During my trip to Guadeloupe, I’ve noticed an influx of American products, music, knock-off products, and radio transmissions of American sounds. I notice this whenever I have traveled out of the country, but Guadeloupe was the first country where speaking only English was a communication barrier (but patience & effort to speak French got me through) so the juxtaposition of American influence was more acute.
Even if you never travel out of the country, there must be a recognition of the influence of the American Empire. Let’s not be pedantic- though our government theoretically controls only our land masses and territories- American corporations have snaked their tendrils into every far reaching point of the globe. Though I’ve only encountered two Americans while on this trip (my seat mates from Miami to Pointe-à-Pitre, I’ve heard and seen reminders of my home culture multiple times everyday.
Even while people I’ve talked to are disturbed by the current administration, there is no lack of excitement to practice English and every time I say I’m from Texas I am asked if I know cowboys. There is a general fascination with the America that Hollywood has packaged for easy consumption.
It is an understatement to say we have our generous share of social & economic issues, and I feel I am more ‘woke’ and aware of social difficulties had by a great number of people than some Americans might be, but for folks from less industrialized places, America remains a gold star standard for a quality of life people fantasize about living. It holds aspirations of success that people believe can only be achieved in America. Our country is an intoxicating poker game.
Meanwhile, I see people here with limited employment opportunities, having to mange water consumption in ways that would destabilize us, limited air conditioning, conservation of power (always turn lights out, only plug refrigerators in during certain hours)- but they have something we are missing. They are in community. There aren’t tvs blaring in every cafe (people can’t afford the electricity), people sit outside and talk into the night. There is a hitchhiking culture unlike anything I’ve witnessed. They rest in the afternoons and children play openly without the distraction of iPads and phones. Here people are connected to each other and that is a next level aspiration they don’t realize we are lacking amidst our seeming abundance of resources – much of which is taken and derived from the far reaches of the globe where people live with abundances we’ve dismissed.
Spread Your Dreams 