A Historic Day!

I've waited for this day for eight years! That's a long time to wait. Think about it. I was a junior in high school. I was only vaguely worried about college and the application process. September 11th had not yet happened. The ink on my driver's license was barely dry (I got it in the fall of that year). Today, I have not only graduated from college but I have also completed my Master's degree in education. I have lived in Spain and been to two other foreign countries (Italy and England). My sister was diagnosed with and survived cancer. She is now a senior in high school. On the one hand, it seems like so long ago but on the other it seems like yesterday. I still remember the sense of disappointment and embarassment after the 2000 election. But today, finally, that has been lifted!

Our new president, Barack Obama, was sworn-in today. I got to watch it live via the internet. It was a really cool moment in history. The smooth, peaceful transition of power from one person to another. And, more remarkably, the inauguaration of our first African-American president. It's truly remarkable and I'm so proud to say that I got to live through it and watch it. I wish I could have been in DC today but that was not going to happen. Thank goodness for technology:-)

I know that having a new president does not even begin to solve our nation's problems. But it does give me hope that this country will, however gradually, be on a new path. We will have to work hard and make sacrifices because change is never easy but, for what feels like the first time in eight years, we seem to be doing something right and something different. The same-old stuff from the Bush administration has felt stale for a long time. I don't think he's a bad person but I feel like he didn't see or acknowledge that things weren't going smoothly. Also, as an English major, I couldn't stand to hear him speak. It felt like he was going really slow with weird pauses and it made me feel like he was speaking down to the public. With President Obama, I at least feel like he can give a good speech and that he cares about this country. I do not know if he will turn out to be a good president but at least I feel like he will try. He seems intelligent and hardworking. I also rather enjoy listening to his speeches. I wish him nothing but the best. It's not an easy job at the best of times but I have hope that things will start to improve and I feel like we are in good hands. So, good luck President Obama! May God bless you and your family! And may God bless America!



P.S. Now, onwards to my own personal miletstone...my 25th birthday! Only five more days!