This is what everyone says to me, their token American about last night’s historic election result. Well, that’s not really the first thing they say. If they know me, there are emails and text messages bearing the “felicitaciones.” If not, they check with me first to be sure that I’m an Obama supporter. Which is so strange to me because I would think that by looking at me and talking to me, they would know. And I trot out my hackneyed, “most Americans that you know in Latin America, unless they are businessmen or have a boatload of money or both, are Democrats. Republican expats live elsewhere.” But the congratulations keep coming, which is lovely if somewhat strange.

The experience the boyfriend has is different. You see, he’s black. And the assumption that everyone makes is that he’s pro-Obama. As it happens, he is, but it’s funny to see the difference between how people cautiously wonder which political party I’d support, while his support is presumed to be for the African-American candidate. He tells me that everyone all over town is giving him the thumbs’-up calling out “Obama.” Nobody’s calling out anything to me, except “nice legs,” “precious,” or “my queen”which is my permanent piropo (flirtatious comment) soundtrack.

You might or might not be curious about media attention here. As you know the world over is paying very close attention. In addition to what greeted me on the street, on my phone and every other which way in which people can get in touch with me, here’s some of what greeted me at the kioscos (newspaper stands) via the newspaper headlines this morning:

El Mercurio:
Spanish: Obama se convierte en el primer Presidente de color de EEUU
English: Obama becomes the first president of color in the United States
Las Ultimas Noticias
Spanish: Obamazo
English: O-SLAM-A
La Cuarta
Spanish: Obama ganó mirando para atrás al gordito canoso
English: Obama won, looking back at the grey-haired fatty

I suppose you can surmise for yourself which of these newspapers you might like to pick up for your own personal reading pleasure, should you ever happen to find yourself perusing the newspaperstands here in Santiago. I’d have loved to go to the Newseum today to check out the headlines from around the country and around the world today.

And now back to your regularly scheduled (mostly) apolitical musings.