Have you been called by a Sun Media guy with a thick South American accent lately?

Hwahn – that’s his name. That’s how it’s pronounced. But Hwahn is actually Juan – that’s how it’s spelled. Juan Cortes.

He’s a Colombian who traded his mum’s “to die for” chicken casserole and Bandeja paisa – Colombia’s famous ‘little bit of everything meat platter’ – for Tauranga’s fish‘n’chips, pies and pavlova. And he loves them. Especial our pies!

Argelia

“Hwahn – that’s J-U-A-N.”

He happily repeats and spells his name a dozen times a day to people who will feature in stories on Sunlive and in The Weekend Sun and can’t quite grasp a Spanish name delivered in English – but with a Colombian accent.

“Hwahn - J-U-A-N. I am happy to do that. I understand it’s not my country and I have to adapt. My name is not easy. It’s all part of being a migrant.”

Juan is new on this block, all the way from a Argelia in Colombia, a village of about 5000.

“It doesn’t even have traffic lights,” says Juan. “Or a mall.”

It’s near Cali, in Colombia’s south west, the country’s third biggest city.

Juan’s a charming, and exotic, new addition to the Sun Media team – a reporter, photographer, producer/director, drone operator, motorbike nut, husband to Isabel, and a ‘salsero’ – he is a magic mover, doing a salsa or kizomba. The couple go dancing every Thursday night.

That’s to be expected – Cali, with its famous street parties, is the rumba and salsa capital of dance-crazy Colombia. That’s what irked Juan when he first arrived in New Zealand five years ago.

“Right away people would joke about Pablo Escobar [the notorious Colombian drug lord] and cocaine. It annoyed me, but now I just laugh and tell them there is much more to Colombia – music, dance and coffee. I love my country.”

Better lifestyle

He also loves New Zealand for reasons other than pies and fish‘n’chips.

“It is a totally better lifestyle.”

Then he pauses, reflects and adds “safety”. Even though there are also places in New Zealand you wouldn’t go walking at night.

Why New Zealand Juan?

“We wanted to make a 180 degree change to our lives. New Zealand has a deep respect for nature and that’s very important to us. Also Australia too hot, Canada too cold, USA too crowded. New Zealand just perfect.”

Our new friend Juan is saying all the right things. After a three-year diploma in journalism, Juan worked for a Colombian radio station called ‘Ondas Dell Valle’ – ‘Waves of the Valley’. It was the same radio station Juan’s Dad was always tuned into when Juan was a kid.

“I watched and listened and dreamed of working for that station.”

And he did.

While on that beat, the journalist got caught up in a riot during a mayoral election.

“Supporters of the losing candidate started throwing things, fighting and causing damage, lots of bangs; probably guns.”

Things were so dodgy the reporter climbed in a car and skedaddled.

“It was exciting but I am kind of happy to put all that behind me.”

Air Force journo

Before he left Colombia, Juan was Senior Airman Cortes in the Colombian Air Force for 10 years – a journalist/technician making TV programmes to promote and connect the military with civilians.

Before the soldier traded his M4 Carbine for a reporter’s pad and pencil. Juan Cortes in the Colombian Air Force in 2016. Photo: Angie Sanchez, Colombian Air Force.

He flew in jetfighters, shot images from military choppers, skydived, trained search and rescue dogs, and was plucked from the sea in simulated rescues – life was exciting and varied for this journo before New Zealand called.

“Green! That’s what we like about New Zealand. I am very happy to be here.”

So that is Juan Cortes’ story, pronounced ‘Hwahn’ Cortez. There’s a very good chance you will be talking to our new man sometime soon.