Episodio 82: Life in Miami - Miami Beach

Duolingo English for Spanish Speakers Podcast

Eran las siete de la mañana de un día tranquilo a finales de 2019 en Miami Beach, una isla al este de la ciudad de Miami.

Apenas amanecía cuando Isabella Bobadilla, de 23 años, salió de la casa de sus padres en un suburbio, se puso los patines y entró al malecón, o boardwalk, que se extiende por toda la costa.

I love to go to the boardwalk to roller skate alone.

It’s very peaceful.

While I’m skating, I can see the ocean on one side and the buildings on the other side.

I can smell the sea water in the air, hear birds, and see iguanas in the trees.

In the early morning, Miami Beach is so quiet.

Most people are still sleeping, like the tourists who party or the people who work at bars all night.

So it feels like the beach is all mine.

Miami Beach tiene playas famosas porque está ubicada entre el Océano Atlántico y la bahía de Biscayne.

Su barrio más famoso es South Beach, conocido por sus hoteles de lujo, bares y el estilo arquitectónico art déco.

Es un lugar muy turístico y el favorito de Isabella para patinar, o roller skate.

I love roller skating in South Beach.

I first fell in love with the activity in 2018, when I was 22 years old and in college.

Then, later, when I was living with my parents in an area near Miami, it was my favorite thing to do.

When I had time in the morning, I usually drove an hour from my parents’ house to the beach just to roller skate.

I fell in love with Miami Beach while I was skating.

And I realized that I really wanted to live there.

I never expected how much the community was going to change my life.

Welcome, les damos la bienvenida a “Relatos en inglés”, un podcast de Duolingo.

Soy Diana Gameros.

En cada episodio podrás practicar inglés a tu propio ritmo, escuchando historias reales y fascinantes, contadas por las personas que las vivieron.

En esta temporada especial del podcast, vamos a Miami, en el estado de Florida donde aprenderemos por qué este lugar es tan especial para sus habitantes.

Hoy tenemos dos historias de Miami Beach, con dos protagonistas que nos guiarán en la belleza del día y en la magia de la noche del distrito de South Beach.

South Beach queda en el extremo sur de la isla de Miami Beach.

Isabella nació allí, en la década del noventa.

Su padre colombiano y su madre peruana emigraron a los Estados Unidos y llegaron a Florida a trabajar en hoteles de Ocean Drive, la avenida principal de South Beach.

Estos edificios tienen un estilo art déco de los años veinte y treinta.

Le da un toque retro y colorido que tanto caracteriza la zona.

Ocean Drive is full of life and energy.

There are lots of tall trees.

On one side of the street, there are incredible restaurants, luxury hotels, and nightclubs.

And on the other side of the street, there’s white sand and clear blue ocean water.

It’s beautiful! During the day, it’s very relaxed, and at night, it’s a party! My parents fell in love with the place.

I was born there, so South Beach has always felt like my home.

But my parents decided to move outside of the city when my brother and I started school.

Años después, Isabella descubrió una actividad especial mientras atravesaba un momento difícil en la universidad, en otoño de 2018.

There was a time in college when I felt really sad after a break up.

It was an important relationship because it was the first time I dated a woman.

After we broke up, I only wanted to stay in bed.

A friend of mine wanted to help me feel better, so she invited me to roller skate.

I never skated before, but I said, “Okay.” So, my friend held my hand and started teaching me how to do it.

After an hour, I felt more confident about skating, and then I was so proud and happy.

Después de graduarse, Isabella regresó a Miami y se dio cuenta de que la ciudad tenía mucho para ofrecer a patinadores como ella.

El clima soleado y los hermosos paisajes eran un escenario perfecto para patinar.

Un aspecto que distingue a la cultura del patinaje en la ciudad es la diversidad de estilos.

A Isabella le gustó específicamente la disciplina del baile en patines y le encantaba aprender nuevos movimientos, o moves.

Some people like to do very creative moves.

Other people do big jumps.

The type of roller skating I do is called “jam skating,” and it basically means dancing.

Dancing in roller skates makes me feel so free.

