Inauguration

In my short life, I’ve managed to rack up a few of those “you’ll always remember where you were when…” moments. JFK’s assassination was obviously before my time, but I bet I’m not the only one who could tell you exactly what I was doing when…

• OJ Simpson Verdict – I sat Indian-style on the floor of the Immaculate Heart library with someone clutching my shoe during the build-up to the verdict. As upperclassmen, we 8th graders were granted the privilege to watch the event on live TV.
• Princess Diana’s Death – My cousins and I were huddled at our grandmother’s house post-Ashland’s ABA parade. We were up late awaiting an update from the hospital about my brother, who had been hit by a car earlier that night.
• September 11, 2001 – I was in a shower stall in my college dorm when I overheard some girls talking about a plane crash.

I may have racked up 2 more of these moments in NZ, but only time will tell if these events become part of our collective memory. As I told you previously, I will always remember watching Obama’s election night victory speech in an Irish Pub in Wellington. I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to watch the inauguration because I’m pretty disconnected these days. Luckily, our campsite had a TV room so I set my cell phone alarm clock for 5:30am on Wednesday morning. I unzipped my front door and walked through the darkness and dew-covered grass to the TV room. I was surprised that 5 other American travelers had the same idea! The sun was just starting to come up as Obama was sworn in as President. We simultaneously watched NZ usher in a new day and the US usher in a new era. Unforgettable!