A friendly interview between Curious George and the BRI Radio host

Curious George, originally from Argentina, talks about his love for Burning Man and how his girlfriend inspired him to return after 14 years. He shares his experiences and the languages he speaks. He also mentions his connection to Shouting Fire, a radio station for burners. Curious George expresses his gratitude and plans to return next year. He ends by discussing Argentine poets and musicians, including one who tragically passed away. Okay, um... Curious George. Curious George, he's from Argentina, so we're going to talk with accents this time. Okay. I'm going to try to talk like I do, and then they'll talk to me in Spanish in a little bit as well. So, Curious George, are you with me? Guillermo. Guillermo, are you going to talk? Yes. Well, look, you have to speak very close to the microphone. Okay. So, tell us about how you got here. Is this your first year? No, it's my fourth. My first one was in the year 2000. And then I've been absent for 14 years. And actually, I came here to say hi and to thank again my girlfriend, La Tita, who was the one who inspired me to come back in 2014 after 14 years. Oh, wow. I'm originally from Argentina. I married in L.A., and she lived in the Bay Area. I've been in L.A., you know, kind of more like the plastic vibe. It's a little closer than Argentina. Yeah, well, that's for sure. That's for sure. That's where I'm from, of course. And she inspired me. She started taking me to all these people, taking me to the Burning Man parties, and I came back in 14, after 14 years, and I was like, where have I been since? So, since then, I've been coming, and I love it. It's my home. It's growing into me, and I come every year. So, thank you, La Tita. I love you. You know, it's funny because I've been teaching the whole family. This is my best friend, so now I want to do everything. And last night, I was with my friend. She's playing a set out at Camp Question Mark, and it was an incredible set. And when I dance out there, I'm in circles. I'm speaking to my spirits. I'm speaking to my birth mother. Bonantin, I call her. Bonantin is the nomal birth mother. And I'm like, looking around the mountains, and the sun is setting, and the orange sky, and I'm like, oh my God. So, are you going to come back or not? I think next year, I'm going to see you here. Eagle Eye, thank you so much. You do so much. And also, I wanted to come to say thank you, Eagle Eye, because you've been so beautiful since I met you down there. And the radio, because you've been, for years, my connection to the burn. Even when I'm getting ready the week before, I know the story. And even the years that have not been coming, the tales from the stars. And the really cool thing, too, is that one of our managers stepped down last year, and he stepped into a new project called Shouting Fire. So, we have ShoutingFire.com, and it's radio for burners. So, 24-7, 365, we all broadcast from our homes. So, you have the connection to Burning Man. We'll replay Burning Man. That's awesome. I didn't know that. Yeah, we're just putting the word out. Eagle Eye, I know I'm going to see you next year. Yeah, I know. I thank you very much for coming. Because, for me, I want us to be more international, and have more languages here, and share our languages, because... Well, you know, we can talk in different languages. There are sayings that don't make sense translated. That's true. That's true. And... I'm surprised by how many languages you speak. Well, I really only speak Spanish and English. But I know a little bit of French, a little bit of German, a little bit of Italian. And I know a lot of indigenous words, because I've studied them for 20 years. Like, which tribes, for example? Well, in Shoshone, one of my teachers is from... Biawaya. The village of Biawaya is Laguna. So... They know that the buffalo is very strong. It's a language... We know the tongue. The tongue is the thing, because it's been in a lot of movies. But in Shoshone, it's called... In another language, from a friend in Anta, it's called... And one of my favorite languages... I lived with a tribe called... They're one of the Apache tribes. And I lived with them as a missionary. At that time, they were men, and I was a missionary. But... One of my favorite languages, and I still speak it. I don't know where it is. It's called... The rhythm of my heart stays with it. As you can see, my drum... With the drum. The beat of my heart is kept alive in my drum. So... And then my favorite thing from the Meskero language... Everybody in Cape Town knows. I'm always going... And that... The way that translates is really interesting. It translates to pretty good, alright. So... And if it's good, you go... But if it's really good, you go... Well, thank you so much. It's been an honor and a privilege to meet you and to be part of this. Muchas gracias, nos vemos. Guillermo. Hola, hola, hola. There he is, Guillermo! In Mexico, we call him Guillermo. Mexico memo. How did you pick up the Argentine accent? You know, it's an interesting story because... I primarily learned the Mexican accent. And one day... And then I worked in... I did some communication by myself. And my friend from Uruguay, she comes to me one day. She goes... So she taught me how to use that accent. Very good. You say it beautifully, by the way. It's extraordinary. Like Alconcilia. A classic. An Argentine poet. They tell me that I'm... That I'm a relationship. I can't prove it, but... I wouldn't believe it, because you're so inspiring. And in fact, in my studies of Spanish literature, there were some nuns who convinced me. And they helped me in my decisions. In transitioning. And one of them was... The Mexican one. And the other one was... As my neighbor explains to me... And you want me white. That was May. Also in the... Casas empiladas, casas empiladas, casas empiladas. And also, she said... She said... My favorite is that... My father didn't cry. My grandfather didn't cry. He was very happy. At that time it was a lie. But you want me white. It's a poem that talks about... That a man wants... To have Mary in the street. And Mary the branch in the bed. And she talked about the double... The double balance. That if... Everyone wanted to sleep with a virgin. But if you're sleeping with every virgin. How many virgins do you have? Of course. Very good point. Very good point. It's a very thin line. Because the man... At that time... It's another man we're talking about. Compared to the man of today. It's a very thin line between... What was the role of the man. And the perception of the woman. The virginity. And I met an Argentine man too. When I started to... To... To get out of Montero. He told me... How did you get to know me? Why do you have my last name? He gave me... He gave me the song. Very good. Beautiful. I finally started to get to know you. We don't have it. We should play it. I have it. I went to Argentina. And... She got a terrible disease. And she went into the sea. She committed suicide. Walking into the sea. And passed away. Tell us about her while I find the song. I don't know much about her. She was a very clever poet. And she was in dismay. Complete dismay. And one night... At La Perla beach. In Mar del Plata. Which is in Buenos Aires province. In Argentina. One night. She was dressed in... Gown. In a white gown. She walked into the ocean. And walked and walked. And she drew. She drew. And we've never seen her again. And we don't know anything more than that. And she left us her beautiful poetry. And her beautiful art. Something very historical. And... And... Photorical. Of Argentina. And then Mercedes Sosa. Passed away. Mercedes Sosa. If you mention that anywhere in the Spanish speaking world. Everyone knows who Mercedes Sosa is. Argentine singer. And she wrote a song about my great auntie. Who... I'm going to play this song. And... Thank you again for coming in. And sharing a piece of Argentina with me. Because I still don't know Argentina. It's an honor. And a privilege. Thank you so much. Thank you so much. Thank you. Wow. Wow. My heart is breaking. I've been listening to this song for so long. Oh, wow. Wow. Wow.