a ballad for the ballot.

it feels so out of control, being a part of this election from so far away. and while a genuine effort has been made to contribute while at home, the rest of it is out of your hands. you've been a delegate, you've preached your words, you did your part, you move on-- and then you move away. so now, you can look online, you can hear about it from family, you can chat about it with spaniards, you can think about it till the rain stops in cadiz. but regardless of how certain all of spain is that obama will win, regardless of their convincing words, regardless of how many times your host mom says "you see that guy on tv? ya. he's your next president..." (thank you, spain, for trying to calm our nerves)--it all feels very out of control from so far away. 

but then. 

you walk downstairs. 

and there is your ballot. 

and suddenly, it feels so near again. 

and now i'm off to find "the best smelling street in the world" in cáceres, spain. then off to salamanca for the weekend. goin' west!