A living breathing example of globalization and its cultural steamroller

What an interesting place this is to live. I am living and breathing in a class A example of globalization and capitalist economic development. Working in Arequipa Peru for an American owned and mostly staffed company teaching English (American English) to wealthy Peruvians who must get their certificate for work purposes. I actually have the opportunity to sit down and write something today because we have this day off, the 4th of July. These Peruvians love to go eat at TGI Fridays and go wander the mall when they have nothing better to do, checking out the lastest American movie (dubbed in Spanish) playing at the cinema. 

It is quite the change from being in European countries that are fiercely protective of their cultural and linguistic wealth and diversity, and are in a position to take extreme measures to retain their independence. Even little things, like showing only a specific percentage of American films, the layout/look of shopping centers (or their existence all together), or how they view learning another language such as English (they see it as becoming more international, nothing more, nothing less). 

Countries like Peru on the other hand, are not in a position to be able to protect themselves from the American cultural steamroller that is globalization. In order to develop their economy they needed to open their borders to foreign investments. Pretty soon, you see Starbucks popping up, McDonalds, KFC and Burger King fast food centers, TGI Friday's, malls, and cinema chains that have become the hallmark of American influence abroad. 

Certain measures have of course been taken to protect certain Peruvian cultural landmarks, such as the world heritage cites of Machu Picchu, the Colca canyon, and even the main square, Plaza del Armas, in Arequipa. However, as these places remain untouched (except by tourism), the rest of Arequipa and Peru are slowly changing. It is incredible to go outside the central areas of the city to the poorer parts, and out in to the countryside. Even when you escape the car and pollution filled metropolises, you see nothing but garbage, waste, and factories lining the edges of the cities and surrounding dirt roads and fields. 

Yes economic development is absolutely imperative in order to bring up the standard of living within countries like this one, but at what cost? Languages and cultures all over the world which hold incredible wealths of information encoded in their very identity, are slowly being forgotten in the face of the Western cultural and economic steamroller. The fact that you have to go out of your way here to buy a bag of coca leaves to make coca tea or coca pisco, one of the quintessential elements of Peruvian culture, yet you can buy burger/sandwich at every corner really says something. 

That being said, certain elements of Western culture are highly appreciated. I just feel that a better happy medium needs to be found. A way to incorporate elements of this new international culture and language into existing cultural wealth. Create a culture 2.0 if you will.