It is quite interesting to view the election process from overseas, as it resembles nothing of the election process one views while being stateside. Like many Americans, I am sure, I am glued to the TV trying to listen to as many pundits as possible about the impending election.  But here, I get to see a whole plethora of stuff I would never get to see from the comfort of my living room in Colorado. Point in case, I got to watch debates from Doha, Qatar where two Americans representing each side, sit in between an angry British mediator, with a Kuwaiti vying for McCain and an Egyptian vying for Obama fighting over who is the best candidate for the world. They took questions from the audience, most of which were about weather or not the candidates would be concerned with their respective regions.  There were very thoughtful questions posed from people who hailed from such places as Somalia, Lebanon, Syria, Iran and Dubai, which spoke to the gravity of the position we have as Americans in the world.

We may watch with fascination, or even irreverent interest when other nations partake in their election process, but we usually realize as Americans;  no matter who is elected in another country, they may have a slight impact on our trade, or foreign affairs policy, but they do not have a direct impact on our day to day life. People who live around the world cannot say the same. They wait with baited breath, and high expectations as to who will be the next American president because it will impact the very nature of their being and the security of their region. That is a lot of power for one country. But it is something to be admired, respected and maybe even feared. If, at the very least, it should be realized that although we forget from time to time that a place called Sri Lanka, Singapore or even Nepal, not for one moment does anyone in these places forget that there is a United States.

Most everyone I know here has invited me to an “election party”, whether they are Democrat or Republican, or even those who have no idea what “Democrat” or “Republican” is, like many Nepali people. (Never try explaining the electoral college to anyone, in anyplace here in Nepal, ever. Trust me.)The first reason for a party is the obvious; it is a reason to have a party. But the second is that people are hoping that their candidate will bring about the change they want to see in the world.

Living here, I have met people from all over the world; I have spoken with and dined with people from Israel, Iran and Germany all at the same table. And the first question they have all asked me is who I am voting for and what is my view on foreign affairs.  Whoa. I am but a simple person, with ideas and hopes for all of my fellow mankind. My beliefs may be more idealistic than others, but no less, my ideals are that of freedom, no matter our national origin.  But no less, I think it is an important aspect for all Americans to realize that the vote we may or may not cast due to long lines and inconvenience truly impacts not only America, but those throughout the world. As a side note, I want to commend the American Embassy in Nepal for their help and clarification on the absentee voting process.

Voting is something we take for granted; because we are free…But so many of the world, including where I CURRENTLY AM is not free, it is but a gift from our intelligent, foreseeing, and gifted forefathers, that no matter who we may cast a vote for on November 4^th, we can agree our forefathers had the best of intentions and the well being of future Americans at mind when they drafted the Constitution.

So remember this fellow Americans, we are damn lucky, not only for the nation that we were born in, but for the ability to realize that we can vote, and our vote makes an does impact.