Out on a Lim Obama's election a victory for international students

Author: Leslie Lim

During the historic day of Nov. 4 last week, one of my friends asked me whether I would be watching the election at the Grille that night. I wouldn't be, I answered, because I had to be at the town hall theater for a dress rehearsal of the ISO show. I cheekily added that most of us in the ISO show were internationals anyway. But the truth of the matter was, this election and its results meant a great deal to me, and to international students here as well.

Despite the fact that we (international students) can't vote, in some ways this election affects us more. The incoming president will of course put the security and happiness of the American people first, as he rightly should. But his choice of policy regarding foreign affairs is much more open to interpretation. In this system, Congress tends to assert itself more regarding domestic issues, but defers to the president more often on foreign policy. In other words, the president is relatively free to determine how he will shape relations with other countries.

This means that the president is the one who will most likely shape relations with the home countries of international students here. Will it become more difficult to study here? Obtain visas? Will there be good trade relations that affect the economies back home? The president's decisions will affect us international students on a micro-level in terms of how we are treated here, but also on the macro-level in terms of how the colossal United States impacts our home countries as a superpower.

Indeed, every four years when the election rolls around, Channel News Asia, a news channel back home in Singapore, makes its way, camera crews and all, to visit my high school, the Singapore American School, to interview Democrats and Republicans, teachers and students, for their input during election day. The world eagerly awaited the results and interest in the election was undeniable.

I was elated when Barack Obama won, much like most of this campus, which erupted into cheers and dancing that I could hear through even my closed window. But in addition to his overall policies and potential, what I appreciate in Barack Obama is his global outlook. As somebody who lived in multiple countries and has a complicated identity, President-elect Obama is as international as an American comes. And I believe this will translate into much more of a diplomatic and open way of dealing with other countries than has been in the past.

During the last eight years, America has been veering on an incredibly isolationist path and burning many bridges in its wake. Of course it has to ensure its own security. But America need not be suspicious of everybody. We care a great deal about who is elected President because we care about our relations with America. And President-elect Obama hopefully represents a turning point in America's relations with us internationals, and the rest of the world we represent.