The music is great, and I love feeling the wind in my hair.

It’s just a lot of fun.

En 2019, Isabella se compró unos patines nuevos realmente muy bonitos y empezó a disfrutar de su nueva pasión en su lugar favorito: Miami Beach, con su cultura divertida y su ambiente de playa.

I started driving to South Beach to skate all the time.

The boardwalk has a super smooth floor, beautiful trees, and ocean views.

It’s also eleven kilometers long.

It’s perfect for roller skating! Life was so much more exciting there.

A Isabella le encantó la cultura vibrante de South Beach.

No solo la playa y el sol, sino también las galerías de arte y la arquitectura.

Sobre todo, le gustó que fuera un ambiente que recibiera con los brazos abiertos a la comunidad LGBTQ desde hacía décadas.

Es uno de los lugares más diversos y con mayor población queer de la región de Miami.

I met a lot of roller skaters in Miami, and many of them were Latinas like me.

Some skaters were Colombian, Cuban, and Puertorican.

And most of them were also queer.

When I started skating with them, I noticed that there were a lot of beginners, like me.

They always skated to disco music, like the Bee Gees or Michael Jackson.

It’s the perfect music for dancing.

They taught me their new moves, and I taught them my moves, too.

La sensación de libertad y relajo era tan grande que Isabella decidió que finalmente se mudaría allí.

Every day, I roller skated, and then I looked at apartments to rent in the area.

I loved the way people in South Beach were so interesting and creative.

It felt like anything could happen there.

I learned that in the neighborhood you know when people wake up because you start hearing very loud reggaetón at 9:00 am.

That is something that only happens in South Beach! Everybody is loud and free there.

And when I roller skated on the boardwalk, I felt free, too.

La pandemia del COVID 19 en el 2020 transformó a muchas ciudades, entre ellas Miami Beach.

Muchos turistas abandonaron la ciudad y eso produjo que los alquileres en South Beach comenzaran a bajar de precio.

It was a difficult time, but all of the tourists were gone, so I could afford an apartment there.

I found an apartment right in front of the beach, and I started an online job.

I woke up every morning and before I worked, I skated! While I was skating on the boardwalk, I felt very calm, like I was home.

Isabella comenzó a cambiar su estilo, vistiéndose con más colores como la gente local.

Por ejemplo, reemplazó sus patines negros por unos verdes fluorescentes.

También, empezó a grabar videos y subirlos a las redes sociales.

Otros patinadores la vieron y empezaron a seguirla.

Isabella fue tomando más confianza en sí misma.

I started playing reggaetón when we were practicing and everyone loved it.

I began to notice that South Beach was more than a neighborhood — it was an attitude and a place where I felt free and welcome.

I was more confident there.

One day, I told my best friend, “Let’s have a party where we just roller skate to reggaetón!” The party could be a safe space for queer and Latin people.

We really just wanted to build a community and celebrate everyone!

Isabella y su mejor amiga María soñaban con una fiesta en patines para la comunidad queer en la playa de South Beach y comenzaron a idearla.

Lo primero que hicieron fue pensar un nombre y la llamaron: “Perreo en patines”.

I thought about Perreo because it is the word in Spanish to describe reggaetón dancing, and so many roller skaters in Miami danced to reggaetón music when they were growing up.

I wanted to celebrate with trans, queer, and gay people — and everyone else who supports our community.

I felt ready to have the party because I was feeling more confident in my body and my identity.

Además, Isabella y su amiga decidieron hacer el evento en junio, porque durante este mes de verano, se celebra el orgullo gay en todo Estados Unidos.

Pronto encontraron el lugar perfecto.

It was a great place for skating.

And it had amazing views of the ocean.

I asked everyone to wear bright outfits, colorful makeup, or whatever made everyone feel most comfortable and confident.

On the day of the party, the beach was very calm and quiet.

And then we started playing reggaetón on a huge speaker! I was excited, but I was also nervous.

I didn’t know if anyone was going to come!

