Kipilefti

I got up at 5.30 A.M., not that much earlier than my normal time but it felt way earlier because the sun wasn’t up yet. Left the house a little after six to walk to the Acropol Hotel, where all the PCTs gathered to watch the election coverage. Soon after we got there it started to pour rain so the satellite went out and we missed CNN calling the election, and wound up learning of Obama’s victory when one of the people using the wireless refreshed and told us he had 273 votes. The real cheering happened when the television came back on in time for his acceptance speech.

Then to Mama Pierena’s for really realy good Italian food (I had lasagne…I’ve missed cheese so much!) and ice cream, then into town to pick up Anita’s shirt at the fundi. Half the people in town greeted us with “Barack Obama!” and we returned the salutation happily.

I’ve been smiling all day, but it doesn’t seem real. We missed the pre-election buildup, the incessant polls, the crazy media coverage. Can that really be all? Is it decided? Was that it?

(We hear of Obama kangas on Zanzibar and many of us really want them. Hopefully we’ll see them in Dar when we’re there in a couple weeks!)