Obama-mania

I am in this little bubble-- because I am overseas, I am not really aware of all the things that happen in the United States... South Africa has enough news on its own to try to keep up with. But just a few minutes ago Cristiana Strava [another Rockefeller Fellow doing her year in Morocco] told me some amazing news: U.S. President Barack Obama just won the Nobel Peace Prize. I had no idea! This was very unexpected to hear, and I will admit I was a bit surprised. I don't even know if I completely agree with it... but this is big news! I just ran around and told every person in my office and we all celebrated together.
Now I have no idea what kind of work Obama is doing in the US right now because I am over here and I don't see the affects of it... I also know I have a very great mix of pro-Obama and anti-Obama readers to this blog. Either way, I will tell you one thing: Having Obama as president has made traveling internationally much easier. No, no, getting a visa to go overseas is just as hard, if not harder than it was before. What I mean is that people from other countries really like Obama, and I am saying this objectively [this post has nothing to do with my personal views].
When I went to Indonesia I was once stopped by university students who asked me why all Americans think that Muslims are terrorists. What? Who gave them that idea? "But your president, Bush, that is what he said." It is terrifying to know that is the misconception people had about Americans, especially while living in the most Muslim country in the world. Even when I went to the UK to compete with the track team, the people there had major issues against Bush.
Coming to Africa, I had a feeling that Obama was very well-liked here. A man of African descent holding the most important position in the world? Yes. And the people here are thrilled. One man told me, "When Obama was elected, South Africans where jumping over the moon." It also happened to be a happy election year for people here in KwaZulu Natal because for the first time since the start of their democracy a Zulu was elected into office [it was always a Xhosa before... tribal affiliations are still very strong here]. Phumlani said, "It was an amazing election year for South Africa!" [pictured below is U.S. President Obama and S.A. President Zuma]

But Africans were not the only people happy about our election results. The volunteers from YFC that I spend some time with on the weekends were very keen on asking me about whether or not I liked Obama. Sarah, an Australian, said that when he was elected Australia had their own celebration. The German girls agreed, and the volunteers from Holland said it was also a happy time for them. I remember reading about how when November 4th rolled around, the entire world was watching. The next day I read that the entire world was celebrating. Everyone celebrated Obama's victory.
If nothing else, I will just stand by my [experienced] opinion that it is a lot easier to be an international traveler when the world doesn't think that your president is trying to ruin their lives... and for that, I love Barack Obama.