I voted absentee!

Normally I wouldn't put anything political on a travel blog, but I promise this will not be annoying - just interesting! This is NOT political commentary, its more about the experience of being abroad during an important election year.

There is less than one month left in, what could be considered, one of the most historic elections in the States. I have to admit that sometimes I've felt a little sad that I couldn't be in DC this semester, just because I'm sure it must be so interesting to be there during this election. But what I've found is that being abroad, and still trying to be involved in the election, has turned out to be a unique experience in itself!

This Tuesday, Nikki (roomie from the States), Avril and I went to the Democrats Abroad event to watch the presedential debate (NOTE: I do not affiliate myself with either political party. I believe what I believe and then vote for whoever best matches that. I just don't like labels...unless of course they're designer ;) Anyway, the event took place at Sacramento Bar in Palermo Soho. It was so strange to be completely surrounded by Americans! As I was walking through the bar, I kept saying "perdon" (excuse me), only to remember that I could speak English there. The bar was pretty packed, mixing politics and the social scene to create a fun night.

The next morning, the U.S. Embassy opened for absentee voting. I was so excited to vote because, not only is this an important election, but its also my first time voting. Plus, I was nervous that SOMETHING would go wrong with my absentee ballot, so I figured this would be a safer option. After forgetting my passport at home, cabbing it back to retrieve it and standing in line for an hour, I finally entered the embassy. It was crowded with people, and pretty unorganized; but I filled out all the forms necessary to vote. The best moment came when I dropped my enveloped ballot into the slot and received my "I voted absentee" sticker. I'm not sure how to describe it, but it was definately a proud moment.