Yes We Can

I cannot believe this week.

On Saturday, came back from an incredible week in Kedougou, an experience that I'll have to discuss in another post. I don't want you to have to read too much at once.

On Sunday, celebrated (finally) my 20th birthday! My host sister Bineta brought me breakfast in bead, complete with giant jar of nutella. Then I went over to my friend Robin's house to make some blueberry pancakes with mix she brought from the states. We had to improvise a little, considering they don't have measuring cups or anything but boy it didn't matter. They were deeeeeelicious. And what a coincidence! My dear father whose birthday I share asked my mom to make blueberry pancakes for his special day. So although my dad and I were half a world away on Sunday, we both ate blueberry pancakes on our birthday.
Afterwards, spent most of the day at SIT, like always. But it was great because I got to skype with some really lovely people who I miss a ton. Mommy and Phoebe- I can't even express how happy I was to see your faces! Ah, the wonders of technology.
For my birthday dinner we went to La Fiesta, which despite its name does not serve any spanish or mexican food. But it's all good, because I got some delicious mashed potatoes instead. And a very alcoholic unidentifiable cocktail that the bartender made me when he found out it was mon anniversaire.

Unfortunately, all that partying didn't agree with my body and I felt pretty shitting on monday. I slept during wolof and took a taxi back to my home. I threw up a whole bunch and couldn't eat anything...not to mention the horrendous headache. First I thought it was a hangover, but hangovers don't give you fevers. So my temperature continued to rise and fall throughout the night, causing me to suddenly throw on 5 layers of clothing and later running to the shower. my host cousin Seder was kind enough to make me tea and check on me every couple of hours to make sure I was still alive. It was pretty scary feeling so sick here and realizing how far I am from home, but he took good care of me.

Yesterday, I made it through the day and started to feel better and decided I was well enough to spend the evening at the Club Atlantique where they were having an election party. It was really weird- it looks like pool clubs they have all over the US. They even have a snack bar with grilled cheese sandwiches and frozen snickers! But wow... being abroad during the campaign has been very weird, but enlightening. I mean, I've always known that the US was a "world super power" but I've never seen how much influence we have on others until I came here. Politically and culturally, we really affect the entire world and we have to be responsible about that power.

Anyways...

My thoughts last night were:
fucking a I'm so glad PA was blue, despite all of McCain's shenanigans in Deleware County.
Wow. There is no way McCain is going to win. Now it's only a question of whether Obama is going to break 300.
Waking up around 4:30...WHAT? HE WON VIRGINIA? And their still counting Arizona? eesh.
Obama is going to be our president.
For the first time in my life I'm truly happy to be american.

as I was buying yogurt this morning, the radio in the store was talking about how the youth vote played an important role in the election. I smiled and thought, yea. We did it.