"but he's black..."
Many of you have asked me the reaction of average Moldovans to Obama's election. That is their reaction, plain and simple. Not pro or con, just an observation that they can't help stating.
The word on the street here is that "America is going to change a lot." Not sure where they are getting that information - or what kind of change the average Moldovan is looking to see from America - but that is the feeling here, that a "new leaf" is being turned over. The Romanian radio stations seem to be supporting this - but truth be told - i haven't heard anything from the Russian news stations about the elections since they happened.
In general, I have found that Moldovans are very interested in American politics. Explaining the electoral college has been extremely challenging to my Romanian vocabulary. Often enough people ask me about Bush "Ce mai face Bush?" as if I know him -- and once a police officer asked me about Condi. They know American politics - and they laugh at "ignorant" Americans who cannot even name their president - or laugh at Americans getting caught up in things like the Obama's new puppy (Yes, that news made it here). They understand, however, that what happens in America affects them - and not so much the reverse. They do get annoyed, however, that we seem to know nothing about Russia. The feeling here was pretty against McCain from the beginning because of his "offensive behavior towards Russia."
I tell Moldovans that this is not something on the average American's mind - how Russia feels. They found that hard to beleive, it being such a big country. We are, worlds apart. And this American, for one, is excited to move back into the non-Russian influenced hemisphere. Can't wait.
The word on the street here is that "America is going to change a lot." Not sure where they are getting that information - or what kind of change the average Moldovan is looking to see from America - but that is the feeling here, that a "new leaf" is being turned over. The Romanian radio stations seem to be supporting this - but truth be told - i haven't heard anything from the Russian news stations about the elections since they happened.
In general, I have found that Moldovans are very interested in American politics. Explaining the electoral college has been extremely challenging to my Romanian vocabulary. Often enough people ask me about Bush "Ce mai face Bush?" as if I know him -- and once a police officer asked me about Condi. They know American politics - and they laugh at "ignorant" Americans who cannot even name their president - or laugh at Americans getting caught up in things like the Obama's new puppy (Yes, that news made it here). They understand, however, that what happens in America affects them - and not so much the reverse. They do get annoyed, however, that we seem to know nothing about Russia. The feeling here was pretty against McCain from the beginning because of his "offensive behavior towards Russia."
I tell Moldovans that this is not something on the average American's mind - how Russia feels. They found that hard to beleive, it being such a big country. We are, worlds apart. And this American, for one, is excited to move back into the non-Russian influenced hemisphere. Can't wait.
This entry was posted
on Monday, November 10, 2008 at 11:41 AM.
