Gimme a "change!" ...CHANGE!

The world was watching on Tuesday, still is watching today, and will be watching for weeks to come. So many people congratulated me today on the results of the U.S. presidential elections. I've never considered the word "congratulations" for myself for an election, but I guess congratulations are in order for the U.S. and for the world.

There weren't many election viewing parties here in Vientiane, but I did manage to get onto the guest list to morning coffee election viewing at the U.S. Ambassador's residence. Arrived a bit too late and missed all the buildup, but no worries, there would be more celebrations to come.



After work, I had a little trouble finding other Americans to celebrate with, but when we did find each other, we were like giddy schoolchildren. After drinks at Sticky's, where Anais, new friend Jessa, and I explained the electoral college to the Germans, Aussies, Brits, and Kiwis sitting around the table, Dave caught up with us, and the four of us headed off in the dark to find the Democrats Abroad house party in the rice paddies. Peddling about on our bicycles, we chanted,

Change! Change! Yes, we can! Yes, we can!

Unfortunately, by the time we found the house around 10pm, the party was over! And it was starting to rain...and downpour. And me in my nice new sinh too...boo. Rainy season was supposed to have ended a month ago, and it's unseasonably warm right now. Go, go, global warming! We quickly found cover under a shop awning, but booked it once the rain settled up a bit. Anais was so prepared with her umbrella.

We would not be deterred from celebrating, and so gathered at Jessa's place for drinks... various bubbly waters and juice, accompanied by talk late into the night.

P.S. I was having lunch with two new friends from Argentina and Laos, and they mused that the rest of the world is so affected by American policies that they should be able to vote for the U.S. president too! They'd happily make up the other ~40% of the U.S. population that isn't voting! Along the same vein, here's an interesting Electoral Map of the World, if the world could vote.