Barack Obama's former classmates cheered in Indonesia, Australians loaded up on Obama blend coffee, Kenyans took to the streets to celebrate and the Obama Boys of Obama, Japan danced as the world erupted in festivities over the Democratic candidate's presidential victory.

From Paris to Berlin, Sydney to Tokyo, the convincing victory by president-elect Obama was hailed around the world by world leaders and ordinary people dancing on the streets. People of African descent around the world cheered the first African-American US president and the ascent of a child of an African immigrant who was not even a household name a few years ago.

At 2:30 a.m. Wednesday, people gathered in a small private club near the Champs Elysees in Paris began clapping, cheering and chanting "Yes, we can," the slogan of Obama, when CNN announced that Pennsylvania turned blue.

"This is an extraordinary moment for the American people," said Patrick Lozes, who attended the party and is a Frenchman of African descent.

In Berlin, dozens of parties rocked into the wee hours of the morning, with Americans, Germans and others cheering as one state after another went for Obama. When CNN announced that Obama had won, the cheers and shouts were deafening.

"I can’t believe it," said Jane M., an American watching the results at the Babylon theater in Berlin, tears of joy streaming down her face. "I just can’t believe it."

Germans at the party were just as thrilled.

"Today we are all Americans," said Klaus M., watching the results on a screen.

While the emotional focus of the day was firmly in the United States where crowds of jubilant Obama fans packed streets across the country, citizens of many other countries were more than happy to celebrate Obama's victory.

"This is a momentous day not only in the history of the United States of America but also for us in Kenya," said Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki in a statement. "The victory of Senator Obama is our own victory because of his roots here in Kenya. As a country, we are full of pride for his success."

Obama's father came from Kenya and his grandmother still lives in the small town of Kogelo. Even though Obama has never lived in Kenya, many claimed him as one of their own. In downtown Nairobi and in Kibera, one of Africa's largest slums, people dressed in suits on their way to work joined those who had stayed up all night watching the election returns to dance and chant Obama's name.

Meanwhile, in Indonesia, where Obama attended school as a child, former classmates gathered to watch election returns and fete Obama's victory.

Dewi Asmara Oetojo, who was a schoolmate of Obama when he went to a primary school in Jakarta in the 1960s expressed the feelings of the Illinois senator's old school friends: "It's just amazing," she said. "We're so proud of him."

Asmara, who is a member of Indonesia's parliament, said she never thought Obama had leadership qualities but remembers the boy as an easygoing person and also "very wise."

Hundreds of students at Obama's old school, the Menteng 1 primary school, celebrated Obama's election win by shouting "Long live Obama," and "Obama wins! McCain loses!" as classes were stopped to watch the election coverage on local television.

"It's just great -- we're very happy and proud to have Barack Obama win the election," headmaster Kuwadiyanto said, adding that there was an emotional connection between the students and Obama.

Japanese supporters might have shown the most enthusiasm. Not only did the 14 members of the Obama Boys of Obama, Japan, plan a show including hula dancing to celebrate Obama's victory but supporters created a whole line of dishes around the victor, including Obama bean-paste cakes, Obama sushi, Obama noodles, Obama fish burgers and Obama chopsticks.

"We cannot lose to (Republican candidate John) McCain," Yasuyoshi Maeno, leader of the Obama Boys, said as he raised his fist in the air. "We will absolutely win this game!"

The win deeply resonated in France, where members of the Representative Council of Black Associations in France (CRAN) said they hoped the victory of an African-American in the United States could lead to greater representation for people of African descent in France.

"I want this moment also to bring change in the lives of our people," said Lozes."I want this moment to send a message to French politicians, and especially President (Nicolas) Sarkozy."

Celebrations echoed around the world. Democrats in Beijing erupted into shouts of "We did it" as the news of Obama's victory reached them. Thai supporters hefted beers in packed bars.

Poles participated in mock ballots and about 1,500 Americans and Germans gathered in Frankfurt to watch the election returns on a screen set up in a hotel. The Globe Bookstore in downtown Prague advertised "the all-nighter of all-nighters." Elsewhere, crowds packed into bars or private homes to debate US politics through the night. In Athens, cheers erupted at a party, whose guests included the US ambassador, when the election was called for Obama.

Expatriate American supporters of Obama were especially excited. Indeed, several ambassadors broke protocol at election-night events and expressed their excitement for Obama's win.

"I'm optimistic about Obama because there is only one way to go from where we are now," said Jerrod Haguet, a former official at the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia-Pacific, who has spent the past 30 years in Bangkok. "I think for all Americans the last eight years have been a disaster."

Opponents of the current Bush administration around the world say they hoped for a marked change from its policies while Democrats abroad said they looked forward to no longer being accosted about their nation's policies by locals.

"We can be proud to be American again," read one sign the Democrats Abroad party in Berlin.

"I think it is an extraordinary moment both for the US and for the world," said John Powers, an art historian who had waited up at a party in the center of the German capital for the results from his home state of California.

The election, he said, was about "how America thinks about itself and how it sees itself in the world."

Even before voting came to an end in the United States, huge crowds had formed outside the main Democratic Party event in Berlin.

"This it the first time that I voted for someone rather than against someone," said Linden Horvath, an American living in Berlin and working as an English teacher.

"The country," she said "had been on a precipice," adding that if Obama had failed to secure victory then the United States would have risked being judged racist because his defeat could have been attributed to race.

Meanwhile, supporters of Republican candidate John McCain started the night with cautious optimism although many seemed resigned from the start that it would be a bad night. In central Berlin, some Republicans gathered at the Wahlkreis (Voting District) bar.

Hans Theerman, who votes in Montana but has lived in Germany for 15 years, said he was still hoping for a McCain/Palin win as German festivities started, well before polls had closed in the United States. However, he said he would not let an Obama victory, which already looked likely at that point, weigh him down.

"I'll batten down the hatches and we'll go back to work," he said.

Living in Germany, he noted that he was often in the minority as a Republican and often had a hard time making his German friends understand his political views.

"I think that the Germans really don't understand the dynamic that's going on," he said. "There's just a number of people who don't understand America."

Jan Burdinski, program director of the German branch of Republicans Abroad, estimated that about 150 people crowded into the bar during the night although he noted that few of the attendees were hardcore Republicans.

The party went until about 5 a.m. before the bar lost television service and, consequently, many of its guests.

"Next time, it will be different," he said as the party wound down. He added that many Americans would soon grow weary of Democrats controlling the executive and legislative branches of the US government.

"It's a done deal, and now it's time to look forward," he said.

Meanwhile, congratulations also poured in from world leaders the world over.

The British Labour government and Conservative opposition Wednesday hailed the outcome as "inspirational."

French President Nicolas Sarkozy said, "In choosing you, the American people have chosen change, openness and optimism."

JB/DPA/Expatica