OBAMERICA!

I cannot explain how elated I am to have found out that Barack Obama will be our next President!!! Picture a group of students in the melia cohiba hotel, at 11 pm at night, crowded around a tv watching intently to see that Obama had reached 270 electoral votes. It was the most emotionally charged thing I have ever sat through, and when we found out that he had won, we all were crying and hugging and so happy to be alive at that moment. This is history, people. Obama is a person who has united so many different constituencies, so many different people can see themselves in him. He is pursuing the same dream that my grandfather pursued, he represents everything that my grandfather and other Italian-Americans worked so hard for in this country, which is equality, a good life for their families, and hope for a better future for his children. He represents everyone in this nation equally, regardless of skin color, or age, or economic status. I couldn't be happier, and walk around everywhere here with a smile, proud to say "I'm American!!" once more, something I feel like I couldn't do before.

When you have the opportunity to study history from the perspective of a Latin American country, the US comes off as much less benevolent than your typical US high school class would lead you to believe. The US has often played the role of imperialist bully in the world, and it makes me disappointed to see the country I love so much head down such a bad path. I have hope for the future that we will rebuild our international relations, renew our economy, and go back to the glory days of Clinton. (Nonno, I hope you know I wrote that!).

The fact that Obama is half black and half white was such a beautiful factor in this equation. The significance of this for me is twofold, because in Cuba everyone is so excited to have a president who looks like them, and will TALK to Raul Castro!!! WOW! And our first family is now black. It's a beautiful thing when diversity is becoming the face of America, and I'm so happy that it's finally reflected in the white house. I couldn't be prouder of my country, and where we are going right now - OBAMERICA!

I cannot stop smiling, nor do I think I ever will. My generation has been through so much, and cannot wait to see what happens as history unfolds itself. I think that being in Cuba has made me appreciate my love for my country so much more, because it's such a rare thing to be an American in Cuba. Here, I am not from Massachusetts, I am American, and now I'm proud to be labeled as such, because my president is someone I can take pride in, and someone who can unite my country together like it has never been united before.

GOD BLESS THE USA, ESPECIALLY FOR THEIR EXCELLENT CHOICE OF A BEAUTIFUL, AMAZING PRESIDENT!!!!!!!