JYA
Q&A: Students Comment on Election 2008
Elizabeth Hartman-Dow in front of Windsor Castle, England. |
Gate: How
did you spend election night?
EH: I spent
election night in the TV room of a hostel in Istanbul, where
young backpackers from around the globe all gathered to watch
events unfold, and of course offer their own interpretations
and opinions of politics and the election so far, and America,
in general.
Gate: How
would you describe the interest in the presidential election
where you are?
EH: There is
a lot of interest in the election here in London, and elsewhere
I've been. The students at my university care and tend to
know at least the basics, but it's also very common to be
out and have a storekeeper recognize the American accent
and then get dragged into revealing your opinions about various
issues, or just the election in
general.
Gate: What
was the reaction about the election of Barack Obama?
EH: There
seemed to be an initial reaction of elation, and then a
calming down into an overall feeling of hope, with elements
of elation still evident. It was great to finally be able
to answer the question, “So, where are you from?” not
with “Canada” or “the States....yeah, I
know, we're angry, too,” but instead with “We're
from America, woo!”
Gate: Did
you vote by absentee ballot? When did you send that in?
EH: I
sent my absentee ballot in, I believe it was Monday, October
13. Very proud moment, that.
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