¡Pero llegaron más de cien personas! Patinaron y bailaron en la pista que estaba decorada con guirnaldas en forma de arcoíris.

Junto a la pista pusieron letras gigantes que decían “Perreo” y “305”, el código telefónico de Miami.

My favorite part was watching some people roller skate and others dance.

The event was not about how good you were at skating — it was more about community.

Eventually, everyone started dancing together.

We all showed our love for South Beach and the local queer community.

Justo frente al malecón donde Isabella patina, se encuentra la avenida Ocean Drive, que recorre South Beach.

Definitivamente es el epicentro de la vida nocturna del barrio y el lugar favorito de nuestro siguiente protagonista: Daniel Creme.

Ocean Drive is so different at night.

A lot of the buildings are decorated with bright lights in many colors.

You can see people walking down the street, meeting friends, and preparing for parties.

It’s very loud and there’s lots of energy.

People are always dressed up, wearing things like bikinis and shiny clothes.

Every night, people eat at restaurants and dance at clubs.

And you can visit one of the many drag shows in the area.

I’m a drag queen and I love to see people having fun.

Because if my audience is having a good time, that means all of the other drag queens and I are doing a great job.

Daniel empezó a hacer drag desde que estaba en el colegio.

A través de ese arte, Daniel aprendió a maquillarse, usar pelucas y ponerse ropa para transformar su apariencia en un personaje femenino llamado “Tiara Love Dupree”: una imponente diva, con grandes talentos para bailar.

Un perfecto reflejo de la cultura llamativa de South Beach.

Tiara is the drag character I invented.

She is very outgoing and enjoys the energy of South Beach.

She likes to laugh and have fun, and she absolutely loves to dance.

Basically, she’s a person with a lot of ambition, and she’s always trying to be better than she was yesterday.

The fun part about being Tiara is that I can do anything, and I feel so free.

Daniel sabía que Miami Beach era el mejor lugar para destacarse como Tiara, su personaje de drag.

Así que en 2015 cuando su mejor amigo lo invitó a ver un show de drag al famoso bar llamado “The Palace”, Daniel le dijo que sí inmediatamente.

The Palace was the place with the best drag shows in South Beach.

It was very famous and had an incredible history.

We went into the bar and got a great table on the patio.

It had tables with white umbrellas and a big LGBTQ flag.

I was very excited.

Fundado en 1988, The Palace fue un bar pionero en Ocean Drive.

En la década del noventa, acogió a estrellas como Elton John, Madonna y la Princesa Diana.

A lo largo de los años, ganó fama local gracias a sus fiestas con drag queens, ya que los talentos más grandes del drag se presentaban allí.

I was so excited to be at The Palace.

There was a special competition and my friend was performing.

I will never forget that night because I saw Missy Miyake LePaige — who is an incredible drag queen.

I felt inspired by her performance, so I wanted to give her some money for a tip.

When I gave her the money, she paused, looked at me, and said, “Thank you.”

Hasta ese momento, Daniel pensaba que hacer drag era solo salir a escena y dar un show de la forma más femenina posible.

Pero cuando Missy Miyake LePaige le dijo “gracias”, Daniel sintió que había algo más en el drag: Es un espacio en el que se fomenta el respeto por los demás.

I was amazed because she stopped in the middle of her performance to thank me.

She took the time to connect with me and others while she performed, and I thought, “I can do that!” I watched all the other drag queens in the show, and I wanted to be just like them.

So I told my friend, “One day, I’m going to perform at The Palace.”

A partir de esa noche, Daniel se propuso que llegaría a ser una de las drag queens oficiales de The Palace.

Siguió participando en concursos de talentos todos los lunes.

Y mientras actuaba como Tiara, fue conociendo cada vez más a la comunidad de Miami Beach.

When I performed, the audience loved it! There were people from all around the world and from the local neighborhood, and they were all having a great time with me.

I was really, really happy.

I just loved how I felt at The Palace and in South Beach.

I always felt so creative and free.

And after each show, I loved to spend time with the other queens in the dressing room.

I enjoyed sitting down and doing my makeup with them.

It was just as special as performing.

