Saying goodbye to Obama: Why I'm proud to be an American (especially while abroad)
Friday, January 20, 2017
Dear President Obama,
Like many other Americans, I would like to take the time today to thank you and your Administration for your service. For the past eight years you and your team have helped create a better America. As someone who is constantly traveling, I was proud to call myself an American because of you. No matter how far away I was from America, when I told others of my nationality a smile would automatically appear on their face. "Barack Obama is your President", they would tell me in delight. The fact of the matter is, Mr President, you created change not only in America but throughout the world. You influenced people's decision making and created hope for everyone regardless of their race, age, or creed. I remember when I was traveling around the Caribbean
during Christmas of 2008 how excited people were for you to become President of the United States. Just weeks before your inauguration, the people of these islands were already impressed with the hurdles you had overcome. Posters of your face could be seen on billboards celebrating your election and at one island, there was even a hospital being built in your name.
Eight years later, I, and others, have become more impressed by your work. If I could pinpoint one lesson that I learned from your Presidency as an American citizen it would be that you inspired so many of us to believe in change. You made us believe that no matter what, we could make a positive difference in this world. There was something about your discourse that made me believe that anything was possible, even at some of our (the American people's) lowest and saddest times in history. Throughout the many tragedies the American people faced during your Presidency, you continued to remind us that there was hope in a better tomorrow.
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