The general feeling I get from people here towards Americans is very different now than when I was here two years ago. Before coming in 2007, I remember the program director telling us to be very cautious and not draw attention to the fact that we were American. Of course, no matter how hard you try, people know exactly where you are from once you speak :o)
I went to Cape Point with Professor Lee and Dr. Murphey-Brown and just happened to be wearing an Obama shirt. The entire day, people were smiling, waving, and giving me thumbs up! It's amazing what a warm and positive reception he receives from the rest of the world. One man even commented that he would love to see Obama and Mandela photographed together. Talk about a powerful photo! This was before the Nobel Peace Prize controversy, but my guess is that though people may not agree with that decision, they still support President Obama and the things he is trying to accomplish. Alexis and I joked about wearing a George W. Bush shirt as a social experiment to compare the reactions but decided we did not want to risk having things thrown at us.
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