America’s Exports

July 29, 2010

In a place so far away that is unknown to most Americans, everyone here has an image of America. But that image is often far from reality (or what I think we want to be seen as). So it’s totally not what I expected, but my host family has satellite TV. We’ll watch the news, some TV shows and movies, and a lot of music videos. (Friends and Family Matters, by the way, are hilarious in French. Is it bad that even though I couldn’t understand the French, I pretty much knew exactly what was being said in the Friends episode I saw?) There’s one music video channel we watch that occasionally plays American songs. From watching what my host family sees of America, I must be a real shock to them. I don’t wear booty shorts or low-cut, mid-drift shirts. I’m not sure the Thong Song or WWF are some of America’s best cultural exports. I could talk forever about media and culture in America, but it really saddens me that some of the worst and most dangerous messages in American culture have been passed on, especially to a place that already faces too much. Really, is this the best cultural contribution of America?

Another interesting “export” is President Obama. He is everywhere and I’m not exactly sure what to think about it. Stores are named after him (the Obama boulangerie, Obama coiffure, Obama cell phone store). People wear Obama t-shirts and backpacks and stores sell pagnes (pieces of cloth) with his face on them. My host family has a picture of him hanging above the TV. I will admit, I’ll capitalize on that sometimes. My claim to fame here is that I live in the same city as him, that I’m Obama’s neighbor. I tried once to explain in French I saw him inaugurated, but my French isn’t quite there yet. Usually the response is, “Il est notre frère” (He is our brother). But at the same time, I feel like a lot of people here may have unrealistic hopes in him. I get the significance of his presidency, I really do and I think it’s awesome. And I’m really glad I got to be part of something so historic living in DC in 2008/2009. The other week we visited a CBO that does HIV/AIDS education, treatment, and outreach. Part of what they do is fight discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS in Burkina. They have a picture of Obama in their office. He is wearing black pants, white shirt, and tie (typical political look right?). The president of the organization said that Obama wore black and white to protest discrimination in the US, so they have adopted the same uniform to protest discrimination against those living with HIV/AIDS. I don’t know, maybe I missed something, but I’m pretty sure all politicians wear black pants and a white shirt. The thing is, even though he’s an idol here, Obama is not going to/can do/wants to do much to affect the situation of the average person in Burkina Faso. I wonder if people will ever become disillusioned with or let down by him. Just my initial impressions/wondering.

Another trainee I was talking to about this would disagree. I perceive the Obama-obsession here as a hope that he is going to do something here. My friend would say it’s not about that at all, that there’s no expectation in him, or for that matter, even an interest in what he is actually doing. She says it’s more of an image of achievement and what someone with descendents from the African continent can become.

Just some initial thoughts… I’m sure I’ll have a different perception of it all after 2 years of talking to people here.

Many people don’t know, but Peace Corps actually has three goals in its mission. The one most people know is to assist in the development of interested countries. The lesser known two are about cultural exchange. To promote understanding of America in other countries and to promote an understanding of other countries within America. It is cool to have the opportunity to give a more positive (and realistic) representation of America.