Наши выборы

It's currently about 8:00 in the morning, and I'm sitting in a famous American Diner, while waiting for the sunrise and election results. A ton of expats are here, but they're mostly sitting in the other half of the diner, people from both parties cracking open beers. I find it really touching that when we're overseas, we can throw away something that would divide us on our mainland. Red or blue, black or white, whatever our differences are, we are all still strong Americans, and we can come together and be proud representatives of our great United States. While this is also something to note, I'd like to bring attention to what this election means for the rest of the world. Just about every paper I picked up yesterday had a focus on our elections. We pretty much only talked about it in class. I don't think Americans, until they go abroad, know the full value of our elections, and what kind of presence we make in the world. That also makes me proud, knowing my country really makes a difference at home as well as other places. I'm not saying that I agree with certain policies, and by all means I'm not a radical. I just think it's great knowing that we have so much potential for international relations and helping others. As an update, it is now 8:30 in the morning. Obama is projected as the winner of the elections. Most people over here, Americans and Russians, are pleased about the results, some even popping open champagne. A newscaster walked in a few minutes ago, and it looks like she'll report something on this story after grabbing breakfast in the booth ahead of me. Also, my laptop is about at 10% battery power, so I need to make this short and sweet. Overall, this was a healthy experience - seeing a presidential election in a land that was not my own. It reinforces what my country means to me, other Americans like me, and the rest of the world. Regardless of your own political beliefs, God Bless America.