I have no idea what TV shows are popular and probably would not even recognize show names. I have no idea what movies have come out or are coming out. I don't know any of the celebrities.
Now people who know me, will say this was always true. I was never in turn with media culture. This is true. But it is simply impractical to even try to stay in the know out here. I would have to run ashore in English speaking ports and buy the relevant magazines, People, or whatever.
So, the Superbowl took place in Miami. I found this out the day of the Superbowl. (It clarified why my mother, who lives in Miami said the place was shut down for Superbowl, three days before the event. Before that I thought, "Gosh, I really doubt the Dolphins are playing. Why does Miami care about the Superbowl?")
It was the Bears and the Colts. I still have no idea where the Colts are from.
Perhaps more poignant, I am not even sure who won. Seriously.
The 560 people I live with consist of about 30 Americans and only Americans pay any attention to the Superbowl. Of those, assume 20 had to work during the Superbowl. The other ten were hardly aware it was going on. It was not as if we have been exposed to the three weeks of media hype.
As I chat with friends online since the game, people make references to commercials I have not seen, and may never see.
Out here we are completely removed from media culture, and since I am from effectively a media culture, that means I am completely removed from my culture.
It makes for a very strange isolation.
Not that I am complaining.
This is a picture from St. Kitt's yesterday. (I think it looks startlingly like Ventura, but people say I always say places look like home.)
Being removed from the shared experience of media culture is isolating. But look at the picture above, which would you choose?
