An American Election in Osaka

As I sat in SF Intl. Airport last Wednesday awaiting my flight to Osaka, a wave of emotion came over me. Although America always lives in my heart (with Ken Griffey Jr. and the remains of a lifetime of fast food), the realization (long ago acknowledged but never truly accepted) that I was not going to physically be in my country for the culmination of the election season brought me to tears.

I didn't fear the outcome or think I needed to help Obama pull out the victory with last minute get-out-the-vote efforts (thank you Jasper, Jessica and especially Celeste). I just wanted to be in the streets of New York, with America on every side of me, for the day and the night that our country turned a corner.

Luckily, I knew I would be with at least one fellow American no matter what...and close to gmail and iChat.

Nicole made sure there was more for us than those meager digital connections by finding a Democrats Abroad party in Osaka to hit at 10 a.m., Nov. 5 (7 p.m. EST, Nov. 4). We started with $10 Guinesses and a peace offering of Trollbäck Obama buttons to our fellow cast aways (about 10 to start, 30 at the peak for Obama's victory speech). We drank a lot (switched to happy hour Sapporo), ate our fill (Shepard's Pie, fish and chips) and happily talked (politics, Japan, NY restaurants) with people from all over America (including a couple awesome fellow Brooklynites).

Good news came pouring in all night (morning for us), and the room was in a constant state of jubilation.

I cried again in the early afternoon, but it wasn't related to homesickness.

I should have known Obama's victory would ring throughout the world. America is everywhere again.