Ambassadors Attend the 2005 Presidential Inauguration in Washington, D.C.
Snow crunching beneath our feet, we took our place on the National Mall. Only the night before, 600 People to People alumni from across the country had gathered in Washington, D.C., and were now poised to witness a moment in American history. We watched as the two-mile-long Mall filled behind us to form a thick sea of coats and hats. Bands played patriotic music, people clapped and sang along, and we all watched the Capitol steps and the big screens as each dignitary was introduced. Then came the moment when hundreds of thousands of us all listened together as President Bush took his oath of office; it was surreal to hear in person, and a remarkable, once-in-a-lifetime experience.
That evening all of the delegates and leaders participating in the People to People Presidential Inauguration gathered indoors for a celebration. We filled ourselves with dinner and dessert, listened to a live band, and danced and cheered as red, white and blue balloons cascaded around us. The cold we felt during the day had worn off and it was time to socialize and, literally, have a ball!
The next two days were full of experiences that one can only encounter in the D.C. area. Among the sites that different groups had the chance to visit were the Jefferson and Lincoln memorials, Mt. Vernon, Monticello and the University of Virginia. We also witnessed a snowstorm that will go down in history! Much activity in the northeastern United States came to a halt as the storms hit, but our delegates braved the weather, and resulting schedule changes, with grace and positive attitudes.
Experiences from this program will undoubtedly stay in each participant's memory for a lifetime. There was something equally special, however, about sharing this program with such a mature and upbeat group of People to People alumni. Participant Shandra Martin of California, stated that "the thing I will remember the most is the amazing people that I met and how much I enjoyed being around people of like mind who are concerned about today's world and our futures, and who really enjoy seeing the world!" It's true -- the participants showed themselves to be student leaders, and they represented themselves and their communities well on a program that brought American democracy to life.
