This is why we don't know Spanish

Last night we ventured to the movie theater to see "The Curioso Caso de Benjamin Button" (you shouldn't need a translation on that one!).  

First, I should say that I love going to the movies in Mexico because I got a movie ticket, nachos and a drink for less than the price of a ticket in the U.S.  However, I feel like the movie ticket has an even greater value to the people here in Mexico.  A movie ticket is also a way of learning english.  While the title of the movie may be in spanish, the movie surely is not. 

In one way, this makes me a little mad.  I know there are plenty of movies made by spanish speaking people, in spanish.  But lets face it, Hollywood dominates the movie scene - and not just for those of us in the US.  All but one of the movies currently being shown here in Merida are American movies.  They are all in english with spanish subtitles.  Every once in a while you may come across one that has been dubbed over in spanish, but then it just looks ridiculous.  

So when my coworker asked me the other day why Americans don't speak more spanish, I told him it was because of the movies.  And not only the movies, but the signs, books, tv shows and everything else here thats based around english.  I tried to explain that in the US we don't do that.  We don't need to know spanish to go to a movie.  We don't need spanish to use our computers.  We don't need to know spanish to do much of anything in the U.S.

Here, however, its a different story.  And in some way I am jealous.  I wish that I got the opportunity to use my spanish as much as they get to use their english here.  But this also makes me realize just how important the US is to everyone, not just those of us who live there.  Its important not only because of its political power, but also because of the US culture that is spreading throughout the world.

My Lesson of the Day: Even with the title change, Benjamin Button is the same Benjamin Button I could have seen in Ohio.