"KM, we have a new president"

I have heard (rather read) these words many times over the past week. People are motivated, inspired, overwhelmed, overjoyed... one Burkinabè newspaper had an article written about it, how Black peoples' blood was not spilled in vain, how big a deal this is for the world.

We have a new president. America has a new president. I am an American, yet I feel so disconnected.

We begged, pleaded, and were finally allowed to stay at the training center so we could have access to a TV on election night. I stayed up all night to watch it, which meant I was barely "present" the next day in class. I watched in French, a language I am still a novice in especially when watching a international broadcast on politics. I stared at the maps and looked at the electoral results. I cheered as Obama won more and more states... then I fell asleep, it was 3:45am. When I woke at 7, I was told we had a new president. I was happy, I am happy, but I think I would feel different if I was in the states.

Maybe its because I was not able to watch CNN for the weeks leading up to the monumental event... or that I could not correnspond with my politico buddies to talk about all the details and stats and the stuff many people here find boring... maybe its because I was not with my friends and family who are celebrating not only something major for the country but also for our race...maybe I am just exhausted from everything being so new and different that I can't contribute as much energy to celebrating as I typically would...

Or maybe it's just not a surprise. I always knew he would win, I always knew this day would come, so I already celebrated while I was in the states attending events, donating funds, etc. Maybe.

One thing is for sure- things will definitely be different now. They will be better.