Suzy Patriot

One thing I've noticed living here, among people from all nations, is that when you are away from your home country you suddenly become extremely patriotic. I see people posting their native flags on the wall in their homes or offices, hear them subconsciously humming their national anthem ... and going on about the many, many, many amazing things their country has or does and how much better than you that they are (Australians, I'm looking in your direction, though some of you admittedly are more toned down than others).

I have to admit, I have a huge sense of patriotism right now after watching Obama's inauguration (thanks, CNN.com!). It was easy enough to get caught up in just the stunning view of so many people filling the streets of DC (one of my favorite places in America, by the way), and the beautiful music played by people like Yo-Yo Ma. And of course, there's no doubt Obama is a gifted speaker. Even watching his speech, and his passion, I almost wanted to cry, I was so moved. Maybe I wouldn't have had such a strong reaction if I was home viewing the prayer, oath-taking, and inauguration speech. I think the part that moved me the most was, "a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath." Wow. Very true, and powerful statement.

I am a little worried at just how high on a pedestal people have placed him, though. He's got a HUGE amount of hype to live up to. Maybe it's just because I'm viewing all this snowball of Obamania from outside the U.S. that it seems a little overboard to me.

Back to my sudden patriotism, I don't know if it's just because I really love history, and am proud of where my country started, but I was envisioned when he talked about our rough start ("in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people: 'Let it be told to the future world ... that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive... that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet it.')... or maybe I just miss home a little bit and this extremely, over-the-top patriotic day made me miss it even more.

Who knows? Maybe I'm just being a sap, and I definitely have never had "Obamania" as I saw it referred to in Time Magazine (a very interesting article on how some people have gone overboard in their obsession with Obama).

I'm interested to see where things go from here, and though I don't harbor any negative feelings against the old administration, I know that change is good. If I've learned nothing else from my time in Hong Kong, it is this.

Oh, and did you check out how very happy and excited Yo-Yo Ma was when he was playing? I don't know if he was happy to be playing on this day, or just happy to be playing (probably a little of both), but I absolutely loved seeing him so smiley! :)