, which paperwork is always early in the morning and if you work in an office it's very difficult, right? You have to ask to be allowed to leave to do something. Instead, we have the freedom to organize it however we want. I really like it, for example, if at some point there's an emergency or something like that, I can suspend it, go deal with it, and then I come back and continue. That's super important to me. Super important. Yes, yes, totally. And also another thing is that, for example, obviously the issue of recording if we have to do it in our setup, but everything that is research, writing scripts, etc., can be done from other places. So, I also like, for example, to go to a cafe and work from a cafe in a different environment or sometimes I go to visit my grandmother. So, even though I'm working, it's not like I'm talking to her all the time, like I keep her company, right? We're in each other's company and that's good too, right? Being able to work from different places and well, obviously for me personally, working while traveling is very important. [laughter] Yes. For me, for example, recently my cat had an accident, he cut his paw, yes, he cut it and I was able to go see him while I was working. I was there writing and watching my cat. I'm very happy, very happy about that. And another thing, it's the cat that's at your mom's house, correct? Yes. he's not here, so I have to move. And then my mom, she works, she lives with my brother, so my brother and my mom work. The cat is left alone there with his open paw. Oh, no, how good that I could go take care of him. Thanks, Dreaming. Very good. What other good things did you note down? I love being able to wake up late, honestly, it's quite linked to this point we talked about, but I did want to talk about this specifically because it makes me very happy. Thanks. We know Shell is someone who likes to sleep in. What time do you wake up? Eh, it depends [laughter] more or less, approximately. Uh, yes, look, around 10, I'd say. [laughter] It depends, it depends a lot on the previous day, but there's a range, but the minimum, minimum, like 9, like 8:40, like from 8:40 at the latest, I don't know, maximum 11 in the morning, but I like having to wake up at 6. Oh, God. At 5. Oh, God. No, I, I also, eh, I couldn't wake up very early. It's not for me. E I do try to wake up around 8:30, more or less, like try to have a more or less normal schedule, eh, also because there are people on the team who are in Europe, for example, and their day, by the time I wake up, it's already noon for them and sometimes, I don't know, I have to do things so that they can continue with their work. So, I feel guilty if I do them too late. So, that's why I try to wake up around 8:30, 9 and start working around 9:30, more or less, or at 10. But yes, for me it would be a nightmare to have to start working at 7, at 8. Ah, it's not for me. Today you made me sleep less, eh? I'll just say that. But Shell, what time is it? Yes, if we're recording at 2 in the afternoon. But I had to wake up a little earlier to charge things, organize, but not for me because yesterday I was recording, I downloaded them, I'm not going to leave them charging all night, they could get damaged, right? Well, organize yourself better if you have to wake up early because you have to record at 2. Shell, [laughter] come on. How much time do you need? No, no. Luckily today you scheduled this recording for 2 in the afternoon, but sometimes you schedule it for 12. Hm. But well, what [laughter] to tell you? that Shell, you understand that I am, guys, context, I am recording this. I arrived in Barbados today at 6 in the morning, meaning I practically didn't sleep, and this girl complains that the call is at 2 in the afternoon. [laughter] And yes, it's because I record in the afternoon, guys. I record after 5 in the afternoon. That's not afternoon, that's already late afternoon. That's why I record in the late afternoon. So when they tell me, "Oh, we're recording at 12." But well, I love it. Anyway, anyway. Well, eh, what else? Let's see, what other good thing did you put? Em, ah, well, I put the issue that when you work, right? When you have to go somewhere to work, if you feel a little unwell, I mean, I'm not saying you're completely sick, but you're a little sick, it's difficult because you don't know whether to go or not, whether you'll infect people, whether you'll feel worse and then you have to go to the doctor. Instead, in our case, even if we feel a little unwell, we can regulate our work and keep working. We can, I don't know, do something and then say, "Well, I'm going to take a break, I'll take a nap and continue when I feel better," like I feel you can manage those situations better. And at the same time, you take care of yourself and others. That's very nice. That's very nice. I hadn't thought about the illness thing. I also thought about the issue of safety and no longer having to go out, I no longer risk, I don't know, a robbery, a kidnapping, something like that. Eh, everyday things, from around here. So, what are you laughing at? Is it true? [laughter] Is it true? No, no, equally, yes, eh. I mean, it's not just a violent crime, but anything, you can have any accident, a traffic accident too, right? Like there are many, many dangers, let's say, right? That you can have that you're not exposed to when you work from home. You reduce risks. Good, I like that. Good. And anything else, did you put any other good thing, eh, that I like that I have a private space and don't have to share an office. Very good. That's my antisocial friend. Yes, I don't know, I feel that when a person works a lot with others in the same space for a long time, then the atmosphere becomes heavy, I don't know, like it can happen, right? In all cases. Imagine, imagine with how badly we get along as it is, imagine if we had to work in person, we'd kill each other. Of course. We'd annihilate each other. We'd annihilate each other. Shelly and we'd end up fighting on the corner. We did have the experience of working in an office with the Dreaming team, and we all got along great, honestly, I liked them a lot. Yes, but that's