Today Obama will be inaugurated as Americas 44th president. All Ugandans are going nuts. In Kampala they are selling Obama t-shirts and they are selling quite fast. Everyone has changed their cell phone rings to an R&B song about Obama. It goes "Obama, Obama, Obama, Obama, Obama ..." And they are all trying to figure out when the inauguration will be played on the T.V.
I’m not going to lie, like them I am very excited. I was supposed to go back to Ddegeye today after a weekend in Kampala, but I am going to stay an extra day so that I can see the inauguration.
11:00 January 20, 2009 …
I just watched the inauguration at a small bar on Kampala Rd. called Slow Boat Pub and Restaurant. It was very inspiring. Everyone in the pub went wild every time Obama or his family came on the screen and everyone booed every time George Bush went on the screen. As I talked to several people around the pub, I was impressed with how well informed they were about the ceremony (many people knew that they had installed heaters underneath the main parties seats so to keep them warm). People also knew a lot about Hillary and Bill Clinton, and Joe Biden. At least half the people I saw were wearing Obama t-shirts. I thought Obama made a great speech. I was really inspired by his comment on helping the world around us (both domestic and foreign) and by comment about how if we work together we can overcome the obstacles we face today.
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7 comments:
Hi Becky,
Thanks for this post. I was curious as to how the inauguration played in Uganda. Check out the Huffington Post web site for great pictures of the inauguration and the Obama family. Love, Linda
Did you hear the Concord shout out in Obama's speech? All I'm saying is that he didn't mention Lexington.
love Mark
Becky:
We are still enjoying all your posts. I think many people here are as excited as people in Uganda about Obama.
It is hard to believe it is sunny and approximately 80 degrees over there; here I am sitting at the kitchen table looking at a five foot icicle hanging of the roof. And, there is a solid foot of snow on the deck.
Everyone is hanging out inside. Mark is studying for midterms, your mother is hard at work, as is Megan, and etc.
I ran into someone who climbed Kilimanjaro while we were in Uganda. He told me that the snow cap is disappearing. I think this may be another effect of climate change.
At least now we have a President who will pay attention to these types of things -- a cause for Ugandans and everyone else to celebrate.
All our love,
Dad
Hi Bec,
Sounds like it was a great experience. I'm glad you got to stay an extra day and watch his speech. Can't wait to talk to you soon.
love,
Megan
Dear Becky:
Thank you for this post! It's great to find out that the people in Uganda know and care about our elections!
My colleagues and I, along with many Union students, watched the speech at Reamer (remember the big TV opposite Dutch Hollow?). The people who cheered during the speech were mostly faculty (the least inhibited?), but *everyone* clapped enthusiastically at the end.
Anastasia
Ilike your recent posts. I would have eaten that spaghetti. I am forewarning the campus that you will cook when you get back and we are making plans to buy African food. Do you have some recipes too that Dining Services could use?
No bugs please? Did you and Steve ever look into getting a bile [ non-motorized?]
I watched it on CNN.com and the minute he said Concord the facebook statuses of our friends went NUTS! GO CONCORD, GO CONCORD!!! Eat that Lexington!
Love you!
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