Most Americans did not have to experience this, but, if you are from or traveled to Africa and LATAM in the late 70-80s, you noticed that a TV set was a rare thing. Only well off people had them. People from Rural areas would walk into towns, stand outside people’s doors, windows, to watch TV. It was a daily ritual. Every night, they would stand outside, and watch TV shows. Some towns even had a TV up on public squares, so the poor could enjoy it at night. I remember passing by, standing and watching TV with them. During the TV hours, they would dream with a better life, the life they would see in the movies and TV series. I knew someone who drew all of this inspiration from TV shows. He wanted to be like them, successful, drive nice cars, travel, have a nice place to live, food, all the food he could eat. He had those dreams in his head day and night. We were teens when we met, stayed in touch but not often bc there was no internet and phone calls were also a dream, too expensive; we would write letters to each other. I used to anxiously await his letters bc I wanted to know if he was still holding on to his dreams, and how far he had come. We talked yesterday; he has a TV/Home appliances store in Nairobi.
Posted on: Wed, 09 Apr 2014 02:37:27 +0000