Johanna's soccer team made it all the way to the State Tournament again, and this time with brilliance. The Navy Flash took the 3rd place after having played 6 games in 3 days. Worth every minute of freezing winds, rain and snow - even today's runny nose and sore throat! Snow, Sommer, Andrea and Ethan came to cheer the girls with us.
So the Americans got a new President. And the world a new leader. Excitement or uncertainty?
It was a priviledge to be able to see the whole show as closely as we did. Obama was in Cinci (Snow went to see him!) and Sarah Palin was in West Chester (it was a closed event; they wouldn't let me into the area. Maybe I look like a trouble maker..?) Now, with all respect to those who disagree with my views I still allow myself to see, feel and analyze the outcome of this election as me, an outsider, an Europee and a visitor in the USA:
There was a wave of hope, optimism and pure happiness that you could feel blowing through the air almost wherever you went. I know - it's easy to smile when you're a winner, and believe me: I'm enjoying every second of it! The Americans have shown themselves and the rest of the world that there is - despite our doubts sometimes - a great deal of common sense, sanity and sophistication in their thinking. They showed they do want to belong to the modern western world, and that is not only in economical but also in most social matters. They also showed they have a sensible understanding of the tough economical times we're heading to, and that the old economical doctrines of success don't necessarily apply in today's global market. The deep South (read: give racism a face) and a couple a concervative (read: mix religion with politics) states still hang on there in the past, but the vast majority of the country is ready to move on. It's not the 1800's anymore, it's time for a Change. I have noticed that even some people who gave their votes to McCain purely for his economical program didn't, in the end, think this was such a bad outcome, after all. Obama's appreciation speech was phenomenal; he reached his hand out saying he aimed to be everyone's President.
Our family spent this historical moment down in the desert side of California, on an RV-park; the last night of our 5 day long vacation in the Grand Canyon area. This is the season the oldies from upper states move down to the states with more pleasent climate. There was a warm atmosphere of bridge play, pool and bingo, a beer or two, peaceful chatt with these friendly people. Even though we were dramatically age discriminated and obviously the only ones who really appreciated the outcome of the evening we thought it all was really a cult thing to do, "totally cool" as Johanna would say (after having seen High School Musical 3).
We received a few phone calls and emails from our friends around the world. Everyone was pleased, relieved, hopeful for the future. Silly, but it felt almost like we were part of the success! Ohio made the difference! Thanks to people like Snow who volunteered! I'm not taking any credit of it though, except for a couple of bumper stickers and T-shirt purchases I (and my sister Kati!) made to support the campaign. Jonatan had interviewed his classmates on their political views (he is in second grade!) while we ordered him to keep a lower profile and not show how brain washed he was :). Johanna (fifth grader) was more aware of the huge McCain-Palin (McSame Pain) support there is in our town and was simply not taking part in discussions at school; instead she swallowed the shock after hearing one of them, quote a girl in her class: "We don't like Obama because he steals money from the rich and gives it to the poor!" She was silently happy about Obama winning but would not wear the Obama T-shirt to school - just in case. Johanna, Jonte, Jenny and Sommer taught successfully Maja to say "O-ba-ma!" Benke's vibrant (!) political drive at work may have played a role, but who knows - the effect might have been just the opposite, knowing his methods...
//Hanna
