Reactions / die Reaktionen

People were happy here yesterday. Not just because it was a gorgeous summer-like day in November, but because the news from 'Amerika' that greeted them first thing in the morning was what they had been hoping for. Here are a couple encounters:

One of the teacher's at Nikolas' school stopped us on the way into the building.
-- "There is such good news this morning!" she said smiling. "Do you think it is good news?"
-- We nodded.
-- "We think Obama is simply wonderful over here," she sighed one of those deeply-in-love sort of sighs. "It is a great day."

The grumpy woman from across the hall was getting her morning paper from her doormat when I left for class later in the morning. She has never said more than hello to me until today, and even that has been through somewhat gritted teeth. We haven't been sure if she's just grumpy, she doesn't like Americans, or she doesn't like the fact that her across-the-hall neighbors change every year. Anyway, she stopped me at the top of the stairs and smiled.
-- "It is such a great thing, the news from America," she said. "Do you think it is good?"
-- I agreed that is was good.
-- "He is the best thing for Europe, I think. For the whole world. The best thing," she said, nodding and smiling.

In the evening we went to a pizza party hosted by Democrats Abroad Austria. Somehow when we registered for our absentee ballots, we were connected to the DAA and have been getting emails ever since. We decided it was time to meet some other Americans who are over here, and so off we went. It was being held at The English Center, an English-language bookstore, cafe, and language class center. It was a small gathering of twenty or so Americans, all living in Salzburg; an interesting group with interesting stories about how and why this is their home. The pizza was a long time in coming, but when it finally did come, it came with an enormous bottle of wine that the restaurant owner, an Italian, had thrown in because he was so happy there was an Obama party eating his pizza.

Obviously I am quite taken with the international perspective of the election. These articles also offer interesting reactions from around the globe:

BBC News: In Quotes - US Election reaction
The Washington Post: U.S. Again Hailed as 'Country of Dreams'
Houston Chronicle: Widespread elation greets election
Yahoo News: Obama vistory sparks cheers around the globe
Radio Australia: President-elect stresses shared US, world destiny
BBC News: World leaders hail Obama triumph