Traveling to the Inauguration (January 19, 2009)

From Julie Schifeling ‘96 MA ‘03…

The magnitude of this particular inauguration became apparent in Chicago.  Extra security was in place at the gate we passed through before we boarded the plane.  As one woman proclaimed, “They have to be careful because we don’t want nobody hurting Obama.”

Once on board, the excitement started to grow.  A young woman from Springfield, Illinois, (and an Illinois State University grad) who works for the Department of Human Services, decided at the last minute to make the trip.  Most on the flight did not have tickets to the swearing-in ceremony, and one young woman hadn’t yet determined where she would be staying. Nevertheless, all expressed the desire to be a part of history.

Once on the ground, the excitement grew.  You could see it in the eyes of those who were making their first trip to the Capitol that this was something special, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.  I will be spending the evening with friends in Virginia, visiting and mapping out my transportation into Washington, D.C., in the morning.  Much more tomorrow…