Yesterday’s headline in Le Monde (the French equivalent of the NY Times) – 84% of the French Approve of Obama!
The day after the election, virtually every newspaper and magazine published that day featured a full-page color picture of Obama on the cover (I've included a photo of just one)! And Wednesday morning I received an e-mail or text message of congratulations from virtually every French friend I have. Not to mention that yesterday it was what I was greeted with at my exercise class and at my French class. Many of my French friends said it gave them goose bumps when they heard the news, one shared with me that for her it was like the emotion she felt when Mitterand was elected. They were happy for me (because they knew I had been sweating it) but also for the message it sent, the hope and possibility the results created as well as for the world. And at the gym I go to in my neighborhood several of the French spent lots of time dissecting the election and what comes next.
I’ve continued to wear my Obama button and, where before the election it generated lots of random (positive) comments and conversations with strangers, now it’s eliciting smiles.
Now back to real life and the hard work ahead!
2 comments:
Joan, thanks for covering the French scene for us. It's been a wonderful time at home, too. I can tell that many, many people are not only pleased and relieved by the outcome of the election but also genuinely moved. We're ready to move on! Tom
Glad to see you back, Joan.
It must be a tremendous relief not having to pretend you're Canadian anymore.
Congratulations to us!
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