The day after

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It is official, Obama won reelection!  He has 4 more years to finish what he started and he had better because …
Last night I hoped to be awoken by screams of elation from the winning “side” (left/right) but the neighborhood was as quiet as the Vatican (but maybe it's just my village). Eyes were glued to TV screens and fingers were hitting refresh buttons. Fine!  I have no problem with that but after the results, couldn’t people shout ko? They got the news, turned off their TVs and went straight to bed quietly.

 I flash back to Uganda and the buzz that would go on in the streets till morning. The cheering - as if in a football match. How the sounds carried a clear indication of who had won. Everybody would give their opinion or argue about who stole votes and so on.
We didn’t even have a public holiday! People stood in winding lines, in the cold, for over 2 hours just waiting to cast their vote. It took another 15 or so minutes to finish the voting process - ticking and affirming political views on the piece of paper, surely one needed a holiday. Back home it takes a whole day just to  tick the “hat”, “hoe”, “Chair”, “key” . These people don’t know how to have fun, maximize relaxation and minimize stress. One can’t even “pull the excuse” of voting on their boss because there is the option of early voting; in person, online, through the post office – tight!!!

I got onto the bus this morning and saw the same sullen faces. It was another ordinary day – business as usual. We listened to the drub vroom of the bus except for those who had ear phones. And even then, it’s not certain whether they were listening to gangnum style or NPR (National Public Radio). There was no expression of happiness or disappointment, just blank stares and straight faces.  At that moment I missed Fat boy, CBS, Mr. President and every other radio presenter discussing a version of the results over the taxi radio. Maybe I can blame the weather - it’s really chilly out here but honesty, abantu bano bansobedde!.
I grabbed a newspaper at the train station eager to get the details on swing states and all that, and then sat next to a guy who couldn’t be bothered. Really?? Was there an election yesterday? I asked myself.  At least show some relief that campaigns are over, no more “This is … and I approve this message” ads. But then again, I’m a simple Ugandan woman, watching from a bird’s eye view or maybe an ant’s.  I should take my excitement elsewhere no?

# Culture shock or different life styles.

Comments

  1. Wendal3:51 PM

    The great thing about being on the left coast during election day is that while polls are still open out west, results from the east are starting to roll in. Polls closed in Cali at 8:30pm, but a few mins before that results from Ohio were in and that tipped President Obama over the 270 he needed for re-election. I imagine folks out in Hawaii a further 2 hours back, who left voting till the last minute, were leaving work to go vote (like you said - no 'holiday' just for voting) and before they got to the polls, it was all over.

    General mood out here is one of excitement. Definitely not the euphoria of 4 years ago, but there's general cheer among people as you talk to them or just observe them.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Mrs.O7:51 PM

    Interesting country I tell you. Meanwhile it turns out I live in the "wrong" area, apparently most of the people here are rep's so true, there was no cause for celebration.

    ReplyDelete

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