My friend Michelle asked me to participate in an article she is putting together for KoreAm Journal, which will piece together reactions of today's inauguration. I was extremely chuffed to be asked to contribute, particularly to give my perspective as an American living abroad.
I was originally going to mark this historic occasion with a typically eloquent post that looked something like this:
WHOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOHOOOOOOO
But I think what I sent to Michelle is ok too:
1) Describe what it was like witnessing
the inauguration of Barack Obama on Tuesday. What was it like watching
it while living in the UK?
I
moved to the UK in the fall of 2006. It was the middle of Bush's
second term and America's reputation abroad was at an all time low.
When British people teased me about our president I could only
sheepishly reply that I didn't vote for him.
This was also about the time when Obama's own presence was causing
rumblings within political discussions. Momentum began to build and I
got caught up in his message of hope and tried to quell strands of
cynicism that had built over the years of the previous administration.
I saw the inauguration in a very unlikely place, the work gym. I
positioned myself directly in front of the tv. It was on mute, so I had
to follow the captions. It didn't really matter. When the camera
panned to show the mass of people who had arrived to witness the
ceremony I felt simultaneously quite alone, an ocean away, and yet also
a part of this historic moment. It was breathtaking, and not because I
was on a treadmill.
Americans are characterized by a number of traits, both positive and
negative. We are viewed as loud-mouthed, confident, fond of long
words, impulsive, and above all, enthusiastically optimistic,
particularly when juxtaposed against the British approach of realistic
caution. While I usually try not to resemble a stereotype, when
Senator Feinstein introduced our 44th president, Barack Hussein Obama,
I couldn't help myself. I made the smallest fist pump and murmured
under my breath "YES!"
2) Obama's
presidency is supposed to represent a time of change. What kind of
change would you like to see our new president make?
I
would like our government to set an example for transparency and
accountability, two aspects that have been glaringly absent in the past
and has caused more damage to our reputation than anything else. The
Obama administration has a daunting list of Things to Do, but it is
*how* they execute their plans that must be different from the past.
*What* actually changes is not actually up to Obama, it's up to us.
3) What three words would you use to describe our future as a nation under this new president?
Recovery, Renewal, Responsibility
