Hello friends and family,
As you all know yesterday was a momentous and crowded event to swear-in our new President. I was honor to represent Peace Corps in the Presidential parade and was fortunate to carry the country of Kiribati flag which gave me warm memories of the Pacific Islands (see attached pictures). Listed below is another Return Peace Corps Volunteer parade account which I thought summed it up very well.
Much love to you all!
Kelly
Around 3 p.m. someone had just read on her blackberry that something was wrong with Ted Kennedy. The Peace Corps volunteers, carrying majestic 10-foot flags from 139 countries spontaneously started huddled together - in part because we were freezing, but also because Senator Kennedy's health was heavy on our minds. We stopped complaining about the cold.
Then, another former volunteer was on the phone with his dad who was watching CNN, and said that Barrack and Michelle Obama were on Twelfth Street. We started getting into position, excited. Next from blocks away we heard cheering that shook the ground - the president and first lady were just minutes away from the viewing station.
As we began marching we turned onto Pennsylvania Avenue, people from all over America were looking at us. I've never quite experienced anything like that. I started waiving back and smiling. You couldn't help it. Then, person after person, started raising their fists and cheering, "Peace Corps!!" and "Thank you!!" One person even said, "More Peace Corps. Yes we can." There was a woman jumping up and down crying. The Peace Corps contingent walking in unison, a sea of flags perfectly horizontal in the 20 MPH wind, was hope. Then, three men in yellow jackets and red backpacks came running up to us and added even more hope. I recognized two of them - Mark and Tim Shriver. I couldn't believe how much his smile reminded me of Sarge (Sgt. Shriver was the founding Director). So positive and bold. The expression on there faces was full of so much emotion. Because of my angle, I could see it very clearly. They were overwhelmed by the sea of flags. The Peace Corps was marching again. It was an image of how one person had changed the world and the inner world of all of the marchers - and it was his own father.
The Obamas and Bidens were in a giant heated white cube with a poster on it that said President of the United States in cursive letters. It was getting a bit darker, and the crowds were getting bigger and bigger as we approached the viewing station, louder too. As we came closer, I saw the new President and First Lady and the Bidens. They looked so beautiful and happy. When they saw us, they seemed excited.
Then, they all saw the sea of flags and they leaned forward to see all of us, and I really don't think they were expecting we would have such tall flags. I knew that we were now Obama's Kids being ushered in by Kennedy's kids. I knew then that President Obama is going to do something great for the Peace Corps.
I knew because of the look he gave us.
