As a newcomer to our nation's capitol, I quickly became aware that D.C. natives could easily spot a tourist who is lost. They are willing to help out that person, through common courtesy. This city screams sophistication from its historical landmarks to the everyday people. This city has class and character; they take pride in their environment. I learned a lot about respecting my own environment through their actions.

As for the weekend as a whole, it is apparent why millions flocked to the place to witness history. It was a big success for African-Americans, especially from my parents' generation. In my own experience, I am a product of the Civil Rights Movement. Both of my parents endured segregation and racism in the South. But they never let majority tell them that they couldn't do anything as well because of a shallow mindset. There wasn't full closure from the past, but the victory makes it just step one to a brighter future for this country.

I went to the inauguration on behalf of them. They paved the way to make a historic moment like this even possible. My generation owes it to our parents. They created an aggressive mentality when the community as a whole was pushed too far, not given a fair advantage as their Caucasian counterparts. But it was not just a victory for the African-Americans either. It was a victory for the generation who saw passed the shallow mentality and developed a deeper connection between their peers.

The spirit of the victory lay in the eyes of everyone who attended the event. I do remember one of many stories overheard on the trip while on the metro. A couple was talking to another couple about their experience when they watched Obama's acceptance speech on Nov. 4, 2008:

"I had my family glued to the television set. My wife was crying and our 4-year old son was worried why she was sad. We explained to him that we were not sad at all. I know he is too young to understand but I made sure he watched Obama speak to the nation about hope he has for all of a united nation. I said to him, 'You've got to remember this, this is your future."

Although we were suffering from the cold, ranging at an average of 18 to 23, there was no breaking the energy we all felt collectively. Everyone was genuinely helping others out and having fun. Many described the same feeling as spending New Year's in Times Square. It was probably the only time I've ever seen a calm gathering of roughly two million people at once.

Everyone was decked out in their Obama buttons, sweatshirts, toboggans and the good-old American flag. I don't remember the last time I ever saw or felt that patriotic, but it felt damn good to be an American. Speaking about the economy, D.C. pulled in so much money in one weekend. Even traveling street vendors made a pretty penny bringing in their own competitive spirit against big company. What's celebrating American spirit without capitalism and some healthy competition?

What Obama is doing, and what Bush did not, is changing the societal mentality back to the neighborhood approach. Where you take care of your family and the other families in your neighborhood. We are everyday people just trying to get by and living life the best way we know how. You don't have to agree with you neighbor or be their best friend. But we must learn again how to respect and trust one another to survive the challenges ahead of us.

Bush promoted a more self-indulgent country, lacking common courtesy and loss of respect to one another. Through the backward speech he fed us for eight years, not once did he enforce tolerance against misrepresented minorities or show any type of sympathy to Americans affected by war. I see where people disagree with my perspective, and you must fight back for protection. Agree that war is an option, but not the first option, as quoted by Obama in his 2004 speech at the Democratic National Convention for John Kerry.

You had human triumph over an unjustified social construct. A person with the smallest odds at succeeding at anything in the majority's eye at any other time in our nation was not possible. He has the support, but that is not a guaranteed success for his administration. We have not seen what he can do yet, but the odds are in his favor and fate seems to on his side.

While listening to Obama's inauguration speech, it made me understand why he is dependable to unite a nation at its wit's end. Obama is constantly compared to John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Abraham Lincoln. However, the thing that will have hardcore McCain fans concerned is the economic crisis this country has to face. When Obama speaks of the hard road lying ahead to recover our national debt, you must remember nothing has destroyed America yet, and it won't start now. The work ethic Obama proposes for success is the same drive and ambition Franklin D. Roosevelt used to pull the country out of the depression. As we reach this new age economic spiral, we must carry on the legacy our great-grandparents had to survive their crisis.

Even with criticism for his speech not being filled with the usual "tug-at-your-heart" emotion he is known for in the past, the moment of the event was so profound that nothing he could have said would compare to the emotion of that day. What I came back with from this weekend was regaining my faith in my country. For the past eight years, I saw my country divide further apart through, race, religion and political differences, to a point where I did not think it was reparable. But the supporters both national and international for Obama reminded me that you reap what you sow. This is our time to make it better for our future, carry on the pride our ancestors had in mind for all of us. We have the potential, the question is, will we also let it go?