IV. Are You From Obama?

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That's right folks, in a country where you can catch a "Blood of Jesus" dala-dala into town and a "Wu-Tang" dala-dala back out, where you can get your hair cut at the "Manchester United Salon" and then pop over to the "Obama Butcher's Shop" for a side of beef, the name of our new president has become a location. Not only is it a butcher's shop, it's also synonymous with the name of our nation, and I've been asked once or twice whether I'm from Obama. I've also been greeted with the name, surprised when my Swahili "mambo" is met not with the appropriate "poa" but with a heartfelt "Obama!" I remember in India, months back, I was at a one-year-old's birthday party when a man I had never met approached me and said congratulations. I was taken aback, and could only assume that he thought I was the lucky little fellow who was turning one that day. I later discovered that he was congratulating me on Obama's victory. I didn't really have much to do with it, but I was happy to take some credit.

Yes, people over here seem quite excited about Obama. Some appreciate his policies and positions, some are just glad to see Bush go, and most are just psyched that he’s African. I had an interesting conversation with some young men last night, with whom my only common ground, my only safe topic of conversation, was Obama. Alex, Ayesha and I were walking home from the orphanage at dusk, and we met someone who had given Alex a ride to town. In turn, Alex had given him some beer, so the young man (Sylvester) invited us back to his place to return the favor. Though I was quite intimidated when I arrived at the house to find six or seven Tanzanian men lounging around with their shirts off, silent because of the language barrier, an English speaker soon arrived to break the ice. He was a big fan of Obama, but when Alex began to deride Bush, he actually spoke in defense of the ex-president. “He is a good man,” explained our new friend. “He fights Hussein, Bin Laden, and they are enemies of the whole world. You have to be a strong person to be in that position of responsibility.” He was cutting Bush some slack when Alex and I had been prepared to apologize for our country’s foreign policy over the last eight years. “So many people don’t like Bush,” the man went on, “but he’s a good guy.”

We watched the inauguration at a bar filled with mzungus like ourselves on the shores of Lake Victoria, and there was some booing when old W. came walking down the aisle, but mostly there was excitement at the prospect of a new era. I know that many people reading this did not vote for Obama, and I have doubts and fears about his presidency myself, but it was wonderful to see the excitement and hope that he has inspired around the world. I personally hope and pray that he will be able to conduct our country in a way that makes me proud.