It’s difficult to overstate just how much the world cared about this election. Everyone I met, ex-pats from all over and Rwandese themselves, had an opinion on the election and were always quizzing me for my “expert” (read: American) opinion on what would happen. Throughout this election cycle, CNN International and BBC World News, those very sober news outlets, obsessed about the latest election news. The conventions and debates could be seen live on no less than 4 channels here (and there are only 14 channels altogether!), and come election day, whether you turned on the radio, switched on the TV, or walked down the street, all you heard was that America was going to vote. We say it often in America, with some sense of presumption it seemed, but people around the world honestly believe that the President of the USA is the most powerful person in the world and, this year, just like many Americans back home, they were deeply enthralled by the possibility that Barack Obama might next be that person.

It’s amazing how in one captivating moment, Obama revived the fantasy of America to the rest of the world. Call it the America Dream, that there is a place - in this unpredictable world, in countries torn by war and killing, in places where oppression and discrimination are all too normal - where freedom exits, where possibility exists, where hope exists. Talking to people around the world, over the last 15 years America had become commonplace, this beacon of freedom had become unremarkable, and even - in an enduring embarrassment - hypocritical. But on Wednesday morning, the world awoke again believing in the possibility of America - the world’s trailblazer. The American people showed the world once again their capacity to reinvent what we cynically believed to be true about the world we lived in.  America could be what it promised - a land of equality where all cultures, all races, all people from all walks of life could come and live together and attempt to form a more perfect union. For the first time in a long time, the world celebrated the only place on Earth where anyone can go - can come from anywhere - and become an equal member of society - can become an American.

Here is a pretty cool video blog from a friend of mine here in Kigali. Check out Kigali’s excitement for our new President:

I watched the election from the US Embassy here in Kigali with a small group of Americans and Rwandese. It was pretty fun to celebrate American democracy and possibility a world away, but still on American soil. From Rwanda, I got to vote for our new President and I was in America when he became President. Pretty cool.

I’ve heard so many cool stories about election night in America. Please reply back or post in the comments your stories and pictures from the excitement back home. I really want to hear about it (In some small way it will make up for having to miss it).