I kind of liked being a foreign election observer for a day and so I thought I?d fill another page in my custom madenotepad.

1. How exciting! One more day to go! Can?t believe we?re there already. (Glad to see I?m not the only one looking worn-out. Politicians are making me look good!)

2. Now violence has escalated into fights between agents of the same alliance. (Apparently they didn?t get paid. Thought political parties had money? how strange!)

3. Everybody?s blaming the unruly behaviour on alcohol (yeah, good excuse)

4. Still haven?t seen a debate on TV between the two aspiring PMs. (I asked and they said it doesn?t happen here? I don?t get it but I didn?t say. Didn?t want to sound too ignorant)

5. Found something interesting to watch on TV. Politics of course but this is the PPM party with a lightbulb for symbol. They are hilarious! (My kind of people? at last! Politicians with a sense of humour, wow! Just when I was losing faith!)

6. Need to note this again. PM keeps going to political meetings and saying he will treat the specific communities well. (Poor guy says he was hurt that the Muslims thought he took them for granted? very weird - they call it ?national unity!?)

7. I finally understood what the stakes of the elections were: a white PM against a Hindu one! (I tell you, I?m beginning to understand this whole Mauritian thing!)

8. Heard that PM (famous for his lengthy monologues at press conferences) doesn?t give interviews to local media. Only to foreign ones...

9. Aspiring PM (the one in opposition) keeps threatening people saying some won?t have it easy. (Glad I won?t be here!)

10. Money, money, money! Opposition seems to have a lot (and they?re not shy about it either) whereas government doesn?t seem to want to flaunt it. (But they pay a lot for people to work for them!) But most amazingly the country must be really rich. Both blocks promise freebies to people. I like this. (might move here?)

11. Politics are Mauritians? favourite pastime! (They love it! At least they have things to talk about apart from the weather!)

12. No one knows who will win! Weird, huh?

13. Can?t wait for Monday! (Hope they don?t beat me up if I?m walking down the streets? cos this country is scaring me, it?s so confusing!) But? Shhhhhhh!