because it's you, I mean, it's a special case, but here in real life, well, although this is also real life, but many times you start a job and you don't know who you're going to meet and I don't know, there's a bad work environment. Fortunately, that doesn't happen at Dreaming. Yes, no, but I also eh eh I'm kidding, I'm not making the antisocial joke, but I think the same. I mean, I really value my space, I value like being able to choose the environment in which I work. For example, if I want silence, if I want music, if I want the air conditioning cold, if I want heat. It's like that too, being able to go down to my kitchen and make myself, I don't know, a coffee, a toast, I don't know, like being able to grab the food I have at home and eat it while I work and all that, not having to dress up. [gasp] Ah. Oh, that's true. That's true, right now I'm in shorts. You don't know it, but I'm in shorts. I mean, I'm not going to wear elegant pants. No, obviously. I, look, when I'm not recording, I wear anything, like, I'm at home in anything and when I record it's like, well, the top part presentable, the bottom part if they don't see it, it doesn't matter, [laughter] it's not their business. I like it a lot, but well, there are many good things, there are many good things about working 100% online, but there are some bad things. No, correct. Let's talk about those, which are very few. On my list, I really didn't know what to put. I had trouble thinking of them because for me it's very good, it's very good, but there are still some. You start. Good. Eh, I put that particularly for our work, we have certain requirements, more than anything for this, for recording, which is like having a calm environment, in silence, good wifi, well, a lot of technical conditions and about the space that are sometimes not easy when living with other people, right? Because well, neither you nor I live alone. So, sometimes it's like you have to coordinate so that, I don't know, at that moment there's no noise, no other people, listening to music or talking loudly, or that guests don't come. So, I feel like sometimes managing that is a bit more difficult than in an office. In an office, the work environment is the work environment and everything is supposed to work so you can work well. Yes, it's always complicated because it's something you can't control. That's it. And I, I'm very chill, honestly. I don't know how you are for recording, but I, look, I'm here. Someone shouts, I have to stay quiet. Yes. I wait for a lot of time to pass, for them to finish shouting, because sometimes they record other things here in my house, they laugh a lot, they shout and I keep calm, I keep calm, I keep recording, but well, I don't like that, I don't like that, I prefer silence. The same with lighting, yes, it's another issue, but nothing that can't be solved, right? Obviously, another thing I thought of about our work in particular, eh, and that in Barcelona when we worked all together was much simpler, is the whole issue of lighting, cameras, files, etc., like here we do it ourselves. I mean, I have to set up my setup, put my lights, adjust everything, transfer the files, upload them, rename them, organize them. all that work that takes a lot of time. Eh, if we were in an office or when we were in an office it was much easier because there were editors and cameramen, let's say, taking care of that. We just had to talk, I mean, we just had to show our faces. It was beautiful, I mean, sitting down and saying, "Everything is ready. I just have to put myself in." Is it ready, guys? I'm prepared. I loved that. It's like, "Oh, what a pleasure, what a pleasure not to have to do it." Then the audio too, not having to worry about microphones and all those things. Fascinating. I loved it too. Mm. But well, I'm not complaining, eh, like, they're details, but I'm very happy working online. [sniffle] Something bad I put is that I always need good internet because I was thinking that when I was in Korea, the Airbnb internet wasn't very good. It wasn't very good. And when we record, it's in 4K. We record in 4K, they are very large files, then they have to be uploaded to a folder and it takes a lot of time. Well, not for me. Not here at my house, because I have pretty fast internet, but yes, when I travel, I need good internet, I need to go somewhere else, go to, I don't know, a cafe with much faster internet, that says they have fast internet because it takes a lot of time. I had a bad time in Korea in that regard. Wow, imagine me uploading travel vlogs, which are more than an hour of video in Uzbekistan. I mean, [laughter] yes, yes, yes, yes. How do you do it? All night uploading and sometimes more than one night, like more than a whole day uploading the files. Yes. Oh, no, no, no. I remember in Korea, the Wi-Fi and I used to fight over it. No, I'm uploading now and no, I'm going to upload because this is more important. This has to be done now. And I, "No, I'm going to Well, then I'll take this network and you take the other network like this. Moments of tension, [laughter] domestic violence." Yes, yes, yes. It's important. Oh. Well, another thing I put is that eh I feel that when working at home, two things happen. The first is that it's easier to get distracted, like I'm in my room, I have all my things, right? And I don't have people watching what I'm doing. So, I'm working and sometimes I have my phone next to me and I start looking at it and it's like, "Oh, no, no, stop." Or I'm working and I remember that I have, I don't know, eh, I have to fix something in the fridge and I have to go adjust it. I say, "Oh, I had to go adjust it and I go and do it, right? Or I have the clothes I had to put away and I start putting away the clothes. So, I feel like there are many distractions in your house. It happens to me quite a bit. Yes, yes, yes. that well, I'm going to upload a story and then I get stuck, but I come back, I have to focus. Then I sit on my bed and then I start like, oh, the bed is very comfortable, I'm going to lie down for a bit and then I come back. Yes, that's true. Yes, for me the first point of working at home is that there are many