I am back! Very tired since I was up almost all night watching the live coverage on CNN. It has been a very emotional night. Many coffees to stay awake, couple of cigarettes and text messages with friends sharing our feelings about the long night ahead of us. Eventhough I had couple of double shots espresso there were times I felt asleep, to wake up couple of minutes later trying to figure out what I've missed! There were times where it was worse than watching a tennis game.

But then finally the big moment came: Barack Obama - the next President of the United States of America. Unbelievable! Eventhough I was miles away I could feel the joy of people assembling in parks, piazzas, street across the country. Obama's speech made me cry of joy. Listening to him you really realize there is hope. For america and for the rest of the world.

Even the candidate who lost the "battle" turned out to be a great man. His speech to congratulate obama was very touching. Only in America these things happens.

The best part of all was the participation of people. Not only during the day, but during the entire campaign. People finally started to believe again. Believe that a change is really possible. Yesterday was the perfect example. When I hear people here during election times say "I dont care...one or the other is the same...nothing is going to change"...open your eyes people! It is you, us who can make changes. By chosing who we believe can make it happen!

""It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen; by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the very first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different; that their voice could be that difference".

"This is our time, to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, that, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope. And where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can’t, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can".

Congratulation Obama!

Image and excerpts from Obama's victory speech Via The Huffington Post

The political election for the new US president I guess has never been so interesting as now! I said, after my forced departure from the political world that I would never talk about it ever again. But the presidential 08 are a different thing! Are we really assisting at a debate or an amazing tv-show? Has a politician to be more of an actor than a boring talker? Obama and Mc Cain. People or brands? It's funny, I went back to LA for a short vacation and all I brought back from my trip were Obama gadgets! My "Obama for your mama" T-shirt got really popular among people around me. Obama sounds as good as "Prada", as "Abercrombia and Fitch". Everybody have put so much effort in advertising the candidates as if they were a clothing brand. Or a store one. And it works! It seems up til now that the business plan around the run for presidency has involved more people then 4 years ago. In Europe we constantly hear and talk about the "Obamania"...in Berlin more people attended his public speech then if the Rolling Stones sang in the same place. This morning I was reading something relly interesting. 7 Eleven, same as 4 years ago, is selling coffee cups with the candidates name on it. Blue for Obama and red for Mc Cain. You make your choice and get your coffee. Not only you walk around your city sharing with the world your political choice...but you also, obviously, become the mean by which 7 Eleven get advertised around the streets. Up til now Obama's cups win! And 7 Eleven says that 4 years ago the "coffee poll" was the same as the outcome of the presidential winner! No more to say then go out, find a 7 Eleven and get your coffeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

I fell asleep last night with a book in my hands (and my glasses still on!). I finished my last one and started the new one right before taking a good sleep. I woke up with the book still in my hands! Anyway, I started my day noticing that the sky was covered with many shadows of gray that ultimately turned into a darkness I haven't seen for a long time in this part of the world. So, I started reading newspapers trying to understand what happened last night at the final debate between Obama and Mc Cain. But swiss journalists were already sleeping when that event took place so I went in my favorite online newspaper "The Huffington Post" to discover that Obama still rocked the night. And that made my day. I wish I could have voted too in the states. I lived there for years and I'm now hoping for the big change. Let's wait for the 4th of november and really hope that intelligent voters will make it happen!