Some Large Steps & Some Baby Steps Today

Some of ya guys know LW and I live in a very middle class Mexican neighborhood. The nearest English speaking family is a number of blocks away and every once in awhile we pass each other when walking the dogs. The language spoken here is Spanish. Our neighbors are very patient and helpful with LW and my stumbling around and total butchery of their beautiful language, But if we wish to communicate with our neighbors it is done in Spanish. Actually it's more like Spanglish :)

We have worked very hard in the 2&1/2 years that we have been here to fit in and quietly be accepted as part of the neighborhood. We don't try to be Mexican and we don't scream, look at me I'm from the US. Because of this we are slowly earning the respect of our neighbors. We are now greeted by them as we pass their house or pass each other on the side walks.

I have read many of blog entries and news reports talking about the atmosphere and positive feelings about today's historic events. Now you would think that living in a foreign country in a foreign neighborhood today would pass by as any other. But that has not been the case. Today many of our neighbors have congratulated, and commended us for electing a person into the highest office of our land for his leadership abilities irregardless of his skin color. That our country has managed to raise above it's prejudices and move a small step closer to a more human society. Our neighbors have made a point of shaking our hand and telling us we should be very proud of what we have done as a nation.

On the surface that doesn't seem to be a very big deal, but really it is. Today our neighbors stepped out of character to visit in a very familiar way to the strange Americans. For LW and I it not only has been a historic day for our home country it has also been a day that we moved a bit closer to being accepted by the people of our adopted country :)

Have a most audacious day or evening Bloglandian friends depending on where in the world you are ;)