distractions and on the other hand, eh, I don't know, maybe it's something personal because I'm a bit of a workaholic, but work and private life get very mixed up. I feel that when you work in an office, it's much easier to make that distinction of now I'm working, now I'm not. No, like this is this is my moment and my work environment and then I live my life. Whereas at home, when you're working online from your home every day, that mixes with your personal life, right? And your work life mixes. And sometimes I realize that I've already worked all day, I've already worked the hours I have to work and I keep working because it's like I remember, like, I remember, ah, no, I had to do this, I had to do that and well, that's it, I do it, right? Eh, which if I had to go to an office, I wouldn't do it, but by doing it at home, I end up working at 11 at night when I shouldn't be working. And well, that's fine. The boss watching this video. Good, Agus, good. He knows. [laughter] He knows. But that's happened to me too. I keep recording longer, but well, it's okay. I'll advance. Yes, but well, I feel like sometimes it's that, it's like I think about work all the time because I don't have this clear distinction, right? Of like moments or spaces dedicated to work and moments or spaces not dedicated to work. Your life is your work. Oh, no, don't say that. It's depressing. Done, it consumed you. I love my job, but but it's a good job. You travel a lot, Agus. Good, good, good, good, good. [laughter] What other bad thing did you put? Do you have anything else? I have to, well, in my case, I spend a lot of time in my room, so I have here, I thought it could be very bad to be locked up all the time, like from time to time I think it's necessary to go out to breathe fresh air, to step on grass, as they say. And I don't do that much. Right now, for example, when we're recording this, I'm alone in the house and I'm going to be alone for a month and I start to hallucinate, you know? I don't talk to anyone, I have no one to go out with, so today I'm going to the cinema to clear my head. Done. Mm. Yes, equally. That's why I also got into my Pilates, right? But of course, to socialize, right? But you know that starting Pilates and going, let's say, four times a week changed me a lot because it's like it forces me to go out and cut off work, like saying, "Okay, enough working, change, put on sportswear, I'm going to walk to my Pilates class, I do Pilates, I come back, I shower, and even though it seems silly because it's just one class, it totally changes me and it's like a way to go out and not be at home all day. That's good, that's good. I'm going to sign up for a class. It's like, yes, eh, seriously. And you also socialize, right? I now have my Pilates friends, the Pilates Girls. And [laughter] how nice. I used to go to the gym, but I moved and now it's a bit further, so I don't go anymore. But I liked it a lot. On top of that, I would come back with energy. Yes. Unfortunately, what they say is true, exercise is good. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. Oh, but well. And let's see if I have anything else on my list. Mm, well, I was going to say that personally I don't suffer from it much, but I can understand that for some people the lack of social interaction is something bad, but I'm a bit weird. Like, I love being alone, I really like working alone, and since we have calls and meetings and everything, honestly, I don't feel that alone in this job, so I like it. But well, I think for some people, I have some friends who tell me like, no, Agus, I could never be alone at home all day. I can. There are people who really need to talk to someone at work because otherwise they get very bored, so well, I know people like that, I don't use them, and you don't either. No, honestly, I'm very happy, very happy. I, as the last bad thing I put is that it can be bad to be in front of screens for a long time. Yes, that's it. Although I think that's a reality in most jobs, because even in an office, I feel that if you work with a computer, you're also there all day. Do you wear glasses? No, me neither. That's good. Totally out of contact. [laughter] No, it's that some people, really, being in front of screens for a long time starts to affect them and then they have to start wearing glasses, I don't know, due to fatigue, because they start to develop bad things and well, on that side, you have to take good care of yourself. Fortunately, I have 10 out of 10 vision and me too, but I know they use glasses with like blue light filters, like screen light. I don't know, I don't know if it's a reality or a myth, I don't know if it works, but I know people use that. Yes, it must be real. It's so your eyes don't get tired as much, I think. But mine don't get tired, honestly. At least for now. Maybe it's youth. [laughter] Maybe I'm young? [gasp] Oh. But well, guys, that was our reflection on what it's like to work 100% online. I think both Shell and I agree that we like it a lot. Correct? We are happy. I wouldn't change it. You guys also comment, eh, if you like this type of work, if you also do it, if perhaps you get bored of being alone and so on, I'm interested in knowing. That's right. In the comments, tell us what your work experience is like and what you think of this debate of in-person versus virtual. And well, if you're at home and want to watch videos in Spanish, you know where to go. Stop by our website dreamingspanish.com to find thousands, yes, yes, yes, thousands of comprehensible Spanish videos, videos from Shell from Colombia, videos from me, who am from Argentina, and videos from many teachers from different Spanish-speaking countries. We are always planning very varied content on different topics so that you always have something to watch that interests you, and also always at different levels, from super beginner to advanced. So, you know, go to our website or download our app. And if you liked this episode, don't forget to leave us a review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Well, guys, thank you very much for being here and Shell, we'll see you very soon. That's right. Goodbye. Bye.