Being an American Abroad / Eine Amerikanerin im Ausland

It's 4:30 AM, and I have just gotten up to check on the election. Obama has a commanding lead. Many TV stations have live coverage going on, but at this point, most are of them just have people sitting around tables doing political analysis in German. There's one station that is taking 'on location' breaks every so often, somehow finding German speakers to interview among the crowds in NYC.

Did American television stations cover the Austrian election live last month? It was a historical election. The first one that sixteen-year-olds could vote in. If you caught the coverage, let me know. The fact that there is any coverage at all here is pretty significant to me. Why should there be live election coverage of an election in a country on the other side of the planet? Why? Because this election matters very much to Europeans. Why? Because what America does impacts the rest of the world.

Is that a good thing? In recent years, not really. Actually, I think America's reputation has been faltering abroad for a long time. I remember being a college student in London when the Gulf War started. The brass plates that identified the Notre Dame classroom building and apartment buildings were removed so that we would blend in the crowd. But it's hard for Americans to blend in. The stereotype of Americans being loud and obnoxious is, unfortunately, very often true, and one of the girls in our group was spat upon and verbally attacked just because she was American.

It's sometimes awkward to be an American abroad. You find yourself needing to set the record straight, so to speak. Sometimes it can even be embarrassing to admit that you are, indeed, American. Many Europeans see Americans as selfish and wasteful and careless. As a nation, we aren't a people who learn from the past or look ahead to the future. We drive big cars that guzzle gas and living in big houses and have lots and lots and lots of stuff. And when it comes to the leadership that we choose, well, our leaders are selfish and wasteful and careless. America's reputation has fallen flat on its face.

But, Obama has offered a new hope for America over here. In March, we were visiting Salzburg with students from Pennington. When we went into the cathedral, the man collecting donations look at the kids and asked, "Are you American?"
"Yes," the kids said hesitantly.
"Obama?" the man asked.
"Yes!" the kids said.
"Go Obama!" the man cheered.

That was back in March. Even back then, Obama meant something to a donation collector in a Salzburg church. The excitement has been building since then. The newspapers have been filled with Obama for weeks. Obama's message of hope and change resonates strongly here. Because what happens in America impacts the entire world.

It's now 5:01 AM and the garbage truck is outside, already on its rounds, and now the TV is showing crowds all over America cheering and cheering and cheering. Obama gewinnt US-Präsidentschaftswahl! Obama has won the US presidential election!

Somewhere in that massive crowd in Grant Park are my aunt and uncle. I can only imagine what a tremendous thing it must be to actually be there. Obama has won! Wow!

Today, a new era begins for the world.

Today, I am proud to be an American.