O-ba-ma

The post-election atmosphere on campus can only be described as subdued. While most students and faculty followed the election, many did not have a preference between the two candidates, and of those that did, few could give me a concrete reason for their choice. (Unless you count "Obama is handsome... and so thin!") To better exemplify what it's like to talk politics in China, I thought I would share with you a word-for-word excerpt from one of my recent conversations with a professor.

Me: what do you think?

SQ: no special feeling, but I think it is a improvement in US history, at least you all select a blackman as president

SQ: it is a chance for US, and for the world, I really hope the relation between China and US would be changed greatly

Me: changed in what way?

SQ: Whole

Me: whole? what do you mean?

SQ: all aspects, politics, economic, education

Me: are you unhappy with china's relationship with the u.s. now?

SQ: there are some problems, especially on politics

Me: what political aspects of the relationship do you hope will change under obama?

SQ: hehe, I don't know, such as the Taiwan issue

Me: what do you think obama could do to help that issue?

SQ: now looks like you are the vice president

At first I was somewhat surprised/insulted that there wasn't more interest, but then I remembered that I can barely name the top two leaders in China, and if asked to analyze their policies...forget about it! So I guess I'm just another annoying, self-centered American. But apparently I'm qualified to be vice president, and hey, that's something.