Americanizing the World

I will write a full account of our “trials and tribulations” this weekend very soon, but for now I just wanted to write a little observation. It is so different being here for Christmas—there are still Christmas trees, Christmas music (far too much of it, and the Spanish version of “Jingle Bells” is EVEN MORE annoying), and plenty of seasonal festivities. The middle class here all have their Christmas lights and big plastic Christmas trees in front of the doors. We even saw two real pine Christmas trees on top of a Chicken Bus being transported from the highland region of Matagalpa {where there are pines) to Managua this weekend. The thing that really sticks out to me actually is the lack of “Happy Hanukahs” and Hanukah decorations, oddly enough.




While in Managua this weekend we decided to make a stop in one of the five malls of the city (probably the only 5 in the country). It was rather amazing—my first time seeing an American-style mall in a third world country. Besides the lack of American stores, it was remarkably similar actually. Department stores, beauty shops, and even a sports store selling Nike gear at twice the American price. The food court included a Quiznos, Mr. Lee (Chinese food), Subway, Dominos, and then a variety of Nicaraguan McDonald-like chains (such as Tip Top, a chicken place). If I had glanced quickly I would never have known the difference between this food court and any food court in America, I swear. And at 2 pm on the Sunday before Christmas, the mall was packed. I can’t believe how far the “Americanization” of the world has spread—I mean Nicaragua is a country where the average GDP per person is some $2,000 a year. And the mall even included a Cinemark movie theater where we saw “Avatar”, the same day it was released in the U.S. I believe (although we only paid $3 a person, haha) It’s incredible how being so far from home I could feel so at home. In a place where I usually eat beans, rice, & tortillas at least once a day, wear my rattiest clothes, and go through the day smelling like dirt, dust, & sweat, to sit in an air-conditioned movie theater and consume a diet coke and snack was a blast of American culture much welcomed.

I feel slightly guilty being so “American” in Nicaragua, where I’m supposed to be soaking up their culture and living like they do. But let’s face it, they love American culture and integrate it into their lives whenever they can (at least those who have the money to). Most of the men here wear American baseball hats with Boston or the Yankees being the most popular teams, everyone and I mean even the poorest of the poor own a TV with American channels, I’ve heard more ABBA and Michael Jackson here than I ever wanted to listen too in my life, and coke, McDonalds, and pizza are available everywhere. There is even a TGI Fridays in Managua! And the reason for this is that America is “trendy” and goods from American are considered of better quality—even the Sandinistas can’t change this, although they try their damndest. This is the reason that their anti-American rhetoric doesn’t really sink in with people here anymore. It has every reason to, seeing as how we caused a war which killed thousands of their people, and have had some trade policies meant to actively ruin their economy. But people LOVE American stuff, and it is that consumerism and longing to live even more an American lifestyle that is keeping people from really hating us. So ironic.