Proud To Be An American

What a blog post title, right! Well I have been thinking about this a lot lately. Writing about politics has never been my thing. My blog is a personal space to share the things I love, pretty things, fun things, but I have never been one to really share my views on politics. Back in November when the election went the complete opposite way that I voted I thought about writing, but the days went by and I let it go. Being that tomorrow is the day of the US presidential inauguration, I thought it would be fitting for this post. 

The photo above is from the 2008 inauguration of President Obama. It is one of the most memorable weeks I have had in my professional and personal life. I use to live in Washington D.C. and did events at the Newseum, located right on Pennsylvania Avenue. The night before the inauguration we were lucky enough to host one of the most exciting events for the Huffington Post. The theme was an Inauguration Eve party, party hats and favors were handed out right before midnight when Sting, Will.i.am and Sheryl Crow performed. There was so much excitement that filled the room it was amazing! I was lucky enough to be able to have my sisters there with me to assist. After the event we walked to my friends apartment nearby to spend the night due to crazy security levels in the city. I can remember waking up at 5am hearing the crowds outside her apartment chanting Obama, Obama, it was quite a memory. Later that morning we decided that we were going to do it, be a part of the crowd, bundle up in multiple layers and head down to the mall to be a part of the experience. There were thousands of people around, the streets were closed to traffic, everyone was in such a great mood, it was freezing out, but nobody cared. The energy that the Obamas had brought to the country was electric and you could tell that everyone was full of hope for positive changes. 

After walking to many entry points we finally found a place right by the Washington monument in the centre of thousands of others and listened to President Obama get sworn in. I think I may have shed a tear, it was such a memorable, historic, moving event to witness! Myself, never the big politician, but as a woman in my mid twenties I was so happy that my vote had counted for something and we had someone leading our country in a positive way. I was proud standing there in the mix of children, adults, black, white, Asian, female, male, I was proud to be an American. 

 Flash ahead eight years later and it is not the same. I have lived in London for four and a half years now. To be honest, we have no plans on leaving anytime soon and we are really happy here.  This being said, I may not live in America, but I am still so proud to be an American. Living abroad people often ask me about things going on in the States, they see the awful gun violence on the news and race issues still going on. I always proudly say that it is still such a great country and no matter what the media shows, there are still so many nice people and things there then there are bad. I cast my absentee ballot this year and was so excited to see the first women lead the country ahead, unfortunately,we know, that went the other way. 

It made me so sad to see that the country I am from and love voted in this man that seems to have no positive morals and leads no good examples ahead for my daughter to look up to. Everyone says, give him a chance, OK, sure, but I certainly do not respect him the least bit. I will probably watch the inauguration tomorrow, I mean it is certainly news event. However it feels like its more of a joke then a must see celebratory event to witness. I honestly, truly can not believe it is actually happening. I try to keep my positive patriotism up here in London, but honestly, I think its going to be 

quite hard to watch. 

 I hope that my daughter can have the same experience as me some day. A time where the nation was positive and excited and wanted to make respectable energetic changes. I hope she can vote and has the same free rights as a woman as I have. I do not know what the next four years will be like in the States. It will be strange to watch it all unfold from a far.

 I love you London, I certainly do, but days like this I do get a bit sentimental thinking about the States. Whatever these next four years may bring I hope we all remember what a wonderful place it is to live! 

I have hope that some day Fleur will be able to say the same thing as I do. I may not be there on Saturday but I am cheering on all of the amazing women that are helping to make the positive happen! 

xoxo Rebecca