...

I don't know how to start this...

These past couple days... I've never experienced ANYthing like this.
The excitement, the hope, the passion, the anticipation.
Being surrounded by Americans waiting to hear Obama to speak in Virginia, just feeling the electricity sparking through the crowd.
Hanging out in a bar in D.C with my hostel buddies, surrounded by locals going crazy (with a girl who works for a political organization at the next table exlplaining the ins and outs of everything that was happening. And after the win...

The streets of DC erupted. It was like a sports win, but even more so. Cars racing, honking through the streets, people running and jumping up and down and cheering. We went to the street in front of the white house, and it was just packed. Every age, every ethnicity, every sociala class just coming together and celebrating. People were hugging me and jumping into my arms. People were shaking each others hands, almost in tears, just thanking them for having voted. People were singing. It was like a protest, but instead of everyone being angry, everyone was overjoyed. We sang Goodbye to Bush, we were chanting 'Yes We Did'. It was overwhelming. It was amazing. It was everything and more of what I was hoping for in coming to DC during the election.

I know Obama ain't perfect. I know he's no Messiah figure, and things aren't going to change as much as I'm hoping as fast as I'd want.

But.

But. The way this election brought people together astounds me. Everyone I've talked to here is so proud to have voted, so happy, so on fire for being a part of the process. I saw men in suits debating politics with a homeless man, I saw... man, it was awesome.

In other news, I've discovered I really don't care all that much for the history of Air and Space... (that museum was a bit of a dud for me.) But the 'Newseum' absolutely fascinated me. The Newseum is probably my favourite place in DC now. I'll write more about it another time.