The world celebrates America "where miracles happen"

I just got off the phone with my friend, Anne, a Brit married to a Dutch man in Amsterdam. "I walk down the street and everyone's saying 'Obama won! Obama won!'" she said. "Even in school the kids ran up to me saying, 'he won! Obama won'!"

"Really?" I said, "I had no idea it ment so much to people there."

"Oh, yeah," she said, "I feel the most hope I have for many many years. My first thought when I woke up this morning was, just imagine if all the slaves who lived 100 or 200 years ago could see this happening today."

Among my Facebook network the most passionate Obama supporter these past weeks has been Liek, a Dutch friend who today lists her status as "amazed...happy...crying...dancing...:):):)" Shea, a black American in Amsterdam is "alive to see it happen" and posted a link to the New York Magazine article, "Europe Is Finally, Totally, Awesomely Jealous" with the comment "interesting...wonder what my european friends think of this...". 

Her friends replied:

"I love it! You can walk with an extra pep in your step now and laugh in the face of anti-American comments!

"It's GREAT!! :-D"

"thanks America! what a Fantastic result!!!!! as a Brit i am VERY excited by this !!!! (wish Gordon Brown looked and acted like Obama)

When I was still living in Amsterdam this past summer I knew that a few of my more international European friends were following the US elections, but I'm totally blown away by the exhilaration in the international community. In Britian the attendance at Operation Black Vote meetings has gone from 40 to 400. Kenya declared today a national holiday. "Good morning, Mr. President — Make the world better!" read the front-page headline of the German best-selling tabloid "Bild".

The New York Times has an article titled, "For Many Abroad, An Ideal Renewed". They quote Tristram Hunt, a British historian who says Obama "brings the narrative that everyone wants to return to — that America is the land of extraordinary opportunity and possibility, where miracles happen."

Even Kellen has come out in favor of Obama. Yesterday he wore his "I Voted, Kids Vote Too!" sticker emblazoned on his chest and exclaimed, "I voted for Orack Obama!" 

Tonight when Kellen gets home from school I'm going to explain to my son that his new president has a white mom and a black dad, just like he does, and anything is possible.

Comments

[alexis]

I am glad you took part - but I wonder after the thrill is gone, will people remain involved and active? How to keep the momentum going.

[Karen]

That's Obama's challenge. Of course this is a high point, but how engaged people remain will depend in large part on his initiatives over the next few months.

Personally, I'm inspired to be more politically aware now than in any time previously.

[Elise Krentzel]

Well Karen I guess you just didn't keep up with all your friends. The past three months back in America has so politicized me into action, active campaigning by mail, phone and in person for Obama, writing tons of emails to friends and strangers. We screamed with joy and cried with happiness on our terraces at midnight. Harlem was bopping and dancing in the streets was just plain in sight. The euphoria hasn't faded even though the hard work begins now. I went to Starbucks yesterday, a day late for taht offer of free coffee if you voted. They gave it to me anyway since I voted Obama.

[Karen]

Elise, I knew you were active in the Obama campaign, and you earned your cup of Starbucks! I'd be interested to hear your perspective of how engaged people in general remain over the next few months as the real work begins.