When you live abroad, you are subjected to television shows and news channels that you may not be used to watching. In Cyprus, almost all the shows are in Greek of course. Even some of the old American children’s cartoon shows that I grew up watching are dubbed in Greek.
So it’s no surprise that we don’t watch as much television in Cyprus., which is one good thing about living abroad. However, with limited English-speaking channels, we still manage to watch a few shows on basic cable, mostly on TLC.
Can I tell you I have lost several brain cells watching “Honey Boo Boo Child,” “L.A. Ink,” and “Toddlers and Tiaras?” Some of these shows are too sad to watch – backstabbing of a “friend” to find her soul mate, cheating/lying to get to the top…the deliberate acts of mischievousness. It shows the depravity of man right before our very eyes.
Because of the American tv shows we have watched in Cyprus, I wondered what Greek-Cypriots thought. I recently asked a Cypriot who has lived in the States and now resides back Cyprus if Cypriots think Americans are much like the portrayals on American tv shows, such as the ones on TLC. He didn’t really give an answer, but I can’t help but think the rest of the world must have a skewed notion about American culture. If they truly believe all the things they see on TLC, then we are in big trouble America.
However, there are moments of hope, when the human spirit tries to encourage and lift one another up. Those are the moments and stories that we should highlight more America.
