Election night coverage back in the UK in 1997 was so delightfully British. Whatever side of the political fence you were on, anyone who stayed up late to watch the results couldn’t have failed to be amused. Amongst the other candidates a seven foot transvestite candidate, “Miss Money Penny’s Glamorous One Party”, towered over the others as the returning officer announced the results. She/he wasn’t the only quirky candidate that night, there were others represented up and down the country.
So when I was invited by an American to go to a U.S election watching party in Geneva on Tuesday night, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Would there be anything equally surreal, would it be momentous, would it be serious, who would be there?
Fashion and fun at the start
Moving to a new country can be daunting. There are a lot of issues to be dealt with. Unpacking of boxes, official paperwork, a new language, learning the ropes of a new job, settling children into school, discovering the nuances of the country, all these and more can make it a stressful time.
So sometimes it’s good to get together with others in the same situation, whether it’s to ask advice on where to find the local déchetterie, or how to make a good fondue. Meeting folk who are going through, or have gone through the same situation, can be helpful and often cathartic.