One of the things I've found most interesting in Chile so far is how much, and in what forms, American culture reaches and manifests itself here. Most apparent is the incredible reach of pop music.
The tunes of American pop, hip hop, and rap stars play in the majority of the bars and clubs, though perhaps last month's hits instead of the most current.
I've chatted with teenage girls about their favorite music, and for the most part, all of the artists they named were American--Hannah Montana, Beyonce, some alternative rock bands, to name a few--and they couldn't get enough of the music videos on Chile's version of MTV.
When I visited the home of the family of a friend from the states this past weekend, the four young girls performed a dance they choreographed to none other than the queen of pop, Madonna. Even though Madonna was way before their time, and living and performing thousands of miles away, they knew all the words.
When we were traveling in the north, we passed through a tiny one street town, and I saw a boy, maybe 8 years old, riding a bike and wearing a shirt with Michael Jackson's face on it.
I was in a club this past weekend and the Chileans were just as excited to hear "Hey Mickey" and the medley from Grease as they were to hear Akon and Ke$ha. And the seriousness with which they danced to the former (no interpretive dancing or jokey moves here) made me question my notion that these songs were really more suited to a sock hop than a discoteque.
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