From left: Terry Symula, George Symula, Jenn Symula, and Nick George at the Presidential Parade in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 21. (Courtesy photo)
On Jan. 21, I attended both the Presidential Parade and an inaugural ball. My parents, George and Terry, my friend Nick George, and I had driven to Washington, D.C. on the previous day, and we were there to see the President begin his second term in office.
I had been to Washington, D.C., before, but never experienced the mall in a crowd that numbered in the hundreds of thousands. There was music that made you feel heroic blasting from speakers; there were news stations camped everywhere; and there were crowds of people taking photos of the Capitol. Many of the roads in the city were closed to vehicles, and the people crowding the streets were of different ethnicities, all coming together to celebrate one single person: Barack Obama.
We woke up at 6:00 a.m. to take the Metro into the city. It was beyond cold and the sun refused to shine. We managed to grab seats in the stands that were so close to the road you could make out every feature on the faces of passers-by, including the President’s, as we would soon witness. We waited from about 10:00 a.m. until around 4:00 p.m. for the parade to begin, and during that wait, we met many outgoing people from every corner of the country. Ladies got up to sing and dance to keep from freezing in the cold; many others danced and chanted with smiles etched on their faces—me included. When an announcer said that the President might or might not be walking, we all waited anxiously with the same question running through our minds: Will the President walk right in front of us? The concern might seem trivial or silly now, but it was likely the most apprehensive moment of my life.
President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle walk down Pennsylvania Ave. and wave to onlookers. (Photos by Jenn Symula)
Vice President Joe Biden.
Vice President Biden and his wife Jill at one of the inaugural balls.
Was this really happening?
At 4:16 p.m., the secret service agents assigned to the President cruised down Pennsylvania Avenue with unhappy faces. Shortly after, the President himself, along with First Lady Michelle Obama appeared, strolling merrily down the street, side by side. The excitement and emotions created a pleasurable ambiance that I will never forget. It got me thinking that, wow, our society has come so far: we have an African-American President beginning a second term. I had to take a deep breath as they approached our portion of the street and ask, was this really happening? I took so many photos that I don’t think I paused for a moment to make sure they were clear and accurate. The President was smiling a huge smile and his wife was gesticulating toward the crowd with an equally wide grin; they looked so proud and grateful to be there. I felt that way as well.
Not long after Barack and Michelle Obama had made their way past, the secret service agents guarding Joe and Jill Biden strode towards us. The Vice President and his wife were smiling and waving happily as I rapidly snapped photos. Biden could not have looked happier, sweeter, or more proud than he did that day. I was enchanted. We did not stay long after the Vice President and his wife left because we had to race to the ball!
To reach the ball, we had to weave our way to the Convention Center at night in a long line that stretched through many streets. It was chilly, but there were many beautiful and handsome people standing in line that distracted us from the cold. Inside, the ball was crowded. I have never been surrounded by so many people at once like that before. There was a big stage where the President and his wife, along with the Vice President and his wife, shared their first dance. There were many entertainers that night, including John Legend and Stevie Wonder. People danced and sang and cried to the music. The feeling we all shared was overwhelmingly positive. It was clear to me that most of the people there could not have been more grateful to be there. I knew I felt that way.
Such an honor
The Convention Center was large and there were two balls occurring at once: the Military Ball and the Public Ball. We attended the latter and it felt like such an honor being in the same room as Barack Obama. I took so many photos. As the ball began to empty around 12:30 a.m., many women limped from the building, their high heels in their hands.
I had a blast listening and singing along to the music, but I was tired and fell asleep quickly. As I lay in bed, I remember my last thought being that there would not be many days as extraordinary as this one.
We owe special thanks to my mother’s cousin, Elizabeth, who provided us with this amazing opportunity.
Jenn Symula is a junior at the Bromfield School.