A las pocas semanas, otras drag queens comenzaron a llamar a Daniel para que hiciera de suplente cuando alguien se enfermaba.

Poco a poco, su estilo empezó a ser conocido por la clientela y la comunidad de Miami Beach.

Tiara bailaba pero también hacía acrobacias espectaculares.

One night, I decided to perform a song by Beyoncé for a big crowd.

I started dancing, and I was so excited that I decided to stand on a table and jump.

But then I fell off the table and broke my ankle!

Daniel intentó seguir su presentación pero fue muy tarde.

Su tobillo estaba lesionado gravemente y tuvo que ir de inmediato al hospital.

Durante un tiempo, tuvo que rehabilitarse de la lesión.

I felt really sad because I couldn’t go to work or do anything.

But then, the other drag queens in the community started calling me.

They helped me by sending food and sometimes money.

Other times, they invited me to other drag shows and paid for my drinks.

I felt like the community in Miami Beach was taking care of me.

And that made me feel so welcome.

After three and a half months, my ankle was finally better.

Then, one day, I got a new opportunity.

Mientras tanto, The Palace se había mudado y estaba preparando una reapertura en una nueva locación de Ocean Drive.

Missy Miyake LePaige, la misma drag queen que inspiró tanto a Daniel en The Palace, lo llamó y le dijo que había una nueva vacante.

Daniel no estaba del todo recuperado, pero pensó que igual podía competir.

I was so excited to compete for the South Beach community again.

I knew this was an important competition, and I was ready.

I wanted it to be my best performance ever.

People started shouting, clapping, and giving me tips.

I felt so much love from the Miami Beach community.

So, I danced with all my heart.

And when I walked off the stage, I thought, “That was one of my best shows ever.”

Había más de trescientas personas en el bar y esta gente tenía que escoger a la ganadora mediante aplausos.

Al votar, todos gritaban: “¡Tiara! ¡Tiara!”.

Ganó, pero eso no aseguraba que se quedara con el trabajo.

Había que esperar a que el dueño tomara la decisión.

Pasaron dos semanas, hasta que Daniel finalmente recibió un correo diciendo: “Bienvenida a The Palace”.

I was in shock! I remember reading the email again and again, and I thought, “Finally! Finally!” I was so excited to attend my first staff meeting and join the other queens.

As I worked to become a drag queen, I learned that it’s always important to be confident.

And the community in South Beach helps me feel so confident as a performer.

It’s a place where I can grow as an artist and feel so comfortable being myself.

Sometimes when I’m performing, I just feel so lucky — it’s one of the best feelings in the world!

Daniel Creme sigue presentándose como “Tiara Love Dupree”, una de las drag queens más queridas en South Beach.

Pueden ver sus atuendos en @tiara_love_dupree.

Nuestra primera protagonista, Isabella Bobadilla, está planeando nuevos eventos de “Perreo en Patines” en Nueva York, Chicago y por supuesto, Miami Beach.

Pueden verla en redes como @pendejaonwheels.

Si quieren apoyar a la comunidad queer en Miami, recomendamos apoyar al grupo sin fines de lucro “The McKenzie Project”.

Este episodio fue producido por Laura Ubaté, una productora colombiana.

Los productores han sido Samia Bouzid, Maya Kroth, Gabriela Saldivia, Laura Ubaté y Giovana Romano Sánchez con Adonde Media.

Caro Rolando es nuestra asistente de producción.

El diseño sonoro y la edición de audio estuvo a cargo de Iván Cabrera, Mauricio Mendoza y Giovana Romano Sánchez.

Supervisor de diseño de sonido, mezcla y masterización: David De Luca.

Nuestros editores han sido Martine Chaussard, Lorena Galliot y Tali Goldman, quien también contribuyó a traducir.

Nuestra editora principal es Laura Isensee.

Nuestro gerente de producción es Román Frontini y el coordinador de producción es Nicolás Sosa.

El gerente editorial es David Alandete y la directora ejecutiva es Martina Castro.

Yo soy Diana Gameros, Thank you for listening!