Italilly

I'm elated. Actually, the whole world is. We can now say President-elect Barack Obama.

It was astounding and emotional to see the whole world erupt into festivities on the day of his election (ok, the whole world except for some teary eyed Republican diehards...but I can't feel too sad since they got 8 years of Bush and they are already cheering "2012! 2012!" to Sarah Palin). They weren't the only teary eyed onlookers...I couldn't keep help but sniffle every time I saw him standing proudly on the stage speaking to the Chicago crowd about how nothing is impossible in America. Now every country is talking about how we've turned the page, changed our skin, and regained our popularity.

Even in Italy the media is talking nonstop about the event. The program AnnoZero featured Marco Trovaglio to analyze the differences between American and Italian politics. There was of course the immediate outcry over Berlusconi's first comment about the new American Commander in Chief: "Obama ha tutto bello, giovane e abbronzato." Ok. Hold on. Should I laugh or cringe over this comment? Is it an insult or a joke? I mean there should be a LOT more to say than that about Obama...therefore I say "Vergognati Silvio!"

I can't go into the analysis because that's the journalists job but I can remember the day as a historic and emotional day in my life! I feel like it is the first historic turning point in the 21st century. When I walked past my bicycle-man yesterday and said hello, an old woman shuffled by slowly and said to him, "Venerdì piglio novanta-nove." Wow. If there was one century I wish I could live in from start to finish it was the 20th century! I'm so jealous! Imagine how many historic events she witnessed in a century....two world wars and several others, inventions of modern household things like television and the technology boom in the seventies, the civil rights era, the womens' rights, the invention of the internet and more specifically to Florence was the devasting flood of 1966 that haunts and fascinates me.

Now I can say that I grew up with cellphones and internet AND more importantly I witnessed the first Black president to be elected in the United States of America.


And I believe that soon I will witness the election of the first female President***!!


***Exceptions: Sarah Palin...