election fever

Since moving to The Gambia in June 2007 locals have asked, “which do you support?” referring to the top two presidential candidates. I always paused and wondered to myself, what do they care? Why would it matter to them? A local businessman opened a new stationary store about 6 months ago. He proudly displayed his stores sign out front, “Barack Obama stationary and bookstore”. As he sits outside he enthusiastically waves to us and shouts out “Obama!” as we zoom by on our bikes.
Election day finally came and the questions got more concise, “You support Obama right? And admonishing us, “Borry. Obama is the best one!”. I still played my cards close and reminded them there were more than two candidates and we would wait for all the information before deciding.
Jalika and Adja were over one day and I showed them the ballot we received in the mail. I showed them the top runners names and all the other peoples names in the presidential race. It was unique for them to see a U.S. presidential ballot and to realize that we could vote even though we weren’t even in our country.
On the day of the election we made plans to go in the evening to an embassy workers house so we could pull an all-nighter to watch it all unfold on CNN in real time.
I packed my bag before going to work and after work stood on the side of the road until I got a car to town.
The whole ride there sitting among the people that were so interested and pushing for me to vote for Obama, I had an unwelcomed, though slightly absurd thought…How will these people react to us as Americans if we collectively vote for McCain to be the next president?
As results came in slowly at first in which McCain was showing more support, I think the collective PC volunteer population had theset thoughts. They were expressed by some later after the results became clear, as “Wheew! Now we don’t have to evacuate the country!”
After more than 24 hours without sleep our gelley ride back to Brikama at 6:30 am was surreal, with Andy’s head precariously wobbling back and forth.
We entered the compound to see the usual morning bustle around the tap. As we approached we heard the women talking about the election, the word Obama as usual, jutting out from the conversation in Mandinka. They turned around to see us and I proclaimed the winner to which our host mother excitedly exclaimed, throwing her arms up over her head, “Obama wins!”
We stumbled through a backwards morning routine that was the usual night time routine. Taking showers, brushing teeth, closing doors. Then fell into a fitful sleep due to the normal daytime heat.
Awakening in the late afternoon we had to look at the pictures from the night before to assure ourselves it was all really real.
We don’t have to evacuate after all!