Election Day at Willamette University

Yes, that's right - I'm visiting my alma mater before heading off to Peru (on November 17th). I'm currently sitting in front of the television in Delta Gamma watching election coverage. Four years ago I was following the presidential election from the University of Oviedo in Spain. After the New York Times had confirmed Bush's reelection, I glumly walked out of the computer lab with my head bowed, my spirit crushed. Someone stopped me and asked if I was an American, and when I said yes they nodded at me knowingly and said "Lo siento" (I'm sorry).

Now it's four years later, two weeks before I'm to be in another Spanish speaking country, and I am witnessing history in the making. It's still early and they're not calling it yet, but it's looking less and less like McCain has any chance of winning. I am relieved, and eager to see what the USA will look like under the leadership of a man like Barack Obama. My generation is looking for someone to unite us, looking for a sense of purpose. Lately, all we've been faced with are grim prospects - a floundering economy, lack of jobs, high gas prices, etc. We've gone from having too many choices to not enough.

One thing I've realized while visiting Willamette is that my future life choices must include getting a higher education (a Master's or a PhD). Unfortunately for me, a liberal arts degree is slowly becoming the equivalent of a high school degree in regards to the jobs it gets you. And to be honest, I really miss school. The reason I left Juneau to go on this trip is that I needed something different. I needed the kind of intellectual stimulation that I just wasn't getting working as a waitress in the town I grew up in.

I still don't know what I'm going to do after this trip, or to be honest, even during. But I'm hoping that it will help lead me in the right direction.