Living in Chile, I have seen the US economic crisis in a number of ways. The closest I have been to it is in the community I live in, Puerto Natales, Chile. Puerto Natales, in the heart of southern Patagonia, is heavily frequented by tourists in the summer season.

With the summer just around the corner, people are already talking about lower numbers because of the financial crises. Personally, I think that they are a little ahead of themselves but they are right to worry. It is mostly Americans and European tourists that come and they definitely represent the larger portion of big spenders in the tourist flow.

Another way I have seen the crisis is in the international money market. I am spending Chilean Pesos on the street but taking American Dollars out of the bank. Of course the little that I had in the stock market is not looking well but, in the economy that I am spending, the little I had in a savings account grew nearly twenty percent over the last few weeks.

A generality that I have seen is panic. People don’t know what to do or what to expect. I am included. I have been out of the states for nearly a year and plan to return in a couple of months. I did have a plan of what I would do. High paying job, go back to school, maybe take some loans if I can’t make enough money to pay for my school. Now I am not sure about the job, and with loans the way they are, not having a high paying job could mean not being able to pay for school.

Another place I have seen the economic crisis is in the debates. I have been struggling to relate this election with others. I have found myself following it closely whereas I have never even watched another presidential debate.

I want to say it is because it is a good excuse to gather with fellow compatriots but it is more. I really am interested. I also have thought, it is because I am out of the country or because I have gotten old enough to follow politics that it seems more important.

I think though that it is one of the most important elections in our times and I hope that American at home are seeing the same debates that I am seeing because it is obvious that change must take place.

It is true that the situation is a crisis but I believe with the proper leadership, with the American mentality properly harnessed and directed toward positive, progressive growth, this can be only a road block at which we must pay our toll. However, failing to yield to the signs presented will undoubtedly lead us to our demise and the signs signal for change.