S1E8: War, Bananas & Immigration... without politics! Summary In this podcast episode, the host discusses the fascination and obsession that many Guatemalans have with American culture and lifestyle. She shares her own experiences with being seen as a celebrity or having an entourage simply for being American. The host also touches on the influence of social media and globalization on fashion and trends, and how the desire to emulate American style and brands can symbolize status and success. She ends by contemplating the genuine interest that some may have in something that is just different from what Phoenix shares her experience living in Guatemala and talks about the struggles the country faces due to its violent history, economic inequality, lack of social safety net, and political corruption. She also discusses the immigration crisis and why some people risk everything to make the dangerous journey to the United States. She encourages listeners to spread awareness and understanding and invites them to share their own experiences and perspectives. Guatemala and the United States have a complicated history, with the US interfering in Guatemalan affairs and causing harm to the indigenous Maya people. This includes garnering support for a coup in the 1950s and later supporting a 36-year long civil war. The US is also seen as responsible for the poverty and violence in Guatemala, as well as the struggles of Guatemalan migrants trying to enter the US. This is a complex and controversial topic, and this episode barely scratches the surface, but attempts to represent perspectives from both sides in a fair and informed manner. Transcription (AIGEN) Are you in the mood for a little controversy, chaos and culture today? Perfect. I'm Phoenix Rose and today's episode has all of that and more. We are going to try and discuss both sides of illegal immigration. I know we're just touching on it. We're also talking about bananas, war, and the love hate relationship between Guatemala and America. Is it jealousy? Is it well-earned hostility? Is it just the US poking its nose in other people's business? Yep. I'm going there and we might not end up where you're predicting. Today's episode is a trip. Hi there. Welcome. Bienvenido. I am so happy that you are here. I'm so happy to be here. Before we jump in, just a quick note the listener discretion warning in the intro is obviously meant to be a little bit humorous, but today's episode does cover some mature, graphic, and controversial topics, so if you're not prepared to hear about these subjects, I kindly ask you to pause and join us for the next episode. Thank you for understanding. So last week I signed off with that discussion with Fawn with a promise of controversy. And I assure you, we have plenty of that to go around today. But first, I want to start off by thanking Fawn again for being my guest. I always enjoy our time together, but that was just so fun setting up the mics and headphones and just hanging out. So again, thank you so much Fawn. That was, we got to do that again. It was great. For now, on with the controversy, starting with a few questions, just to kind of put them in the back of your mind. Have you ever had your own fan club or entourage, people who just follow you around just because you're cool or popular or like a celebrity? Can you imagine risking your life, your freedom, even being sold into different types of slavery to get into another country? And last question, how are you at trust any issues there? It looks like it's time for a story. When I first arrived in Guatemala, mind you, as an adult, a married adult, as opposed to a teen or 20-something looking to be courted, I was amazed, absolutely amazed at how nice people were to me, almost falling over themselves to be my friends. Now, for reasons we are absolutely not getting into anytime soon, I have some deep seated trust issues, but I was kind of like, well, this is definitely weird, but I guess it's a cultural thing. They're just really, really nice here because it was everybody. I had a problem. They want to fix it. I need a repair. They know a guy. I want a decent cup of coffee. Oh, let me take you again. Kind of weird, but okay. I'm not used to everybody being that overly nice, but it's a different country. And there are a lot of things I'm not used to. We go to a business, restaurant, club, and the owner can namedrop, namedrop us, so weird. Like, hey, yeah. Did you know the gringos were here yesterday? Yeah. The gringos visit, the gringos use my business. The gringos. Gringos. I know we're the only gringos around, right? It's just I'm not used to that at all. It's very strange. Now, I think part of the reason I feel like so many people acted like they want it to be my friend is their obsession with America, with Americans, with American lifestyle and culture? I automatically had my status, bumped several points just for being American. And so they got a bump in status being ...
