Barack in Bangladesh

I just got chills reading his address. That has definitely never happened before with a not-even-State of the Union speech.

I knew that people liked Obama abroad, but I never imagined the kind of responses I'd get to my nalgene. It's plastered with two large Obama stickers (thanks, Mrs. Segade!) and whenever I break it out, people ooh and ahh. The jaja who cooks and cleans and probably makes no more than $50 a month widened his eyes and exclaimed "Barack Obama!" in an accent I could barely understand. The Swedish girls I met at the Nordic Club excitedly told me that they have a HOPE poster in their apartment. Even in the villages, people recognize his face.

When people see me in the canteen and ask "your country?" I tend to say China because, well, I don't look "American" (aka white) and Bangladesh and China have very friendly relations. When I do answer American, though, people tend to make a slightly disparaging comment but then say how much they like Obama. It's fascinating. I think just the fact that he is president is already doing wonders for the perception of America abroad.

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In other news: there is a mutiny of the paramilitary border security forces in Bangladesh. A gunfight broke out in a compound in Dhanmondi (a nice part of Dhaka, a street away from where the Australians live) this morning, killing a rickshaw puller, wounding 9 other civilians, and we don't know who's been killed or injured in the compound. They've taken over the compound and a mall nearby. There's no indication of any kind of coup or extended danger.