Africa Stays Up All Night to Hear US Election Results
非洲人对奥巴马当选总统欢欣鼓舞

　
Millions of Africans are exhausted after staying up all night watching expectantly to see whether a man of African descent will elected to the America's highest office. An all-night party of journalists and political enthusiasts in Addis Ababa where everybody was talking about being American for a day to share in this historic election.

数百万非洲人充满期待地熬夜观看一名非洲后裔是否能够当选美国总统。在亚地斯亚贝巴举办了一场由记者与政治人物参加的彻夜派对，每个人都在设想自己是美国人，藉此来分享这场历史性的选举。

It's a long night here in front of the television at this upscale Ethiopian home. Half a dozen anxious viewers drift in and out, trying to control the nervous energy. It's well after midnight, but the TV screen shows long lines of voters standing in the rain waiting for their turn in the voting booth. TV commentators kill time until the first polls close.

在埃塞俄比亚的这个高级住家当中，6个焦急的观众感觉长夜漫漫，在电视前面来回踱步，试图平息心中的紧张。此时刚过半夜，但电视萤幕上显示的是大排长龙的选民站在雨中，等候进入投票亭。电视评论员闲谈著直到第一个投票所关闭为止。

"There is a good deal of confidence in the Obama campaign that he's going to win this evening," they said. "So far, there's also the unknown. As one strategist put it, 'I'm a nervous wreck."

“大家对于奥巴马在今晚获胜都有很大的信心。到目前为止，还是胜负未定。就如某位策略家说的，我是个紧张大师。”

That comment sends a thrill through this audience. This is Africa and there are no McCain supporters in the room.

以上的评论让观众们心惊胆跳。这里是非洲，而且现场没有一位麦凯恩的支持者。

Deresse Kassa, a professor at Addis Ababa University, says he has never stayed up late for any elections results. But this is a moment he says he doesn't want to miss.

德瑞斯.卡萨是亚地斯亚贝巴大学的教授，说他从来没有为了等选举结果而熬夜这么晚。但他说，这是一个他不想错过的时刻。

"America has history whereby the African-American community has to struggle to be considered citizens themselves and be a franchise in order to cast their votes," said Kassa. "Coming from this segregation and inequality, to be able to see Democratic candidates running for the presidency, the highest office, by itself is big achievement."

The televisions are on as the first results come in during the wee hours of the morning. The news is encouraging for viewers here.

当第一个选举结果在凌晨时分播报出来时，电视一直开着。新闻激励着观众。

Journalist Lulit Amdamariam says she is energized by the possibility of witnessing, what she calls, a great moment. "We're going to be here all night," she said. "Thirty-two hours, if we have to."

记者卢利特.安达马李安说，她因为有可能目睹那“伟大的一刻”，而感到十分激奋：“我们今晚都会在这。就算要待上32个小时都可以。”

Lulit is not an American, but she lived in the States for several years and attended Howard University in Washington.

卢利特并不是美国人，但是她曾在美国住过几年，并且在华盛顿的霍华德大学学习。

"I attended a black college, so I understand what this means to the black community in the United States," said Lulit. "This is a candidate the entire world can relate to."

她说：“我上的是一所黑人学校，所以我了解这对于美国黑人社区的意义。奥巴马是一名全世界都能够感同身受的候选人。”

Lulit's colleague Tamrat Negera, editor of at the Amharic-language newspaper Addis Neger, has not been to the United States, but he says he can understand what this election must mean to African-Americans.

卢利特的同事坦若.娜洁拉是当地一家报纸的编辑，他从没有到过美国。但他说，他能了解这场选举对非洲裔美国人的意义。

"Africa shared the pain of being black, or the pain of status, or colonization, which you understand there was a limitation for a black in this world," he said. "But Obama is breaking that through."

“非洲也有身为黑人的痛苦，或阶级的痛苦，或受殖民的痛苦。你感觉在这个世界上，身为一名黑人，是受到限制的。但奥巴马打破了这个界限。”

Journalist Lulit Amdamariam calls it an American moment.

记者卢利特.安达马李安说这是美国的时刻。

"I think this is the only time the entire world wishes they were American," she said. "So they could vote. Seriously, I think the entire world would go out and vote if they had the opportunity tonight."

“我想这是唯一一次，全世界的人都希望他们是美国人，能够投下那一票。真的，我想如果他们今晚有那个机会的话，全世界都会出门投票。”

This is a moment to remember. Although some Africans may have a hangover on Wednesday, the prospect of the first black U.S. president has enthralled a continent.

这是值得记忆的一刻。纵使有些非洲人可能在星期三会有宿醉，但第一位非洲裔美国总统的现实让整个非洲如痴如醉。