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I love taking adventures and traveling the world, even though I haven’t gone too many places yet.  I was excited to hear about a trip to Washington D.C. offered at our school with Mr. Christensen to watch the inauguration of our new president, Mr. Donald Trump.

My trip started very early on Wednesday, January 18th at 2:00 a.m. I was told that this trip would be unforgettable and it was. At first I thought the trip would be impossible due to my financial status, but my parents made it possible. The trip was organized through a program called World Strides,  where we were with a group of people from other places.

On the first day of the trip I was grouped up with other students I would be with all week. After we ate lunch we went to the Martin Luther King Memorial and then went to the hotel. The next day we went to the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial and then to the Arlington House. After that Mr. Christensen and I went to get tickets for the inauguration. We visited some museums and ended the day back at the hotel.

The next day was Friday,  the day of the Inauguration. We got up at 5 a.m. so we could get a close spot. We stood waiting until 12 when our new president was inaugurated. After the Inauguration we were interviewed by the news again and we walked around watching protesters. Once we met back with the group, we went to Ford’s Theater and the building across the street where Abraham Lincoln died. The next day was fully dedicated to seeing all the monuments. The last day of the trip we went to the Holocaust Museum and left to return home.

The trip wasn’t only fun, but also a great learning experience. As I went through the monuments and memorials, a guide discussed how they came to be and their importance. There were many motivational quotes about the changes that affected America that were very uplifting to read.  Also, I was impressed with all the events that our country has evolved from over the years.  Going through the monuments and museums was moving to me because I saw that America can overcome anything.

I also had a great political experience. The Inauguration introduced me to other political ideas that people have about different subjects of society. With protesters all around and people spreading their ideas to the world, this experience opened my eyes a little more to the world. Many people were spreading the Word of God, others complained about Trump and other people were just watching the whole crowd.

I’m changed in a way because I slowly noticed how much harder a government job can be and what effect these roles and people have on society.  I’m proud of our country and the events we overcame as a nation.  This is something I haven’t thought of before this trip.