To Africa comes Santa Claus
And in front of Paris stands Mickey Mouse
We’re all living in Amerika.
Amerika ist wunderbar.
-from the song “Amerika”
lyrics by Rammstein
——————————————————–
“Meet me for dinner.”
“Where?”
“Some place new.”
Goodbye, Thailand
This is my last week in Thailand.
I came here about a month ago for a business conference.
I stayed to meet friends and enjoy the sun and food.
But soon, I’ll be back in Europe…
America in Thailand
I opened my Bolt app.
I entered the address my friend had sent me.
And a few minutes later a car picked me up.
The driver took me away from the center of town.
That’s where the European expats live in their fancy condos and the Chinese and Japanese tourists stay in their fancy hotels.
We drove about 15 minutes into a neighborhood where the locals live.
“Hey, this will be the real Thailand,” I thought.
But when I arrived, it looked like I had returned to America.
I was at a hipster outdoor foodcourt full of food trucks.
People were playing corn-hole.
We ate Texas barbeque.
We drank IPA beer.
We listened to rock ’n roll.
And of course, the waitress spoke English.
This could have been Tulsa, Oklahoma or Oakland, California.
But there we were, 9,000 miles away in South-East Asia…
Your Turn
What do you think?
Do you see American culture when you travel?
Or in your hometown?
Is it good?
Bad?
Share in the blog and we’ll continue this conversation tomorrow.
Mc Donald’s is a representative of American culture all over the world. I think it’s good. The quality is always the same, I know what I eat. At least during my first day in a new city.
Hi. I must say that also here in Greece American culture is everywhere. You can find American restaurant, American bars and of course American music is everywhere!!! And I personally like it!
Hi Mr ViG
You have been doing an amazing travel in Thailand ,I understand when you came back home it’s more difficult to link with your habit and your country ,it’s the same for me when I visit my family
I love to have american breakfast at white bakery, I love to eat something at mcdonald, warner cinema in my city, I love it, and other but not to much
My teacher told us more than 40 years ago when he heard what kind of musik we liked: the future belongs to those who owns the culture today. It was in the 80’s in Hungary in the communist era. And we know what has happened since that.
I notice American Culture is present in France. It’s interesting but sometime it’s pity. For example American Food replace French Food. In ski resort you could eat some delicious pastries but now you can only find some muffins or donughts. They’re good too but it will be better to enjoy both of them
Yes, it is for sure we’re all living in America.The American culture is present everywhere and the important events that take place there, influence our countries and all of us.American culture is so popular, joyful and optimistic , I appreciate it!
At this time Halloween we could see everywhere. It was seen more often than the Feast of All Saints, which is typical a tradicional holiday for our country. I don ´t think that it is right, but younger generation seems to see differently like me.
Of couse I see American culture everyehere, where i travel… as well French and Chinice and other cultures…. even Estonian… because if you opened Bolt app, Its mean this is small piece of small Estonia. Bolt is an Estonian company:)
Hi, I think that things as Taxi aplication, service, american or european present music are all right over the world, but food and interior design, clothing should be diferent in each cauntry. Typical for them, rather traditional. I dont like when is everything everywhere is the same. I would have such unique memory…
In Sudan, the influence of American culture was evident in the names of famous districts like the Texax district and the Korea district in south Darfur state. In 1963, former American president JFK was assassinated in Texax, so the local people named a new district the Texax district. the locals even made a song about that event. For the Korea district, the name came after the American-Korean War in the 1950s.
Hello, Salma, I’ve checked the list of districts in South Darfur and there 9 of them:
So, could You kindly explain, which of them are named after Texas and Korea, please? Well, I’m just curious…
And, by the way, I like your name very much 🙂
Cheers!
Hello from MIAMI !
Today I take time to read Mr Vig !
I’m a French woman living in Paris and in Cannes ( French Riviera )
I enjoy really Miami south beach I will stay there a long time…………., the Bahamas are not faraway too …………..
I must tell you I’m really a good student ( I stay on EF education for learning English)
When I come back in Europe I will joint Mr Vig again !!!
Best regards everybody reading me !
Lilac
Excuse my curiosity, Élise, but are You going to be Freejoint or marijuana joint?
Or, as a good student, maybe joint venture partner?
😉
OJOJ. Im afraid in our country is the same. When we expact a guest, we think what he likes.
Your blog is a treasure trove of valuable insights and thought-provoking commentary. Your dedication to your craft is evident in every word you write. Keep up the fantastic work!
Exactly!! I was looking for this comment! Thanks, I have the same opinion about this blog
Traveling troughout Europe meeting American influence is not avoidable.All kind of restaurants chain is waiting for you starting with the oldest, popular and extremely famous McDonald followed by others.
In my country and home town too.
Global interfiering around the Globe comes not only from America. This brings both, good and bed, pleasure and opposite.
Hello!!
All of that seems strange.
I’ d rather to see and “feel” the particular …face of other cultures when I am in another country!!
But all have an “american” style of living nowadays!
That’s a current phenomenon.