"A Skinny Boy With A Funny Name"

Yes, as most of America cast their ballots on this historic day and the tallies began to roll in I was sleeping half a world away.

Fast Forward to Wednesday morning which seemed to come ever earlier than expected and the clamor from outside my window told it all... the election results were in. Now to find out who won or at least was leading in the pools.

When asked by my children years from now as they have to complete their reports on historical elections where I was when the announcement was made I will have the pleasure to say Kigali, Rwanda. Finding out first through a declaration on a yahoo banner, having it confirmed by Facebook status updates (where I also learned about McCain's concession speech) and finally making my way over to join the others in the living room to watch BBC's continuous coverage of the election results. Cheering, crying, a world at attention and an answer given.

7am - Breakfast time.
With bowls of cereal and tired eyes we watched as all eyes turned to Chicago State (as someone referred to it here) and out walked the next First family. "How American." How Classically True. President-elect Obama took the stage and his commanding presence consumed the stage. Delivering a gloriously crafted speech he spoke to the world, even throwing out props to those "gathered in the forgotten corners of the world huddled around radios," its nice to know we were let out.

Going through the heat of the election in selected areas throughout the world and continent of Africa has been rather interesting. Continuously accosted with conversations of American politics I have been systemically "voting" in the elections since early June when I was first met with an abrupt shout on the street, "You're voting for Obama, right?" As if a question like that really provides you an opportunity to say otherwise. On rare occasions the question is flipped, but always as assuredly stated. It seems that nearly everyone is passionate about the US elections, but could that ever be said about American's in regard to foreign affairs? Traveling around, I am ashamed to say I have encountered hordes of people who will never step foot on American soil, but who know more about American policy than most citizens ever will.

"Change has come back to America"

I admittedly have become a growing cynic throughout these elections wishing more for them purely to end than any particular desired outcome. Perhaps that makes me un-American. Perhaps that makes me lazy. Perhaps it speaks most for my growing disgust at the system, the mud slinging, the money wasting and the great divide.

Either way, the votes have been cast, a verdict rendered, parties celebrated... and now we wait

We wait to see if Change will truly come
We wait to see if Tomorrow will be a better day
We wait to see the impact of our Decisions
We wait

and... I wonder
I wonder if Africa will have found their Savior that they have been clamoring for
I wonder if the World will come together or stand further apart
I wonder if America can heal from their partisan divides
I wonder if the woman on the street in south LA will still go unfeed
I wonder if the man on his knees in grief will ever reclaim the house and the job and the security his family lost 6 months ago
I wonder if the child just brought in to the States will ever be freed from the life of sexual slavery she was just traded into
I wonder if Change will truly come
I wonder if one Man could bring it all or if it is really up to the American people to take a stand, seek change and actively transform this country and one day the world.

I wonder if after the honeymoon is over if people will continue to fight so diligently for justice, or if we will all simply return to drinking our doubletalltwopumpwhitechocolateamericanoswithroom and focusing on ourselves.
I wonder

Yes We Can!
Yes we can
yes we can?

Can We? Only time will tell, but here is hoping.